The Next Big Thing...

I got tagged by Jane LeBak, agent sibling and published author, most recently THE WRONG ENEMY.

The object of this particular tag is to pretend I am the next big thing….and that I’m being interviewed by Rosemary DiBattista.

Here it goes...

What is your working title of your book? 

JUST JESSE. And by the way, Rosemary, I love the scarf you're wearing in your profile picture.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The place all stories are born, Rosemary, the Island of Misfit Toys, of course.

halfassedproductions.com

What genre does your book fall under?

Oprah's Picks. And it you don't find it there, check out the YA contemporary coming of age section.

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

I like the readers to have their own mental image of the characters. However, let my say that Jesse is the kind of girl you want to see win in the end, and her love interest will make you swoon. There, knock yourself out.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Haunted by her father's death, seventeen-year-old, track and field star, Jesse Collins turns her back on an athletic scholarship and small town whispers to spend the summer as a camp counselor—only she didn't plan on a cabin full of delinquents, or an unlikely source to inspire her to run again.

tumblr.com

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

It's presently on submission with big starry eyes looking for a publishing house to fall head over heels in love. If that isn't in the cards, I would be more than happy to post it on wattpad. And let's not forget the red yarn tied through the hole punch approach.

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

This baby came out fast. I wrote JUST JESSE in five weeks—hold the applause and/or rotten tomatoes. That was over two years ago. JUST JESSE has gone through two agents and sixteen editors...so far. I'm lousy at math, but I think it's far to say this is the opposite of an overnight success.

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

It combines the emotional depth of Sarah Dessen's The Truth About Forever, with the commercial appeal of Ann Brashares's The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. Doesn't that sound all proper and professional? It should, my agent wrote it.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

My sister. She's a big time runner and the reason I started writing. She's one of the first people to read JUST JESSE. Also, as nurses, we like to come up with ways to make money other than nursing. And it's common knowledge that writers are all stinkin' rich.

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

Jesse is dealing with a secret guilt about how her father died, which is revealed near the end when a traumatic event brings her greatest fears to light. That, plus some pretty awesome smoochy scenes.

Include the link of who tagged you and this explanation for the people you have tagged.

Jane LeBak tagged me. You can find her blog here.

I’m tagging Arianna, the Texas Trekkie, because she’s one of my best cheerleaders. She’s busy working on her own epic YA fantasy series, going to college, and working. The girl never stops.

Also tagging Kathryn Rose. She recently signed with an awesome agent for her "Camelot meets steampunk" book. She's great to follow on twitter, too.

Also tagging Lisa Ann O'Kane, YA writer and former zoo keeper. Check out her blog for all things writerly and wild!

Happy blog hopping!