It Was A Dark And Stormy Night

Since this book is long since out of copyright let me give you more of this much mocked 'purple prose.'

It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents—except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.

So why did I use this awful title and opening line for the first story? Simply because we authors are told not to do some things and I was curious to see if I could write a story which broke all the 'rules'.

Incidentally despite writing in this florid style, Bulwer-Lytton's books sold well at the time. Apart from 'It was a dark and stormy night' he coined the phrases "the great unwashed", "pursuit of the almighty dollar" and "the pen is mightier than the sword." After writing Paul Clifford he became a politician.