Welcome To The Next Big Thing!

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Welcome to The Next Big Thing!

 

My writer friend, Diana Jackson ,who’s currently writing an historical murder mystery, recently tagged me for a chain blog entitled ‘The Next Big Thing’. The deal is: I answer a few questions about my current work-in-progress, then I invite another author to do the same. A bit like a chain letter, except it is only focused on an author’s work-in-progress. Diana was tagged previously by C R Hodges. I’ve included details of their blogs so you can explore their answers to the same questions. The author I’ve chosen, Joanne Phillips, has, along with  Diana Jackson and C R Hodges, been tagged below my answers. So here goes:

1.What is the working title of your next book?

Finding Mother

2.Where did the idea come from for the book?

I’d read a newspaper article about a man who traced his natural mother when he was in his fifties. He had waited until his parents were no longer alive but was concerned that his birth mother might also be dead. Happily she wasn’t and he met up with her and her family. They continued to stay in touch although he lived in France and his mother in London.

I’d also enjoyed Joanna Trollope’s  ‘Brothers and Sisters’ which also covered the topic of adult children wanting to trace their natural mother. I was very attracted to the whole idea of someone needing to find their real mother. As a psychotherapist I’d worked with the issues raised by being adopted.  Thanks to my love of Guernsey I decided to set my story on the island but there are excursions to Jersey, England and Spain.

shutterstock_107657180

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Contemporary women’s fiction, I guess. It’s basically a love story /family drama.

 

4.What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

My central character Nicole could be played by Kate Winslet

Her natural mother, Hélène by Helen Mirren

Her father Adrian, by Alan Rickman

The love interest (!) by Jude Law

 

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

The loves and losses of three generations of women and why one had felt compelled to give up her baby for adoption.

 

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

Probably self-published, like my current novel, Dangerous Waters. Unless a publisher waves a huge contract in my face . . . . 🙂

 

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

Am still writing! I’m about half-way through and am looking to publish this year (2013).

I started the ms. about six years ago after I’d written the first draft of Dangerous Waters. Then I became bogged down with re-writes and edits of my first novel and, after publication, promotion.  Since then I’ve also developed arthritis in both hands and it’s made writing difficult. Will be having an operation on 12th April to remove the dodgy bone but will be slowed down for some weeks afterwards. Anyone fancy themselves as my scribe, please apply below 🙂

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

The above novel by Joanna Trollope, although ‘Finding Mother’ has a stronger theme of romance than that found in ‘Brothers and Sisters’. There are also some comparisons with ‘Tangled Lives’ by Hilary Boyd, which focuses on the viewpoint of the natural mother.

 

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

Apart from the newspaper article I’ve mentioned, I have  family members who’ve been adopted. I knew of their desire to trace their ‘roots’ and used that as my theme.

 

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

The secrets that are unfurled are likely to resonate with women of all generations. Particularly those who are mothers. The settings are also of interest and will, I hope, capture my readers’ imaginations. The grandmother’s story takes place partly in England during WWII when she is evacuated from Guernsey and I include a number of references to that time in history.

 

Here are the blog links for:

 Joanne Phillips

Diana Jackson

C R Hodges

A Selection of Recollections (Another blog by Diana Jackson)

 

 

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Welcome To The Next Big Thing!

Blog

Welcome to The Next Big Thing!

 

My writer friend, Diana Jackson ,who’s currently writing an historical murder mystery, recently tagged me for a chain blog entitled ‘The Next Big Thing’. The deal is: I answer a few questions about my current work-in-progress, then I invite another author to do the same. A bit like a chain letter, except it is only focused on an author’s work-in-progress. Diana was tagged previously by C R Hodges. I’ve included details of their blogs so you can explore their answers to the same questions. The author I’ve chosen, Joanne Phillips, has, along with  Diana Jackson and C R Hodges, been tagged below my answers. So here goes:

1.What is the working title of your next book?

Finding Mother

2.Where did the idea come from for the book?

I’d read a newspaper article about a man who traced his natural mother when he was in his fifties. He had waited until his parents were no longer alive but was concerned that his birth mother might also be dead. Happily she wasn’t and he met up with her and her family. They continued to stay in touch although he lived in France and his mother in London.

I’d also enjoyed Joanna Trollope’s  ‘Brothers and Sisters’ which also covered the topic of adult children wanting to trace their natural mother. I was very attracted to the whole idea of someone needing to find their real mother. As a psychotherapist I’d worked with the issues raised by being adopted.  Thanks to my love of Guernsey I decided to set my story on the island but there are excursions to Jersey, England and Spain.

shutterstock_107657180

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Contemporary women’s fiction, I guess. It’s basically a love story /family drama.

 

4.What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

My central character Nicole could be played by Kate Winslet

Her natural mother, Hélène by Helen Mirren

Her father Adrian, by Alan Rickman

The love interest (!) by Jude Law

 

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

The loves and losses of three generations of women and why one had felt compelled to give up her baby for adoption.

 

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

Probably self-published, like my current novel, Dangerous Waters. Unless a publisher waves a huge contract in my face . . . . 🙂

 

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

Am still writing! I’m about half-way through and am looking to publish this year (2013).

I started the ms. about six years ago after I’d written the first draft of Dangerous Waters. Then I became bogged down with re-writes and edits of my first novel and, after publication, promotion.  Since then I’ve also developed arthritis in both hands and it’s made writing difficult. Will be having an operation on 12th April to remove the dodgy bone but will be slowed down for some weeks afterwards. Anyone fancy themselves as my scribe, please apply below 🙂

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

The above novel by Joanna Trollope, although ‘Finding Mother’ has a stronger theme of romance than that found in ‘Brothers and Sisters’. There are also some comparisons with ‘Tangled Lives’ by Hilary Boyd, which focuses on the viewpoint of the natural mother.

 

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

Apart from the newspaper article I’ve mentioned, I have  family members who’ve been adopted. I knew of their desire to trace their ‘roots’ and used that as my theme.

 

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

The secrets that are unfurled are likely to resonate with women of all generations. Particularly those who are mothers. The settings are also of interest and will, I hope, capture my readers’ imaginations. The grandmother’s story takes place partly in England during WWII when she is evacuated from Guernsey and I include a number of references to that time in history.

 

Here are the blog links for:

 Joanne Phillips

Diana Jackson

C R Hodges

A Selection of Recollections (Another blog by Diana Jackson)

 

 

, , , , ,
Previous Post
My Poor Hand
Next Post
Just a bit of fun!

Related Posts