Writing The Perfect Opening Hook

An opening hook is just that - a way to hook your readers right from the first line and draw them into your book.
It is not an easy thing to do and I see many new writers believing that the first few pages of their story needs to be an info dump about their character and the world they live in. Don't fall into this trap. Think of your opening like an overheard conversation or walking into the middle of a crazy scene. It is supposed to entice the reader and even confuse them so that they feel the need to stay and get their answers.

Here are some examples - 

In 1984 we have - It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen
In The Gunslinger we get - The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed.
The Lovely Bones has - My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.

Something unusual is happening in each of these and we have questions. Questions are good at the beginning of a book, it is what makes the reader keep reading.
You can also have a line of dialogue to start your story. Here are some examples I have created -

"We always knew it would end this way. With your death."
"What do you mean my mother was a vampire?"
"This is the last time I risk my life to save that damn cat."

Always remember to start your first chapter in the middle of the scene, show the action and give the readers a mystery to solve. Why is the character doing that? Who is chasing them? How can the character be telling the story if they're dead? We all have a natural curiosity and a need to know more.
But don't feel overwhelmed with finding the perfect opening line and let it stop you from actually writing the story. You can always come back and rewrite it later. Take your time with it and know your target audience. Check out a few books in the same genre for inspiration.
When done right, you can keep those readers hooked, hopefully, to the last page.

Happy writing!