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Thursday 22 November 2012

Errr, oops - 3 months absence...

Okay, so. Three months since I last blogged. That's not good. And, truthfully, the only reason I am putting something up today is because I promised the lovely Liah Thorley I would take part in the 'Next Big Thing' blog tour.

I know I should blog at least twice a week but, honestly, between work, Lady M and wallowing in the despair of being a newly-emigrated Pom to Perth, I just don't seem to have the time or the inclination.

BUT, perhaps this will spur me on to more regular blogging... this plus a new  house in beautiful South Perth (soon, moving date is 1st December - yay!) and a reduction in hours at work should all conspire to make a happier, more time-rich blogger!

So, on to the 'Next Big Thing' blog stop and many thanks to Liah for tagging me in! To read Liah's answers click right here and please check out fellow Abingdon Writer and my tagged author, Marissa De Luna's blog post coming soon!

What is the working title of your book?

The book I’m going to talk about here is ‘Rock-a-Lillie’ – the first book I wrote and the only completed one so far! I can’t talk about the second book as I’m only really half way through the first draft.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Well, when I started it, it was going to be about the dynamics of a group of best friends but it somehow morphed into a romance novel. I guess the romantic interest of the main character, Lillie, just didn’t want to be in the background of the book and kept writing himself into it more and more!

What genre does your book fall under?

Definitely Contemporary Romance, perhaps Romantic Comedy.

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

Oh wow, that’s a really difficult question actually. I can’t believe I’ve never ‘cast’ my characters!

I really want to say that Lillie should be played by a blend of Liv Tyler and Kristen Stewart. She’s beautiful with a kind of vulnerability and awkwardness to her and Liv Tyler has that sort of fragile beauty whereas Kristen Stewart has the striking eyes and colt-like clumsiness to her. Plus, whoever Lillie is, she needs to be able to sing and I know both those actresses can sing!

Jed is more difficult. Maybe someone like Jesse Spencer (Dr Chase from House) but he’d have to dye his hair black and wear green contacts so, no, that probably wouldn’t work.

Okay, think Johnny Depp 10 years ago (I know that would still put him about ten years older than Jed but, really, the man never ages. I wonder if he drinks the blood of virgins…).

Or Jared Leto – yeah, Jared Leto with green eyes and darker hair. Jed is a beautiful man and Jared Leto is very pretty. (We’d have to stretch him out though, Jed is over 6ft tall!) Plus, Jared knows exactly what the tortures of touring are like.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Lillie Hartman joins an up-and-coming rock band after falling for gorgeous and enigmatic singer, Jed but Jed is hiding something which could destroy their relationship and, ultimately, his band.

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

I will try to get an agent but if that doesn’t transpire then I will definitely think about self-publishing.

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

Maybe a year. Something like that.

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

I aspire to write like Gemma Burgess who writes her characters like they are real, modern women. That doesn’t seem to happen an awful lot and I love reading about fictional characters and thinking, ’yeah, that’s exactly what my friend, the ball-breaker, would say’ or ‘God, that’s the kind of thing so-and-so would do’ when a character does something slightly immoral or thinks something that’s not conventionally acceptable.

I’d like to think that my characters are like real people, they do stupid things and say hurtful stuff. The girls love each other as best friends but that doesn’t mean they don’t get irritated with each other. And the guys can be a bit lecherous and gross but that’s just real life, right? (And before any boys start ranting in mock-horror at that stereotype, the male characters are also caring and funny and wise, just like guys in real life…)

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

A particular group of friends first inspired me to put pen to paper (metaphorically, of course. My hand cramps up if I write more than two paragraphs).

I suppose it was the hotness of Lillie’s love interest that made him appear more and more. I also wanted a main character who could sing because I cannot sing a note and that aspect of her seemed too important to just be a passing comment. It wanted to be an integral part of the story so I let it!

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

It’s not your ordinary ‘girl-meets-boy, girl-hates-boy, girl-falls-in-love-with-boy-in-the-end’ romance. It’s an interesting path the two main characters take and you get to know each one’s thoughts and feelings as the book is written from both Lillie’s and Jed’s perspectives. 

Thanks again to Liah for tagging me in and don't forget to check Marissa De Luna's blog too.