I'm The Next Big Thing

Or so I hope! For those of you familiar with this little blog meme, does this not make you think of THIS SONG every time you see this post?

What is your working title of your book?

Shattered Secrets

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I used Kid #2 for character inspiration (Abigail Nichols get's her spunk, defiance, skepticism, and NAME from my Abby) Where the idea for the story came from? Well, I saw this really cute guy by his flat black Dodge Charger on the side of the road. He was in HANDCUFFS, leaning casually against the guardrail, smug smile on his face. Later that night I got into a conversation about people who take role playing games too seriously and VOILA, bad guy born!

What genre does your book fall under?

Shattered Secrets is a genre bender. I'm writing it for young adults who are interested in thriller/suspense/fantasy/romance. I'm trying to keep the romance to a minimum in this and focus more on the crazy, life-altering action!

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

For Abigail Nichols, I really like Kaya Scodelario. She's cute, girl next door-ish, and has this spark in her eyes that says, "Watch out, people, I will use sarcasm!"

For Derick, I've chosen Chace Crawford. (And if you've read any parts of Shattered Secrets, you'll know that Derick's last name is Crawford. What better way to remember the actor you're using for inspiration?) Anyway, he has this boyish look, but also a handsome, I will get dressed up for a ball and sweep you off your feet look--no, there are no balls in Shattered Secrets . . . not that kind of book!

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Abigail Nichols must decide if she trusts the boy she loves, a book that knows more about her than she does, or her instincts, because if she doesn't, her world just might shatter.

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

Independent Publisher.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? May we see an intro?

I've been working on Shattered Secrets off and on since April. I'm halfway through the first draft.

This is from the Prologue:

Derick and I were at The Griffin—a little bookstore in downtown Fredericksburg. He was reading his worn out copy of The Hobbit, and for the life of me, I can't remember what piece of literature I held in my hands. I was too busy staring over my book at him.

Burning tinders popped and sizzled in the fireplace next to us. He sat across from me, on a chocolate, micro-fiber sofa. I loved the way the warm, earthy hues of the furniture made his sky-blue eyes stand out against everything else in our favorite spot in the world.

He caught my eyes in their eternal lock on him, smiled—a nervous smile, but a smile nonetheless—then patted the spot next to him.

My heart fluttered. I closed my book—I wasn't really reading it—took a few trembling steps toward him, then sat as close as possible without touching.

He cast a sideways glance, and the corner of his mouth twisted up just a little when he said, "Since when do you think I bite, Abigail Nichols?"

My insides twisted into knots, and somehow I guessed he knew it.

Derick put his arm around my shoulders, pulled me closer to him, and for the first time in our long friendship, he spoke words we'd never dared bring up: "Are you ever going to let me kiss you?"

The question made my heart jump up and down in my chest, performing an insanely happy dance. I wiped the wide grin off my face then replaced the ridiculous look with a more respectable one. "I'm not sure why you felt you had to ask."

The close proximity of his face to mine, the firelight dancing in his eyes, the smell of coffee and chocolate and musty books—these are the things I will always remember. He approached slowly, closed his eyes, then he drew in a deep breath. Our lips met, and I knew he was what I've always wanted, what I've always needed.

We sat on the lovely little sofa, in the lovely little bookstore, with our fingers laced together, our mouths moving together, and our hearts full of happiness—at least my heart was.

He dropped me off at home a couple hours later and promised to drive me to school the next morning. He never showed up, never called, never—

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

Erm. Well, I'm not sure I like comparing myself to anyone or anything. I'll have to get back to you on that!

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Told ya already . . . the guy on the side of the road. ;-)

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

I'm hoping to release a teaser chapter, from a side-character's POV, at the end of Wilde's Meadow!

Thank you, Lisa Collicutt, for tagging me in this contest.

I'm supposed to tag five people, but I don't have the time to reach out to them first. So, I'm going to tag five people and *hope* they have time to play along!

Wendy Russo

Kelly Seguin

Kay Froebel

Jessa Russo

Cait Peterson

Rules of The Next Big Thing:

*Use this format for your post

*Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (work in progress)

*Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them.

Ten Interview Questions for the Next Big Thing:

What is your 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? May we see an intro?

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?

Include the link of who tagged you and this explanation for the people you have tagged. Be sure to line up your five people in advance.

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Wilde's Fire            -           Wilde's Army              -            Wilde's Meadow