Unlock the Secrets of Cliffhangers: How Writers Keep You on the Edge of Your Seat
This example is from Labyrinth by Kate Mosse.
Without warning, a rough and callused hand, reeking of ale, clamped itself over her mouth. She cried out as she felt a sudden, sharp blow on the back of her head and she fell.
It seemed to take a long time for her to reach the ground. Then there were hands crawling all over her, like rats in a cellar, until they found what they wanted.
“Aqui es.” Here it is.
It was the last thing Alais heard before the blackness closed over her.
CUT!
This is a prime example of a blackout cliffhanger, and you can be sure the author infused the wakeup scene with lots of sensory detail, emotion, and opinion to ground the reader in the next opening.
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