A long-winded random thought

[leapin_jot]

Today was a testing day at school, the second of three that we are having this week. What this means for me is that I spent most of the morning either monitoring kids at the bathrooms or covering classes so that teachers get their breaks. Then in the afternoon, in the library I get the leftover kids who're still testing--because this is not an official state test, that's okay. So naturally, I spent most of the day reading.

Today I...

• Read the first 70 pages of The Roar by Emma Clayton
• Read the first 70 pages of Thirst No.1: The Last Vampire by Christopher Pike (a recommend from one of the teachers at my school. I can't find any professional reviews for it, so I don't know if it is Junior High appropriate. So far I would say no.)
• Read the first three chapters of The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade
• Wrote the first several pages in a Twilight fan-fic that I couldn't not write, but I may not finish

From this experience I gained this insight: Beginnings of stories are a drag. Beginnings are when authors lay on all of the problems that the characters will have to spend the whole rest of the book solving. Except for my little fanfic, these particular stories' set-ups were all a little disturbing. With all of them, I feel like if I can get beyond these beginnings, then I will really enjoy the book. Or at least, I'll enjoy The Roar. The other two I am less certain of.

I don't especially like to read about people's problems. I like to read about how they Overcome their problems, Rise above, and become Heroes. (Yes, I am a genre reader, and proud of it too!!!) I have actually had this thought before, but only as applied to certain stories. And of course, there are those stories with totally fun beginnings for a chapter or so, but I'm talking more the first third or so of the book.

So back to my random thought, if story beginnings are a drag because they're where problems are made, should we mention this to kids who are reluctant readers? I guess it depends though on what they like to read. I was talking to one of our school counselors a few weeks ago, and she was saying that while she prefers to live a calm, peaceful life, she loves to read/watch crazy drama, à la Gossip Girls or Housewives of Whatever Location. I wonder if she finds beginnings emotionally difficult like me? I have to admit that frequently my favorite part of a book is the epilogue.

How about the rest of you? What's your favorite part of a story?