I’ve been tagged in the “Next Big Thing” blog post by fellow author Sarah Cortez. Sarah is the author of many books (website: http://poetacortez.com), the most recent being Walking Home, Growing Up Hispanic in Houston. My association with Sarah started with submitting short stories to two of her mystery anthologies.

You can read Sarah’s “Next Big Thing” blog post here: http://poetacortez.com/blog.

My Next Big Thing is my (Work in Progress) YA mystery, The Search.

Why is it a Next Big Thing? The Search allows me to tell a story I’ve wanted to tell for years, but just couldn’t find the right genre until now.

Where did the idea come from for The Search? From a family story that had been closeted for years and needed to come out into the light.

What genre does The Search fall under? It’s a YA multicultural mystery set in present day L.A.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? I’m not sure at this point, but I am sure that there are many talented young Hispanic actors out there that could beautifully play the roles.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Teen must reveal a long-held, destructive family secret in order to have her dream come true of becoming a police detective one day.

Is your book self-published or represented by an agency? TBD.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? Heist Society, Confetti Girl, and The Girl is Murder.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?My short story, “The Red Lipstick” published in the YA mystery anthology You Don’t Have a Clue. The characters needed to continue living in another story.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? My novel is multicultural, and it also provides the reader with a view of one of the many sub-cultures of today’s Hispanic culture. Somos todos colores y sabores, We’re all sizes, shapes and colors.

Where can I get the latest progress/events on The Search? Go to my website (www.writingame.com) or this blog (http://redroom.com/member/l-m-quinn).

Here are three authors I’ve tagged to tell you about their “Next Big Thing” blog post:

Laura L. Hoopes, whose biography Breaking Through the Spiral Ceiling tells of her struggle as a DNA scientist in what was once a man’s world: http://www.lauralmayshoopes.com/blogs-2/literary-blog/.

Sarah Cortez, whose book Walking Home, Growing Up Hispanic in Houston is a mixed-genre memoir. http://poetacortez.com.

Sandra Ramos O’briant, whose novel The Sandoval Sisters, Secret of Old Blood tells the story of a New Mexican family of feisty and courageous Hispanic sisters during the colonization of the Old West. http://www.bloodmother.com/.