The Next Big Thing

My friend Geralyn (aka GVR Corcillo) tagged me in her blog, and I get to tag two more authors in mine. We’re all talking about our next book – The Next Big Thing – by answering ten questions to help you find new books and new authors to read. I hope you enjoy the fun!

1: What is the working title of your book?
‘Dream of Paris’.

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?
It originated with a story I wrote when I was in my teens (a long time ago!)

3: What genre does your book come under?
Contemporary romance

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
For Anna, I imagine someone like Jessica Brown Findlay who played Lady Sybil in Downton Abbey- but I can’t think of anyone who looks like Matt –except maybe a younger Colin Firth!

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Anna’s dream of living in Paris is sidetracked when she meets Matt Carlton, but she’s shocked to discover the reason for his inconsistent behavior and is sure there can be no future for them.

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?
It is published by independent publisher, Rebecca J. Vickery.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
This story has a long history. It began as a short story written in my teens, which I then started to develop into a longer story when I was in my 30s. I resurrected it for NaNoWriMo in 2011, and wrote a ‘first draft’ in just under a month. It then took me about another six months to revise it, as I needed to develop the characters more, and add more detail.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I find it impossible to compare my work with anyone else’s, as I can’t be objective about my stories. Maybe my readers could answer that question better than I can!

9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Paris is one of my favourite cities. My first visit there was when I was eighteen, and I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been there since, but it has never lost its magic for me. So I started off with a heroine with a long-held dream of going to live and study in Paris – until a new man comes into her life…

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I hope readers will enjoy a ‘virtual’ visit to Paris, along with Anna and Matt. You can stroll along the Seine, wander among all the artists in the Place du Tertre, take a romantic evening cruise on a Bateau Mouche, and enjoy a glass of wine at a bistro on the Left Bank.
Part of the novel is set in a high school in southern England. I know the American system is different from ours, so I’ll be interested to know whether non-British readers can relate to the school part of the story.

‘Dream of Paris’ is now available in print and ebook formats from Amazon, as are all my other novels. You can find them on my author page, and also on my website.

If you have any questions, I’d love to answer them. If you’re a reviewer and you’re interested in reading and discussing the book, please contact me. I’d love to hear from you.

Thank you to Geralyn for inviting me to join the blog hop. Her Next Big Thing blog post is here.

Now I'm tagging two very talented authors to write about their 'Next Big Thing':
Jennifer Wilck and Debra St. John