GREAT HOOKERS I HAVE KNOWN by Stephen King [Found in SECRET WINDOWS (a companion to ON WRITING)]
This essay is about great first lines in novels—the lines “hook” you. He lists some hookers throughout the piece and then list ten other great hookers.
...Well, I got curious, and so I spent an hour or so browsing through my books (those by other people, I mean), looking for hookers. I think I’ve mentioned my favorites already, and so won’t go through them again. But let me list ten other great hookers that I either found or remembered . . . and let me add one other thing: I arbitrarily disqualified Elmore Leonard after two listings, or else he would own the list, top to bottom. When it comes to hookers, he’s the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of fiction. But otherwise, in no particular order, check out these opening lines…
“Every time they got a call from the leper hospital to pick up a body Jack Delaney would feel himself coming down with the flu or something.” BANDITS, Elmore Leonard.
“They were watching Ryan beat up the Mexican crew leader on 16mm Commercial Ektachrome.” THE BIG BOUNCE, Elmore Leonard.
What’s your favorite Hooker?