This traveling blog started in Australia. Each author answers ten questions about his or her work in progress and "tags" from one to five others to be The Next Big Thing. Many thanks to Sharon for inviting me to participate.
What is the working title of your book?
The QUEEN OF HAPPY.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
The idea of two people pretending to be lovers on stage, and then actually falling in love with each other--but, for their own reasons, not wanting to admit it to themselves or the other--poked around in my head for many years.
From this kernel, the QUEEN OF HAPPY greatly evolved and expanded. Initially, I had envisioned adults playing the roles--a bookish hero (maybe a history professor), and a busybody (maybe bakery owning) heroine in a sweet, small town romance.
What genre does your book fall under?
Contemporary Young Adult romance.
What actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Oh, this is fun! Broadway aspiring teen actress and protagonist Crystal Kingsley would look like either of the following actresses:
Her love interest, student director and mysterious Chad O'Rourke, would look a lot like Jake Gyllenhaal, although his inner image, being that he was badly scarred after being burned as a child, and does his best to keep his body covered at all times, might be more like Edward Scissorhands:
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
A Broadway aspiring teen actress who’s sworn off love meets the mysterious and
irresistible student director of her new high school’s theater production, threatening all of her plans.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I hope to find an agent and to work with a traditional publisher.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I'm going to pretend I didn't see this question. It took way too long.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
The closest comparisons are Elizabeth Eulberg’s Take a
Bow or E. Lockhart's Dramarama. It also has elements of Beauty and the Beast, a popular hook in
numerous YA novels, including Alex Flinn’s Beastly.
What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
Besides the teen romance, readers who enjoy Glee, High School Musical, or books with the theater as a setting would enjoy the QUEEN OF HAPPY.
Or especially if they love West Side Story, which is the play that is portrayed in my story.
The writers I am tagging are:
Stephanie Scott and Kenda Turner. It's their choice whether they want to participate, but I hope they will ...
Ooh, the premise of your book sounds very interesting :-) And the photo inspirations are great. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for passing the blog hop tag over this way :-) It sounds like a lot of fun. I'll let you know if I pick up the challenge...
I loved reading this, Cathy! The actors your chose look so much like how I imagine your characters.
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll do it, Kenda. I want to know more about your story.
ReplyDeleteGlad you took up the challenge, Kim. Your write up was fantastic.
How wonderful you are finally done! I cannot wait to read this "published." And having read one draft, I'm still in love with the mysterious Chad :)
ReplyDelete