Is there anything better than starting a book and the romance/mystery/thrill/atmosphere is set up well? That can’t always 
happen in the first chapter because you have to be concerned with character introduction and plot hints. But using a prologue, the author can spend all of his/her time engaging the reader with emotion in what follows. You know me—I’m all for engaging!
According to Quora, some great prologues can be found in these books (and in others, of course):
- Harry Potter (Book 1)
- Water for Elephants
- The Piano Tuner
- The Alchemist
- Shutter Island
Kristen Lamb has some reasons for not using prologues.
- If it’s nothing more than an information dump
- If the sole purpose is to hook the reader (don’t do this! Too many people skip prologues.)
- If the prologue is too long
- If it has nothing to do with the story (Now, why would anyone do that??)
And more.
It would be interesting to compare the “good” prologues to the “bad” 
examples and see where the author might have gone wrong. As for me, I never skip prologues. I might not read the rest of the book if the prologue is terrible, but at least I’ll have a good reason for it.
Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.
Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!
protagonists become engaged? Once they’re married are they happy? Do they have children? It seems that children or the announcement of a pregnancy are routinely in the epilogue of historical romances, and I like that little bit extra. It’s like biting into a chocolate—really good in itself—and finding a caramel filling that you didn’t expect. A step beyond satisfying and into the realm of happy.
is what I long to read. I have used them myself, and even enjoy reading them then. 😉
days where she would lie in her bedroom away from distraction and get lost in the world of make believe.
an example of how I look when I go into the office for a couple hours at the keyboard. Hair coiffed, mani/ pedi done to perfection, fuck me stilettos, and designer gown. And let’s not forget the special illumination that shows off the highlights in my hair.
and bunny slippers. Because after all, what’s the point of working from home if you can’t be comfortable?? When I give up the pajamas, I like loose-fitting pants, a tee shirt, a wrap over my shoulders and upper arms, and yes, slippers. This is why I don’t hie off to Starbuck’s to write—they frown on bunny slippers.
listen to a particular song. In fact, I don’t really have a writing ritual. Usually I go back and read the last thing I wrote and then plan in my mind what would come next. In fact, this planning is so minuscule that it doesn’t even really count as planning.
need organizing particular things to wear (“clothes to write in…”) because that’s too much trouble. Surrounding myself with inspirational photos and books won’t work because there’s too little space in the office for such things. And besides, what about when I write in the living room using my Alphasmart or the laptop?
K. L. Ramsey was born and raised in Maryland. As a child she struggled in school, having to attend speech and reading therapy. Her teacher told her that she would never be a very good reader; that English was just not her thing. She continued to struggle until eleventh grade, when she signed up for a Creative Writing class. Her high school teacher saw her potential and submitted a short story, that K. L. had written for class, to a local literary publication. The story was not only published but won an award for best short story. Knowing that someday she wanted to become a writer, K. L. received her BA in English from Salisbury State University.
nose. What I can do is recite a conversation word-for-word, complete with gestures and intonation. Unless I become an informant for the FBI or a spy, what good is that?
mom, aunt, and I get together, we have fun—harmless fun, since “news” never goes beyond the three of us—sharing what we know about other people. What better time to let my talent shine than then?