The Next Big Thing Blog Hop Stop

Welcome to this blog hop.

What is a blog hop? Basically, it’s a way that readers can discover new authors because with bookstores closing and publishers not promoting new authors as much, we need to find a way to introduce readers to authors they may not see in their local bookstore.

Here you have the chance to find many new authors. Here you’ll find information about me, what I’m working on now, and DYING TO TELL, the first book in my new romantic suspense series set in the small town of SLAUGHTER CREEK.

I’d like to thank fellow author Melinda Leigh for tagging me to participate. Click the link below to find out about Melinda’s latest book SHE CAN TELL. www.melindaleighauthor.com

In this particular hop, I and my fellow authors, in their respective blogs, have answered 10 questions where you get to learn about our current work in progress as well as some insights into our process, from characters and inspirations to plotting and cover decisions. I hope you enjoy it!

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts and questions. Here is my Next Big Thing!

1: What is the working title of your book? DYING TO TELL is my current release and is the first book in my new series SLAUGHTER CREEK.

I’m currently working on the second book in the Slaughter Creek series titled HER DYING BREATH.

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

For some strange reason, I’ve always been drawn to writing about mental illness – perhaps because my sister is a counselor at a psychiatric hospital. Or maybe because my twin and I were born in a mental hospital! Yes, that’s true!

To make a long story short, my father worked at the hospital, which was called The State Asylum at the time. To entertain ourselves over the years my sister and me made up various very creative versions of how we came to be born in that asylum!

When I Googled the hospital and saw pictures of it, I knew it had to be the setting for a dark romantic suspense thriller. I also wanted to write about a person with multiple disorders and the implications of mental illness on the family.

And of course, what better red herrings to have for a murder mystery than different personalities within the same person?

3: What genre does your book come under?

DYING TO TELL and HER DYING BREATH are both dark romantic suspense mystery/ thrillers.

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

My hero’s name is Jake Blackwood, the sheriff of the small town of Slaughter Creek, which is set in the mountains of Tennessee. If this book was made into a movie I’d love to see Jeremy Renner from The Bourne Legacy play the part. If not him, then Gerard Butler!

The heroine’s name is Sadie Nettleton. She’s troubled and angst-ridden and has always taken care of her twin sister Amelia who suffers from DID – dissociative identity disorder. Sadie would best be portrayed by a female actress like Drew Barrymore. She is not only beautiful but can be tender and vulnerable which represents Sadie’s character.

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

A woman must confront the ghosts of her pasts – and the man she loved and left behind – to find her grandfather’s killer.

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

DYING TO TELL was published by Amazon Montlake.

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

This is a difficult question because I started the story one year then put it aside for a while to work on several other projects. Eventually, I came back to it (I had about 75 pages at that time), then wrote the remainder of the first draft in about three months.

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

This book is definitely a combination of romance, mystery/ suspense with thriller elements. I would say it is similar to Melinda Leigh’s SHE CAN TELL or books by Karen Rose, Lisa Jackson, Allison Brennan, and Debra Webb.

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

While I’ve written a lot of romance books, both suspense and comedies, I was at a writer’s retreat in Charleston, SC with several other authors when one author asked, “If you could write just one more book, what would it be?”

I started this story that night. The movie Sybil had always intrigued me and I had also read a true account of a patient with DID and had been thinking about this character for a long time. I also had read about research projects involving mind control and knew I wanted to incorporate that into a storyline!

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

The story is not only a mystery/suspense, but focuses on a couple torn apart by tragedy and secrets, and raises the question — how far would you go to protect someone you love, especially a family member?

It also revolves around the complicated relationship between sisters, especially twins. Since I have an identical twin myself, I love writing about twins, both their similarities and their differences.

The story is also set in a small southern town in the Tennessee mountains. As a child, my family camped in those mountains. The mountains were beautiful but they also could look creepy and scary at night and offered great places to hide– perfect for my story!

Below you will find authors who will be joining me by blog, next Wednesday and posting on January 9. Do be sure to bookmark and add them to your calendars for updates on WIPs and New Releases! Happy Writing and Reading!

1. Rebecca York at www.rebeccayork.blogspot.com
2. Wendy Etherington at www.whinesisters.com
3. Debra Burroughs at debraburroughsbooks.com
4. Mimi Barbour at mimibarbour.bogspot.com
5. Jennifer LaBrecque at jenniferlabrecque.com/wp