THE NEXT BIG THING BLOG HOP

Welcome to The Next Big Thing!

What is a blog hop? It’s a virtual event that helps readers discover new authors. The first author tags other authors whose work he or she admires, who each tag more, who each tag more, and so on. These memes float around the internet every few years, and this particular event has been widespread, covering many genres and amazing authors.

Big thanks to Sparkle Abbey, co-authors of the Pampered Pets mystery series, for tagging me for this blog hop.. Together Marylee Woods and Anita Carter have written Desperate Housedogs, Get Fluffy and Kitty Kitty Bang Bang.

"Desperate Housedogs is a wonderful, fun-filled mystery brimming with hope and humor. Lamont and Malone are unique, strong-willed characters that are (I hope) destined to drive each other crazy for many books to come. A howling good time."  

- Lois Greiman, award–winning author of Uncorked

The way this hop works, authors answer ten predetermined questions, ranging from current works in progress to writing processes.

1: What is the working title of your book(s)?

My most current release is this month’s Colorado Courtship anthology, with author Debra Ullrick. I’m contracted for another Harlequin Historical with a working title Song of Home. I can’t promise what it will be called when it’s released.

And my Next Big Thing is a non-fiction book that’s been in the works for quite a while:

Writing with Emotion, Tension, and Conflict: Techniques for Crafting an Expressive and Compelling Novel

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?

For years I’ve taught workshops and classes, and for a few years I gave online workshops. Instruction is something I thoroughly enjoy, and I got the idea to put together a how-to-write book and see where it went. My agent loved the idea.

 3: What genre does your book come under?

 Non fiction. It’s a how-to-write instructional book.

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

I guess technically I’m the only character in this book. Oh, let’s have Sandra Bullock play me. J

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Who doesn’t want to write a book that will end up on reader’s keeper shelves?

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?

My agent and I submitted to one house, Writers Digest, and we were delighted to snag the interest of their F&W Media division.

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

I’d been working on it in bits and pieces over several years, although I never expected to pull it all together into a book. Once I got the idea, it took me a couple of months to get it down and create a table of contents.

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

The editor I’m working with suggested we gear the whole book toward writing a book with emotional impact in order to make it not only marketable, but unlike other writing books on the shelves.

9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I guess it was a natural progression after teaching the craft of writing for so many years. It just made sense to write it all down in one cohesive volume.

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

The book is written with examples from movies and books to show how techniques are used effectively. Each chapter has exercises pertaining to the reader’s own work in progress. I don’t believe in exercises that don’t move a story forward so they are geared to help writers learn their own emotional triggers and to prompt ideas.

So that’s it! Writing With Emotion, Tension & Conflict will be in the Fall 2013 Writers Digest catalog.

Next Wednesday, January 23, 2013 you will be able to read about Sherri Shackelford’s Next Big Thing! Please bookmark her website and add her to your calendar for updates. Visit her now.