The Next Big Thing

Dianne Salerni over at In High Spirits invited me to partake in a little blog hop today--The Next Big Thing. You can stop over at her blog and see what she's got going there.

We're all answering ten question relating to our WIPs. So, here's The Next Best Thing:

What is the working title of your book?

A Change of Plans

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It started as a dream with a guy and girl stranded on an island. There was a treehouse. When I decided to write it, I had to figure out how to get them there and chose a Pacific cruise.

What genre does your book fall under?

Adventure romance, although there are some who call it women's lit.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

You know, my oldest son asked me that same question. I don't even think about this kind of thing.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Really? A one-sentence synopsis of a 92,000 word book? How about a one-line pitch?

Pacific cruise, intriguing guy, and pirates.

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

A Change of Plans comes out on June 1, 2013 through Rhemalda Publishing.

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

Thirty days. I did my own NaNoWriMo, since I'd learned about it too late to participate. Wrote 80,000 words.

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

I'm not much into the comparison thing as it makes me feel presumptuous. It's a story about love and loss and finding out there are different kinds of strength--including some that aren't good for your long-term happiness.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Years ago I started writing my personal history but set it aside. Nearly three years ago I thought it was time to pull it out again, but I decided it might be nice to learn a bit about writing so it wasn't a cure for my descendants' insomnia. I've always had stories running in my mind, but when I was younger I could only do short stories. I had to see if I could write a full-length novel.

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

One of the secondary characters wasn't in the first draft. I decided I needed to add another person because of something I wanted to have happen in the book (trying not to spoil here). His character didn't do what I wanted him to do for the book, so I had to consider whether or not to cut him out. 

However, I discovered the little turkey had wheedled his way into my heart. Not only could I not cut him, but I needed to tell his story, too. I'm writing a companion novel with him as the main character. It will be my NaNo project next month. Here's a link to an excerpt where the main character Lyn meets this guy.

All right. You've heard about my book. Now it's time for me to tag five people (yeah, I know there are six names below). They have graciously accepted the tag, and you can click on their links and read about their WIPs--and I encourage you to follow them, too.

Luke Peterson
Rachel Hert
Rachelle Christensen
Kristy Tate
Tamara Heiner
Valerie J. Steimle

Have you read anything good lately?