Tuesday, November 20, 2012

The Next Big Thing





The Next Big Thing is a blog circle where authors tag each other. This allows fellow authors to showcase their Work-in-Progress (WIP).

Critique partner Monique Devere tagged me so without further ado…here goes!


Ten interview questions about my current WIP.












 

1. What is the working title for your book?

Letters From Inside

2. Where did the idea come from?

Hubby had left on a fishing trip for ten days and since I live very rural, like the middle of nowhere, I got to thinking what would happen if someone- a man someone…stranger, wandered back to the house asking for directions. What if- after realizing I was home alone, he wouldn’t leave?

3. What genre does your book fall under? 

Romantic suspense.

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
It’s my dream to transport the reader into a world where they become the protagonists. But I think Brad Pitt would make a really creepy ex-con. And Tom Selleck to play my hero (because all my hero are fashioned after him.) The heroine- always has my face.  :  )

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Linda Wheeler divorced her cheating alcoholic husband for a better life and discovers single parenting is harder than she imagined. And now the real challenge begins. Her teenage daughter has a pen-pal. One who is serving time in Jackson State Penitentiary.

 


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

I’m undecided. One minute I plan to submit it to a publisher...and the next, I consider doing it myself.

7. How long did it take to write the first draft?

I wrote this story years ago and fiddled around with it even longer.

8. What other book would you compare this story to within your genre?

Since mostly I read romance, this book has love story within. It reminds me of Karen Robards, The Midnight Hour.

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

Once an idea takes form, it grows from there by asking myself who, what, when, why and where.

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

As a mother who's biggest concern is whether her family is happy, fed and safe. I know others must feel the same way. What would you do if you’d discovered the biggest threat to yourself or your family came from inside?

Jessie turned on the small Holly Hobby lamp craddling the phone cradled next to her ear as she removed a wrinkled envelope from beneath the waistband of her jeans. 

Her friend Lisa’s high pitched squeal blasted through the receiver. “That makes what? Four? Five?”

“Five, not counting the card he made for me.”

“What will you do if he wants to meet you or something? What if he’s like totally weird…or a sex pervert? Have you thought of that? He could be a real psycho.”

“You’re starting to sound just like my mom,” Jessie said, suddenly not as brave. Her stomach fluttered. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea. “The guy’s locked up, remember? Unless he’s Houdini there’s not much he can do behind bars,” she said and released another long exaggerated breath.

“I don’t think you should write him again. Besides. Couldn’t he get in trouble, you know, writing to a minor?”

“That’s the best part. I signed the letter Linda Wheeler. Cool huh?” 




 
YA author Ednah Walters, author of The Guardian Legacy is tagged. Please stop by her blog and read all about her Next Big Thing.
 
http://ednahwalters.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/the-next-best-thing-essence-book-1-of.html

And then stop by Crimson Romance author Johanna Lloyd. She's been tagged as well! Her blogsite is
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fjoannalloydauthor.wordpress.com%2F&h=WAQG9OnaI
Include the link of who tagged you.
 
And that's what I have planned for My Next Big Thing. Nothing left to do but find a tag another blogger.
In case I don't see you before... Happy Thankgiving!



Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Welcome to Sleeping Falls!





Wouldn’t it be nice to take a little trip to a place frozen in time? Back when a general store literally kept a small, close knit community going.

I was fortunate enough to have stumbled into such place and couldn’t wait to share it with you. Come on…give yourself a minute and follow me. We’ll stop by the store and grab an icy soda then sit on the steps and watch how life in a small town can be anything but boring!


We're about to meet Leslie, the heroine from my novel Man of her Dreams and get her reaction as she discovers Harvey's Gas & Go.

Excerpt:


“You need gas?”
An old guy wearing bib overalls a ball cap bent down and peered through the smeary glass. 
He’d already turned away, his knotty fingers cranking the handle on an old-fashioned pump. A loud hum vibrated the tank and the flow of gasoline sent colorful balls spinning behind a glass bubble on top. 
“Um… excuse me. I’m having some kind of problem with the head lights—
“Do I look like a mechanic?” Gray hair poked from around his ears and out of his nose. She noticed the wide-tooth gap between his teeth and what looked like tobacco juice dribbled on his chin before he wiped it with his sleeve.
Right. There was no way this guy was capable of fixing anything. Although maybe at one time he’d been a whiz in the pit, it was clear he should stick to pumping gas.



 
And then she meets Jay, the hero with the makings to be the man she's been dreaming of. Course they'll have to butt heads a few times because Jay has some preconceived -or should I say pre-historic notions about how a woman should act.   

“Awful late to be out driving.” 

The voice came from behind and Leslie spun around, nearly knocking off several boxes of cereal. Whoa! Tall, dark and handsome didn’t begin to describe the guy standing a few feet in front of her. Dark, brooding eyes surveyed her, his slight cleft chin tilted upward a notch. When he smiled, a dimple appeared on the right side of his cheek. It required enormous effort to drag her gaze from the lean, muscular body to look at her watch. 
“Depends on what you call late,” she said, glancing at her watch. It was only 10:30 p.m.

 See what I mean? Top that with a fiancĂ© diddling her maid of honor plus car trouble in the middle of NOWHERE- hello! Leslie is more a little stressed right now.

The throbbing in her head returned and she reached for a bottle of aspirin. This was so weird. One minute she was planning a wedding and the next, a single woman on a mission, determined to forget the last few hours and start fresh. But first, she needed to get through tonight. Uncle Bob had been divorced five times and claimed the only warmth he needed came from a small bottle of Old Crow kept stuffed in his hip pocket. 

 And then later, asleep on the couch....

Leslie heard a noise and woke, one eye peeking out from beneath the afghan. A meager light left on in the bathroom spilled into the hallway. Her neck was cramped from the tiny couch pillow wedged beneath her head. She rolled onto her back as a hand clamped down hard across her mouth.
She struggled to sit up, but forceful hands pushed her back onto the sofa. Her heart palpitated. 
The sweet, powdery smell of Chantilly surrounded her as Sally’s face came into view. “Shhhhh. Don't move. You gotta be quiet. Spike’s outside getting ready to crawl in the window.”


 Heeheee. Things are far from boring.