--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That’s where proper stories begin, don’t…" description: "\"That’s where proper stories begin, don’t they, when the handsome stranger arrives and everything goes wrong?\" — Franny Billingsley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65e/franny-billingsley-3192_handsome_that-s-where-proper-stories-begin-don-t_3042646.png" --- # That’s where proper stories begin, don’t they, when the… ![“That’s where proper stories begin, don’t they, when the handsome stranger arrives and everything goes wrong?” quote by Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65e/franny-billingsley-3192_handsome_that-s-where-proper-stories-begin-don-t_3042646.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65e/franny-billingsley-3192_handsome_that-s-where-proper-stories-begin-don-t_3042646.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65e/franny-billingsley-3192_handsome_that-s-where-proper-stories-begin-don-t_3042646.png) > “That’s where proper stories begin, don’t they, when the handsome stranger arrives and everything goes wrong?” [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stories often start when an unexpected, attractive figure appears, leading to complications. **In simple terms:** Stories begin with a handsome stranger causing trouble. Key Takeaway Expect the unexpected in narratives. Themes storytelling conflict characters plot twists Mood intriguing analytical Type narrative thematic When to use this quote - reading - writing - film analysis Key Concepts hero archetype disruption fate Questions to Reflect On - What makes a stranger “handsome” in a story? - How does conflict drive interest? A Different Perspective Not all strangers cause trouble; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Handsome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handsome/) [Handsome Stranger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handsome-stranger-324259/) [Proper Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proper-stories-1277379/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Stories Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-begin-670411/) [Stranger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger/) [Stranger Arrives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger-arrives-5022947/) ## Related quotes > [“Are you sure this is okay?” he asks. “I mean, did your dad really invite the handsome stranger who’s dating his daughter to sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-young/are-you-sure-this-is-okay-he-asks-i-mean-did-your-dad-really-invite/) [Suzanne Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-young/) > [“The stories in books hate the stories in newspapers, David's mother would say. Newspaper stories were like newly caught fish, worthy of attention only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/the-stories-in-books-hate-the-stories-in-newspapers-david-s-mother/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [Telling the proper stories is as if you were approaching the throne of Heaven in a fiery chariot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baal-shem-tov/telling-the-proper-stories-is-as-if-you-were-approaching-the-throne/) [Baal Shem Tov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baal-shem-tov/) > [“Many stories begin with a dream, but it is rare when the dream is the story itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-randall/many-stories-begin-with-a-dream-but-it-is-rare-when-the-dream-is-the/) [K.M. 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I'm sure I can find you one in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/today-mistress-i-will-give-you-anything-you-desire-how-about-a-tall/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“Perhaps he’d recently lost some bulk. But there was plenty of him remaining, and all of it was lean and hard. His body was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/perhaps-he-d-recently-lost-some-bulk-but-there-was-plenty-of-him/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) > [“My life - my real life - started when a man walked into it, a handsome stranger in a perfectly cut suit, and, yes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/my-life-my-real-life-started-when-a-man-walked-into-it-a-handsome/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [All true stories begin and end in a cemetery" - The Shadow of the Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/all-true-stories-begin-and-end-in-a-cemetery-the-shadow-of-the-wind/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [When you listen to other women’s stories, you begin to understand your own better, and you begin to find ways back through and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/when-you-listen-to-other-women-s-stories-you-begin-to-understand-your/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [“I’m not getting caught up with a handsome stranger, no matter how handsome he is. And oh, is he mind meltingly delicious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-ellen-malpas/i-m-not-getting-caught-up-with-a-handsome-stranger-no-matter-how/) [Jodi Ellen Malpas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-ellen-malpas/) ## More by Franny Billingsley > [I hope you don’t mind my joining you,” said Leanne. I minded. After all, she’d tried to kill me. A girl in a novel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-hope-you-don-t-mind-my-joining-you-said-leanne-i-minded-after-all/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [I've confessed to everything and I's liked to be hanged. Now, if you please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-ve-confessed-to-everything-and-i-s-liked-to-be-hanged-now-if-you/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [Meaning. If you're going to die, you want to find meaning in life. You want to connect the dots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/meaning-if-you-re-going-to-die-you-want-to-find-meaning-in-life-you/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [You could at least complain,” I say. “I adore complaining. It calms the nerves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/you-could-at-least-complain-i-say-i-adore-complaining-it-calms-the/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [Thoughts are strange creatures. They lead you from one thing to another. Sometimes you don’t know how you got from one to the next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/thoughts-are-strange-creatures-they-lead-you-from-one-thing-to/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [Guess what it is that turns plants to coal. Pressure. Guess what it is that turns limestone to marble. Pressure. Guess what it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/guess-what-it-is-that-turns-plants-to-coal-pressure-guess-what-it-is/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [“I was going to ask him, yes I was. “You remember Blackberry Night?” The torches were alive with yellow butterfly-flames. “I can’t forget it.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-was-going-to-ask-him-yes-i-was-you-remember-blackberry-night-the/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [You don’t mind when he stares at you.” Cecil jerked his head toward Eldric. "He doesn’t stare,” I said. “He looks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/you-don-t-mind-when-he-stares-at-you-cecil-jerked-his-head-toward/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [“I love you. I believe it. I believe I am lovable. How can something as fragile as a word build a whole world?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-love-you-i-believe-it-i-believe-i-am-lovable-how-can-something-as/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [People think me a sort of Florence Nightingale, but I have no heroic qualities. I simply don’t feel very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/people-think-me-a-sort-of-florence-nightingale-but-i-have-no-heroic/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [“It never ends, this business of being a lady.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/it-never-ends-this-business-of-being-a-lady/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [“Smash the table, why don’t you? Kick things about. It’s ever so nice to see you embrace the true spirit of the Fraternitus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/smash-the-table-why-don-t-you-kick-things-about-it-s-ever-so-nice-to/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [“This is the difference between Eldric and me. Had it been my job to transform the garden, I would have removed the clothesline. Clotheslines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/this-is-the-difference-between-eldric-and-me-had-it-been-my-job-to/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [I was asking about lust, wasnʼt I? I was fairly certain of it. But isnʼt love supposed to come before lust? It does in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-was-asking-about-lust-wasn-t-i-i-was-fairly-certain-of-it-but-isn-t/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [“I have a theory about how she might have managed to pull off such a feat. It comes in the form of an equation:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-have-a-theory-about-how-she-might-have-managed-to-pull-off-such-a/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) [Explore all 137 Franny Billingsley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) ## More Handsome quotes > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [Books look handsome and it's a real singular experience getting to go to a bookstore. I don't want to not do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-goldsmith/books-look-handsome-and-it-s-a-real-singular-experience-getting-to-go/) [Taylor Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-goldsmith/) > [“He was a handsome man, not in the way of mercurial Cesare or the false angel, Morozzi, but with a calm steadiness that sat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-poole/he-was-a-handsome-man-not-in-the-way-of-mercurial-cesare-or-the-false/) [Sara Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-poole/) > [“opened the door. He was leaning with his arm up on the frame, and his other hand on his hip. The way he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-l-stone/opened-the-door-he-was-leaning-with-his-arm-up-on-the-frame-and-his/) [C.L. Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-l-stone/) > [As more Americans meet Mitt Romney, I think they'll see beyond the handsome exterior and see not just a good salesman, but a thoughtful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-jean-lopez/as-more-americans-meet-mitt-romney-i-think-they-ll-see-beyond-the/) [Kathryn Jean Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-jean-lopez/) > [I used to have the biggest crush on Jimmy Kimmel. I liked him when he was chubbier, though. I've never really been attracted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikaela-hoover/i-used-to-have-the-biggest-crush-on-jimmy-kimmel-i-liked-him-when-he/) [Mikaela Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikaela-hoover/) > [You've heard tales of beauty and the beast. How a fair maid falls in love with a monster and sees the beauty of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-maitland/you-ve-heard-tales-of-beauty-and-the-beast-how-a-fair-maid-falls-in/) [Karen Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-maitland/) > [“In choosing a mate, don't pick the tallest and most handsome or the most beautiful. Don't choose one just because that person raises your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-quist-milligan/in-choosing-a-mate-don-t-pick-the-tallest-and-most-handsome-or-the/) [Helen Quist Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-quist-milligan/) > [The general public have a warped view of the speed at which an investigation proceeds. They like to imagine tense conversations going on behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/the-general-public-have-a-warped-view-of-the-speed-at-which-an/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [Sir, money, money, the most charming of all things; money, which will say more in one moment than the most elegant lover can in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/sir-money-money-the-most-charming-of-all-things-money-which-will-say/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [Now I have children of my own. They ask their mother what will I be. Will I be handsome, will I be rich?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-livingston/now-i-have-children-of-my-own-they-ask-their-mother-what-will-i-be/) [Jay Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-livingston/) > [You see, she was gonna be an actress and I was gonna learn to fly. She took off to find the footlights, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-chapin/you-see-she-was-gonna-be-an-actress-and-i-was-gonna-learn-to-fly-she/) [Harry Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-chapin/) > [Oh, shut up. He is not saying that he's too good-looking to be friends with girls. But then again, yesterday at the beach, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/oh-shut-up-he-is-not-saying-that-he-s-too-good-looking-to-be-friends/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Karl Ove Knausgaard is one of my literary heroes. This distresses many of my female, queer, and trans friends: Torrey, you have every woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torrey-peters/karl-ove-knausgaard-is-one-of-my-literary-heroes-this-distresses-many/) [Torrey Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torrey-peters/) > [I heard you're campaigning on my behalf." He walked over to me. "That wouldn't be because you'd miss me too much if I were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/i-heard-you-re-campaigning-on-my-behalf-he-walked-over-to-me-that/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) [Browse all 889 Handsome quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handsome/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That’s where proper stories begin, don’t they, when the handsome stranger arrives and everything goes wrong?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Franny Billingsley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/that-s-where-proper-stories-begin-don-t-they-when-the-handsome/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Handsome" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/that-s-where-proper-stories-begin-don-t-they-when-the-handsome/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65e/franny-billingsley-3192_handsome_that-s-where-proper-stories-begin-don-t_3042646.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65e/franny-billingsley-3192_handsome_that-s-where-proper-stories-begin-don-t_3042646.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65e/franny-billingsley-3192_handsome_that-s-where-proper-stories-begin-don-t_3042646.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That’s where proper stories begin, don’t they, when the handsome stranger arrives and everything goes wrong?” — Franny Billingsley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Franny Billingsley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That’s where proper stories begin, don’t...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/that-s-where-proper-stories-begin-don-t-they-when-the-handsome/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/that-s-where-proper-stories-begin-don-t-they-when-the-handsome/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```