Cold Open

You are reading for a small publisher on a Thursday. Twenty submissions, one sitting, and a clock that belongs to the pile rather than to you.

Each card shows the first sentence. Hold the card and the rest of the opening paragraph comes up word by word — but the clock runs at nearly double while you read it. Pass, or read on.

Nothing is saved and nothing carries over. Every title, author and paragraph here is invented for this pile.

Hold the card to read on.