Wednesday, November 28, 2012

The Next Big Thing

Author, Hunter Gross, invited me to post in The Next Big Thing blog go-round. The idea is cool--I post about my next project, then tag other writers at the end. They'll post on their blogs next Wednesday and tag other writers! So keep following us so you'll be privy to The Next Big Thing!

 The Ten Questions:

1) What is the working title of your next book? 

I just released a new book. The working title was Rosy's Dream, but upon publishing, it got changed to Rosy with the subtitle Dreams Can Become Nightmares. After the holidays, I'll continue working on Priestess, part two of the Agathon's Daughter Trilogy.

2) Where did the idea come from for the book?

Rosy demanded that it be written. The first draft poured out of me almost fifteen years ago, but the story required a long germination. It takes place in New York City in the late 1970s--a crazy time. I did a lot of first-hand research.

3) What genre does your book fall under?

It's dark coming-of-age and has been compared to Wally Lamb's, She's Come Undone. The story contains a romantic suspense element as well. Gotta love that sex and violence.

4) What actors would you chose to play the characters in a movie rendition?

Unknown, quirky actors. Sarah/Rosy requires offbeat beauty and a sense of humor. Robin needs a rock star quality--a guy like Jim Sturgess.

5) What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

Small town girl, Sarah, dreams of finding love and fame in New York City, but following her dreams leads to a downward slide into the insanity of the late 1970s: nightclubs, sex, drugs, and violence.

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

Self-published. I'm too impatient to wait for traditional publishing. I did send a copy to my agent--just in case something opens up in other areas.

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

I wrote the first draft quickly, about fifteen years ago. Since then I've cut a lot and done several major rewrites.

8) What other books would you compare this story to within its genre?

As I mentioned, She's Come Undone. And the movie, Magic Mike. The story doesn't shy away from darkness. I consider Sarah an unreliable narrator, and I thought of Catcher in the Rye while I wrote parts of it.

9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Life inspired me. I lived in New York City in the late 1970s. I was a dancer, an actress, and generally a fool. Years later, I wrote the story (in part) to sort out my experiences.

10) What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?

Anyone who has dealt with abuse will probably resonate with the story. Anyone who has struggled to pursue a dream will probably relate to Sarah. And music buffs may enjoy that each chapter is named for a song. The chapter headings are linked to MP3 samples of each song on Amazon. (When I bring the book out on iBooks the links will go to iTunes.)

This was fun!

Next week check out The Next Big Thing by these fantastic writers:

Cheryl Bradshaw
Elle Chardou
Tory Hartmann
Chrystalla Thoma

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