Page One: Where New and Noteworthy Books Begin

The first lines of a dozen noteworthy books including The Crane Wife: A Memoir in Essays by CJ Hauser and Gods of Want by K-Ming Chang.
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The first lines of a dozen noteworthy books including The Crane Wife: A Memoir in Essays by CJ Hauser and Gods of Want by K-Ming Chang.
“Prioritize writing. Make time for it. Plan it like you plan your grocery lists. Plant your ass in the chair and do it.” —Gabe Montesanti, author of Brace for Impact
“There are plenty of hard truths in Ma and Me that were difficult to put down on the page, and then there are other truths that are mine, and mine alone, to keep.” —Putsata Reang, author of Ma and Me
Lesley Wheeler reckons with vulnerability, loss, and family through a close reading of Jan Beatty’s poem “Red Sugar."
The author chose to share her memoir draft with family and friends and face their varied reactions to her recollection of the past—reactions which ultimately made the book richer.
“I have dogs who get me outside on walks every day, but otherwise I generally feel like I should be writing whenever I’m not.” —Maud Newton, author of Ancestor Trouble
While editing her memoir about the history and methodology of mental health diagnoses, the author gains a new respect for fact-checking and more confidence in her book.
“Make it so good they can’t reject it.” —Edgar Gomez, author of High-Risk Homosexual
In this online supplement to our annual print feature celebrating debut authors over the age of fifty, Jeffrey J. Higa, Ursula Pike, Megan Culhane Galbraith, Michael Kleber-Diggs, and Vinod Busjeet share excerpts from their first books.
The agent representing Chris Belcher, Kate Broad, Delia Cai, Duy Doan, and others offers advice about working with a coauthor, changing a memoir to fiction, why agents don’t consider previously published work, and how to become an agent.