Thursday, February 21, 2013

Blog Hop: My Next Big Thing

Nancy Peacock, author of Life Without Water, Home Across the Road, and A Broom of One's Own, tagged me for this blog hop. You can read her essays and find out more about her on her blog, Marginalia.

My Next Big Thing:

1)      What is the working title of your book or project?

The Girl Who Was Never Not Broken

2)      Where did the idea come from for this book or project?
 
A song I heard in the TV series McLeod's Daughters. It took me awhile to track it down online and purchase it for my iTunes library, and I listened to it for several months, maybe close to a year, before the story began to come. The song, Last of the Happy by Eva Trout, seemed to be the soundtrack to a novel that had not yet been written. And for whatever reason, it picked me to write it.

3)      What genre does it fall under, if any?

Literary suspense.

4)      If applicable, who would you choose to play your characters in a movie?

This question often pops up in interviews and blog hops. Having lived and worked in Hollywood, I know how unlikely it is that I would ever get to choose the actors for a project based on one of my books. So I don't even think about it. All I can say is that if they pay me enough money, they can cast anyone they want to in the roles. If Javier Bardem was involved, that would be just fine with me.

5)      What is the synopsis of your manuscript or project?

A young woman leaves Needles, California when her father is jailed, she thinks for writing bad checks, and a mysterious man comes looking for her to ask questions. She drives south, meets a young cowboy in a bar over dinner, and drives him to the ranch near the border of Arizona where he works. What begins as a quick visit to ride a horse turns into a new life. She falls in love with the horses, the work, and especially with the woman who takes care of things and feeds the cowboys. Shug quickly becomes the mother Ava Lee never had.

But Shug has a son who is involved with running drugs and stolen horses across the border, and he falls in love with Ava Lee. Ava Lee's father is not in jail for writing checks but because he witnessed a UFO fall into the river outside Needles - he is in custody because he won't cooperate with CIA agents, one of whom happens to be Shug's other son Tag. Tag is assigned to track Ava Lee and finds her living on the ranch where he grew up, the daughter his mother never had, and getting quickly pulled into his brother Dixon's life of crime.

6)      Will your book or story be self-published or represented by an agent?

This will be the second "Borderland Book" published by my imprint, November Hill Press.

7)      How long did it take you to write the first draft?

It is still in progress.

8)      What other book or stories would you compare this to within the genre?

I'd say Cormac McCarthy's Borderland Trilogy and Ellen Gilchrist's novels.

9)      Who or what inspired you to write this story?

It grew from that aforementioned song!

10)  What else about the book or story might pique the reader’s interest?

It addresses the issue of horse slaughter, which is something I don't think the average person knows much about.

14 comments:

Grey Horse Matters said...

The book you're working on sounds very interesting with lots of twists and turns. Can't wait for you to finish it!

billie said...

A, I think you will like it. I might ask you to be one of my advance readers if you have time when I'm done... will keep you posted!

jme said...

sounds so exciting! i love a story full of complex and sketchy characters, suspense, and who knows what else... can't wait to read it too :-)

billie said...

You are my other advance reader! :)

Matthew said...

That's such a beautiful song. I'm listening to it right now and it's making my eyes mist up.

I'm sure your book will be beautiful too. Can't wait to read it. . .

Calm, Forward, Straight said...

That sounds like a very exciting story billie! Your creativity and enthusiasm shine right through this post. I love that it was inspired by a song. Congratulations. ;D

billie said...

M, I love that song!

billie said...

C, thanks. It's only half written so it will be awhile before I can celebrate. :)

Unknown said...

Intriguing, Billie! Also, this sort of question set - blog interview format - is cool.

billie said...

Kyle, thanks. It's been rolling around for awhile now - if you have not yet been tagged, consider it done!

Victoria Cummings said...

Can't wait to read it - and I listened to the song - I'm always intrigued by tales of broken people - love your title! So, carry on - there's a whole bunch of us waiting for you to finish!

billie said...

Thanks, V. It is the best novel-in-progress - it waits patiently while being set aside for other things and comes rushing back into my whole being when I devote time to it.

I am in over my head with books right now, but once I get Fiona up and Partners in Zen up, this is my priority. I already have the cover in progress too. This will be the second novel in the Borderland books.

Christine said...

I love the blog hop idea! Sounds like a great story in the makings :)

I'm super excited having finished my first novel a couple of weeks ago and now looking into self publishing.

Best of luck with yours!

billie said...

Thanks, Christine - it was fun. Keep me posted about your book!