The Next Big Thing

My writer friend, Kathy Logan, recently tagged me for a ‘chain’ blog entitled ‘The Next Big Thing’. The deal is: I answer a few questions about my current work-in-progress, then I invite other authors to do the same. A bit like a chain letter, except it is only focused on an author’s work-in-progress. Kathy was tagged previously by Clive Eaton.  I’ve included details of their blogs so you can explore their answers to the same questions. The authors I’ve chosen have, along with Kathy and Clive, been tagged below my answers. So here goes:

 What is the working title of your next book?

Unnamed as yet but is part of The Novel Series.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It will be a sequel to “A Novel Obsession”.  The idea for the series came from my fascination for small town life with its virtues as well as its propensity for incestuous gossip and shameful behavior.  It blossomed into a complex story that needed to be told in several installments and thus the concept of the “Novel Series” came to be. The sequel will continue the saga, take it to a larger stage and answer some of the many unanswered questions in the first book.

What genre does your book fall under?

Romance and suspense, a heart tugging romantic struggle with a hold your breath suspenseful ending .

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

It is really very difficult to say.  The novel provides descriptions of the characters that are detailed enough to conjure up an overall image but leave enough room for the reader to paint the final picture, which is the way I believe a writer should proceed.  If I absolutely had to pick a hero and heroine, I would choose Ryan Reynolds and Stana Katic (Kate Beckitt from the TV series “Castle”).  Ryan because I feel he looks the part in my mind, and Stana because if this were ever made into a movie, I would hope to get to meet her as a consultant on the project!

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

A seemingly normal and harmless man but in reality psychopathic killer tries to even the score for an old, imagined injustice and runs up against his most formidable enemy ever…love of the highest order.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

 Self published.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

I’m working on it now and hope to have it completed during the summer.  You can’t rush a good thing.  It will take 4 to 6 months by the time it’s finished.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

There really is not a good answer to this question.  I would like to think that my story is unique to the point that the reader will put it into a category of its own.

 

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I have always loved romantic stories.  When I’m not watching my favorite romantic movies, ideas for them are always bouncing around in my head.  And I’m not interested in boy meets girl, they fall in love, and they live happily ever after.  For me the struggle to consummate true love is the real story, and the happy ending, if there is one, is very cathartic.  I suppose my own struggles with love have a lot to do with this, and of course there have been loving, well intentioned family members who somehow think I have the talent to write to push me along.

What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

It’s a long journey over many years, full of heart throbbing love, unsuspected twists, and characters that are unique yet real enough that the reader will relate to them.  It will evoke a wide range of feelings and provide hours of reading enjoyment.

Here are the blog links for Kathy Logan and Clive Eaton.

The authors I’ve invited to join in the fun are:

Patrick Jones

Jill Edmondson

Sherrie Lowe

Elizabeth Marx