Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Break.
Did you know that 2013 will be the Chinese Year of the Water Snake? Ancient Chinese wisdom says a Snake in the house means your family will not starve. Pretty snake!
To kick off my New Year, I’m jumping into the ongoing game of The Next Big Thing!
Thanks to Kelsey Browning, author of Sass–Kickin’ Love Stories and the Brain Candy Blog for inviting me to participate!
I answer ten questions about my Work-in-Progress and let you into my head space. C’mon in! But watch your toes; it’s crowded in here!
1) What is the working title of your book?
Sight for Sore Eyes
2) Where did the idea come from for the book?
From the occupation of my hero and the hobby of my heroine. Asher is an ophthalmologist. Emma works in the china shop she inherited from her grandmother. She’s a photographer in her spare time. Her favourite subject is lightning storms.
3) What genre does your book fall under?
Sexy small-town contemporary romance.
4) Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Ben Affleck for Asher as they share the same dark colouring and they way Ben cares about his family is perfect for the role of Asher. I can’t think who’s a match for Emma. Some lovely Irish girl, for sure.
5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Ophthalmologist Asher Stockdale wants Emma Finn to dust off her old dream of globe-trotting photographer, no matter the cost to his new dream of home, family and small-town life. Carpenter ants, cream pies, and a pair of scheming seniors help Emma and Asher to see what really lies before their eyes.
6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I’m seeking agency representation for my Chronicles of Clarence Bay series. But I’m also taking two courses on self-publishing in January, so things may change.
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
107 days. Yes, I keep track. 🙂 It’s all part of my goal-setting.
8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I can’t think of a specific book, only authors who share the readers I hope to appeal to. They would be Robyn Carr, Susan Mallery, Susan Anderson. These are readers who love an intimate emotional experience of authentic character growth in modern real-life relationships without save-the-world melodrama or make-believe creatures.
9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
These characters were introduced in Above Scandal, the first book in my Chronicles of Clarence Bay series. I was so charmed by them, that I had to write their story.
10) What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
It’s set in Ontario Canada on the eastern shores of Georgian Bay, smack in the middle of cottage country. Though Clarence Bay is fictional, it’s modeled on the real town of Parry Sound which has a long history of lumbering, railways, and tourism.
Do you have any questions for me about my stories?
To continue the fun, I’ve invited the following writers to build their link in the chain of The Next Big Thing. Their posts will be out next Wednesday, January 9th.
Gina X Grant, author of the fun and quirky Young Adult series, The Reluctant Reaper.
Bonnie Staring, writer of Paranormal Young Adult, winner of fabulous writing awards, and awesome cheerleader. Nobody can squee like Bonnie—nobody.
Jessica Aspen, author of the Twisted Tales: Come Into the Woods series.
Mona Risk, author of sexy romance stories in settings around the world.
© Joan Leacott 2013
Thanks for the invite, Joan! Man, Gloria and Sherry sure do get around… LOL! Can’t wait to see your Clarence Bay books online or on the shelves…
You’re welcome, Bonnie. I’ve got a slate full of courses on self-publishing, so you may see those books sooner than you think!
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So I agreed to do this, eh? Okay. I’ll get right on that.
And just to make everyone else jealous, I got to spend a week at Joan’s cottage this past summer walking, writing and enjoying Joan’s good nature amid beautiful nature. We saw deer!
Yes, she did! And what a treat it was. You’re definitely invited back.
Joan sounds like my kind of book. can’t wait to read it.
Thank you, Louise. I loved both of your Lies books. Is there another one coming?
Hi Joan, thankyou for inviting me to the Next Best Thing. Having read Above Scandal, I can’t wait to enjoy Sight for Sore Eyes. Happy New Year and a very successful one.
And to you and Sam and your family. Muwah!
Hi Joan!
Thanks for nominating me for The Next Big Thing! I’m excited to be participating. And I can’t believe you are friends with Sherry and Gloria. Talk about one degree of separation! 🙂 Georgian Bay must be very inspiring for you to write a whole series about it, how long have you been going there for vacations?
You’re welcome, Jessica. I’ve seen your comments on Sherry’s blog. That’s why I thought of you. 🙂 I started going to Georgian Bay when I met my husband back in… um… oh what the heck…1976. Gasp! Almost 40 years ago!!! OMG!!!! Gimme a moment to recover. Whoosh. Okay, I’m back together again. Later in 1989, when we’d been married and our son was 3, my husband bought property. Surprise! He’s never been able to accuse me of impulse buying since. Ha! We built a cottage in 1995. When I retired in 2004, I started moving up there for the summers. Bliss! When my husband retired, he joined me. Though he has to escape from time-to-time. Hee, hee. Well, that was a long answer to a short question. I think I feel a blog post coming on. I watch for your Big Thing next week.
107 days, she says. Shoot me now. You lead a good example, Joan. Hm. You have me thinking, whose fan base would my writing appeal to? Hm. Hm. Hm.
I won’t say how many days were in between those 107. Too many, far too many. Hence my BICHOK resolution.
Joan –
This sounds like just my kind of series. I can’t wait to get my hands on one of your stories!
Kelsey
Thank you, Kelsey. I’ll let you if I’m brave enough to self-pub. Heck, what am I saying? If I have the cojones to send my stuff out to agents and editors, I can self-pub. Pfft!
I love the premise of your book, Joan. You picked a beautiful setting.
I say this with confidence because Sherry Isaac (and her Marriott points) treated me to a stay at the Marriott Rousseau when I visited last year. Sherry and I had a wonderful time wandering the countryside, taking in the scenery, the small towns, the quaint shops, and…
Hold on. There’s something else we did. Thinking, thinking….
Oh, right! We were on a writing hiatus. Yeah, well. I think we did more In The Moment absorbing of settings and senses. Filling our creative wells. And, bellies.
You go girl in 2013! Woot!
I wish I’d know Sherry at the time. I could have had you both to stay at my cottage on Georgian Bay. Guess where I got the inspiration for my setting? 😉 Writing hiatus is a lovely refreshing thing. Maybe next time.