The Next Big Thing – A Blog Hop Post

As part of ‘The Next Big Thing Blog Hop,’ I was tagged by (Sally Bellerose http://sallybellerose.wordpress.com ) in her post last week. The purpose of this hop is to expose you to writers and their work that perhaps you haven’t heard of, whether a new release or a Work in Progress (WIP). This is week 24.

According to the rules of the hop, I will be answering some questions (the same ones for every other blog hopper) about either my newest release or my WIP and then at the bottom of the post I’ve listed authors who will do the same thing in their blogs next Wednesday Dec 19.

Alright then – let’s get started!

What is the working title of your book?

Nessie Tinker is the working title of my next book. It may, however, undergo some changes, since I normally don’t set the title until I finish the book.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I wrote Under the Witness Tree, a Lambda Literary Award Finalist in 2004, and fell in love with Nessie Tinker. Nessie is a 90+ year old, black supporting character who challenged me to know more about her and where she came from. I wanted to know what her life would have been like growing up in Georgia in the 1900’s. What were her dreams and hopes, her disappointments? And, what of love, between two young women, one black and one white? This book is the result of that curiosity and search.

What genre does your book fall under?

Hmm, genre. My books have traditionally been marketed as romances, but realistically, they don’t fit neatly anywhere – too much social commentary for romance, too much romance for general fiction. I just write the story and let it fall where it may.

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

As children, Tika Sumpter as Nessie and Savanna Kylie Lewis as Anna. As adults, Quvenzhane Wallis as Nessie and Amanda Seyfield as Anna. 

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

The story of Nessie and Anna, growing up and falling in love in the South in the 1900’s.

What is the longer synopsis of your book?

Nessie and Anna’s families share a long history, evolving from a land owner and slave relationship to employer and employee and equal land ownership. The girls grew up together in an atmosphere of acceptance quite different from that outside their farms. But, the society they face as adults does not tolerate their friendship or their dreams.

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

It will be published by Bywater Books.

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

The first draft isn’t finished yet. It’s taken about a year to this point. I have had to do an extensive amount of research to capture the social dynamics and daily life of the era. I’m learning so much.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Originally, my inspiration came from the research I did for Under the Witness Tree. I literally got lost online, reading journals and letters and accounts of average people who lived during the time of the Civil War.

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

Maybe imagining themselves living during a time when men made all political, financial, and family decisions, when women couldn’t vote, and when even friendships between blacks and whites could result in unpunished violence.

Next Wednesday check out these author’s blogs to find out about their Next Big Thing:

Rachel Sprangler at http://rachelsprangler.wordpress.com 

Ruth Perkinson at http://ruthperkinsonwritingservices.com/blog/

If you’re a fellow writer and would like to participate in this Blog Hop, please reach out to them and let them know!