Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Writers' Wednesday: The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

Hi all! Thanks so much to Diane Craver, who tagged me last week in the "The Next Big Thing" Blog Hop. Today I'm talking about my upcoming release (May 2013), Beacon of Love. I know next May is still a while off, but keep me in my mind ;) I love this story!

What is the working title of your book?
Beacon of Love
Where did the idea come from for the book?
My husband and I vacation each summer in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. We visited a lighthouse a few years back while there and I started asking the inevitable author question, "What if...?" I thought what if a news reporter came to a town to uncover the story of a haunted lighthouse and what if she fell in love with a local guy who was trying to protect its secret??
What genre does your book fall under?
This is a contemporary romance, set in a small coastal town :)
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
"In a town that won't give up its secrets, she's determined to find the answers..."
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I am multi-published without an agent; this will be my sixth published novel, and my first with Lyrical Press. I am also published with Samhain and The Wild Rose Press.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Once I got on a roll with this one, it took me about 6 months to write. Since I'm a full-time high school English teacher during the day, I did most of the writing during the summer of 2011, then polished in the fall and submitted in early 2012. I signed the contract in spring of 2012.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
This is a "small town" romance, so it's pretty similar to works by Kristan Higgans and Jill Shalvis :)
Who or What inspired you to write this book?
I was lucky enough to meet a great friend who inspired me to write what I referred to for years as "the lighthouse story." The luckiest authors are those who have people in their lives who truly inspire them :)
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
It's a love story mixed with suspense mixed with a 50-year old unsolved mystery. Interested??

Monday, October 22, 2012

Monday Mentionables: Contests and Covers

Hey writers, just a reminder that November 1st is the deadline for the Hudvon Valley RWA's "Hook, Line, and Sinker" contest. All you need to enter are the first 3 pages of your manuscript and $10.00, Best value for your writing dollar around! Judges are published and trained/unpublished authors, and the final judge is a Harlequin Senior Editor! More details here.

Just another little mention: I got a sneak peek at a draft of my cover for Beacon of Love, scheduled to come out in Spring 2013. Needs some tweaks, but I'm loving it so far, and I can't wait to share it with you!

I'll be posting this-coming Wednesday as part of "The Next Big Thing" Blog Hop, thanks to Diane Craver's tagging me last week, so join me to find out more about Beacon of Love AND the sequel I'm working on now, Inferno of Love.

See you Wednesday!