First Lines Matter

Readers often read the opening few lines or page to a book before deciding to buy. What makes an opening sentence stand out above the rest? Give examples of openings, including your own, that you believe work brilliantly. Any tips or lessons learned for new authors about what to avoid on that first page?  

From Frank

This is a great question, and near and dear to my heart. I think first lines matter a lot, whether in a story or a novel. In fact, the only line that matters as much as t...