The Next Big Thing W.I.P. Blog Hop

The fine people over at Renaissance Romance Publishing have asked me to participate in this blog hop thingie, and I like to keep publishers happy! I shall now interview myself, which is not nearly as inappropriate and kinky as it may sound…

What is the working title of your book?
My upcoming short story is titled “My Apple Tree.” I am also working on an historical romance titled The Truth Seekers and a paranormal mystery titled The Irrepressibles.

Where did the idea come from for the book?
“My Apple Tree” was inspired by the old Celtic song “I Am Stretched on Your Grave,” which Sinead O’Connor included on her album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got. It’s a very raw look at grief and bereavement and innocence, and I wanted to explore how those emotions can evolve until the point where new life and love can grow.
The Truth Seekers is a story that came to me while staying at Chautauqua Institution in New York State. It’s a beautiful, timeless place, and so you almost can’t help but imagine the lives of the people who have gone before. I also got the initial idea for The Irrepressibles there, but the true inspiration for that book was an old key to a demolished building that I was using as a keychain. Sometimes it’s the smallest details that give you the most vivid pictures.

What genre does your book fall under?
I consider myself a romance writer, but my pieces tend to be very different from each other. “My Apple Tree” is very dark at times, but it is more of a traditional romance, whereas The Truth Seekers is an historical romance and The Irrepressibles is a paranormal mystery with romantic and comedic elements. No matter what, my books do focus on relationships between people, and romance is a large part of that. 

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I am terrible at this sort of question. My characters are their own people in my mind’s eye, and I don’t really model them on any particular person. I think that Christopher Eccleston would make a lovely Geoffrey in a film version of The Truth Seekers. He has the right kind of intensity for that character. I think the characters in The Irrepressibles would be easier to cast, as long as you found actors with good comedic timing and chemistry.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
For “My Apple Tree,” it would have to be a quote from the ballad upon which it is based: “I still would be your shelter through rain and through storm, but with you in a cold grave, I cannot sleep warm.”

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Renaissance Romance Publishing will be publishing all three unless I don’t get my head out of my ass and finish editing them.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
It’s hard to say. I started pieces of “My Apple Tree” years ago, but only recently brought all the threads together and began to polish it into one complete draft. The Truth Seekers and The Irrepressibles both began life as NaNoWriMo novels, so the first draft for each took thirty days, but revisions will take several months because of the insanity that comes from attempting to write fifty thousand words in thirty days.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I’ve had my writing in The Irrepressibles compared to Jennifer Cruise, which was incredibly flattering, and The Truth Seekers is somewhat similar in flavor to A.S. Byatt’s Possession, although I’m sure it’s nowhere near as good.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?
Generally, my surroundings inspire me, but it’s really any small thing that catches my imagination. A song, a key, an old building, a strange hole in the wall, a lonely bench hidden away in an overgrown garden… the inspiration is always in the details.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
The Irrepressibles really is a mad romp. I enjoyed writing the banter between the two lead characters tremendously. Their relationship is somewhat like Nick and Nora’s in the movie The Thin Man, I think. I’m really looking forward to doing more with them.


Next up...  Anne ChaconasDavid MichaelKatherine SilvaLayne FaireMelissa ConderDeborah Garner

Rules: 
***Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (Work In Progress) on your blog***Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them.It’s that simple.
Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:
What is the working title of your book?Where did the idea come from for the book?What genre does your book fall under?Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?Who or What inspired you to write this book?What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?