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My Next Big Thing

I’d like to thank Stacy Juba for inviting me to participate in a fun blog idea.  A wide variety of authors are answering questions about their current works-in-progress which is a great way for readers to find new writers to enjoy and get the scoop on upcoming books they don’t even know they should be looking forward to!

What is the working title of your book?

VAIN.  Each of the three books in my Evolution Series is titled with a word that describes the hero.  The first hero came into his heroine’s life Unbidden, the second hero was Redeemed as he allowed himself to love and be loved by his wife, and in VAIN, the hero is just that – vain – in a medieval metrosexual kind of way.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The hero (Theophilus or Theo) is the best friend of book one’s hero, and in it he jokingly says he must marry a woman who sews because he will save a fortune.  Now, almost eight  years later, he finds that the way to his heart is through his wardrobe.

What genre does your book fall under?

VAIN is a historical romance.


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

This is really hard because, while I have pictures of what the hero and heroine look like, they are not celebrities.  The closest I can come to for the hero is a young Richard Gere because of the shape of his eyes and color of his hair.  (Lily, the heroine, likes Theo’s droopy, soulful eyes.)  As for Lily’s looks…I don’t know…maybe Keri Russell but with a slightly narrowed jaw.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

A displaced tailor’s daughter sews her way into the heart of a fashionable, disenchanted nobleman.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I will self-publish the book, just as I have my previous three titles.  I expect to publish it in the first quarter of 2013.


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


A very timely question since I just finished the first draft in October.  After developing the outline, I would say it took about five months which I don’t think is too shabby for 85,000 words.

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

Well, I flatter myself but I would say By Design by Madeline Hunter, mainly because my heroine is a craftsperson, and my stories are very character-driven in a way that I hope comes even close to her talent.


Who or what inspired you to write this book?

All my books have been inspired by the characters who want to get out of my head.  And I love to write, so that keeps me at the keyboard until I reach their happy ending.

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


VAIN is set in 839 Francia during the rule of Charlemagne’s son, Louis the Pious.  I really wanted to write stories set in a society with some of the civility and refinement we romance readers adore but in a setting not already beaten to death within the historical romance genre.

I hope you will stop back to see me again and follow me on Facebook or Twitter so you know when my Next Big Thing is available.


Now I get to invite more authors to blog about their Next Big Thing.  They will discuss their works-in-progress during the week of November 19 and you, our readers, can add to your list of new books to anticipate.  Carolyn Hughey,  Gina Ardito,  Lyndi Lamont,  Lynn Crain,  and  Rose Anderson take it away! 


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4 Responses to

  1. This sounds like a fun story, with a jaded hero. I love your one-word titles and the unusual setting. And I’d say 85,000 words in five months is awesome!

    Thanks for tagging me for next week. This is a fun idea.