The NEXT BIG THING
Welcome to the NEXT BIG THING Blog Hop.
A blog hop is like a giant game of tag to help readers discover authors who are new to them. For this hop, authors are answering 10 questions about what we’re working on now. This week, I’m it.
I was tagged by Lynne Gentry. Visit this wonderful and amazing author’s blog to see what surprises she has in store and to see who else she tagged. Follow the hop long enough and you’re bound to find books you’ll love!
Here is my Next Big Thing!
1: What is the working title of your book? Sweet Dreams
2: Where did the idea come from for the book? The 1960s were my teen years, a time when dreams filled my head and the world was changing faster than you can say serendipity. It was an exciting time when music, clothes, and ideas about women were shifting. Patsy Cline sang on the radio; American Bandstand came on TV on Saturday morning; and beehive hairdos were the rage. I pulled from my memory bank all the things I loved about that time, some of the things that fascinated me . . . and a few that scared me . . . and spun dreams for two cousins who attend a Southern charm school in East Texas where conventions and marrying the right boy were held in reverence. The results surprised even me!
3: What genre does your book come under? Women’s fiction although some of my younger readers will call it historical.
4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? The cousins: Dusty Fairchild, played by a younger Reese Witherspoon and Paisley Finch, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal (with green contacts). And of course there’s a cute Texas boy that comes between the girls: I think Christian Bale could pull off the role of Jack Morgan.
5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? The bond between two cousins is tested when they fall in love with the same handsome guy, but when family secrets and a tragic accident threaten all they believe in, they learn where their true hearts . . . and dreams . . . lie.
6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency? My publisher is FaithWords (Hachette Book Group), and I’m represented by MacGregor Literary.
7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? Months and months. The first half was rewritten dozens of times, but after about halfway through, I sailed toward the end in only a month.
8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? This is a hard question as there aren’t that many books from the era of Sweet Dreams, but I was inspired by Elizabeth Musser’s The Sweetest Thing set in the Great Depression. The Sweetest Thing tells the story of two remarkable young women–opposites in every way–fighting for the same goal: surviving tumultuous change. So alike in their premise, but so different, too. People who love reading stories from the not-so-distant past and those where family secrets entangle the characters’ lives will love Sweet Dreams.
9: Who or what inspired you to write this book? A trip to the Columbian Ice Fields with an eager geology major piqued my interest in having one of the cousins want to be a geologist. The song “Sweet Dreams” inspired the title. The rest of it is a combination of life in Texas where I grew up and the voices in my head (yes, they are real!)
10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? 2013 is the fiftieth anniversary of Patsy Cline’s death. She was an amazing talent and I’ve showcased her in Sweet Dreams. Also, anyone who’s ever been a child or a parent (most of us, yes?) will know that we don’t always get it right, but that the bonds of family are worth fighting for.
I’ve tagged Julie Cantrell, one of the sweetest writers e-vah! Her debut book Into the Free is one of the best books I’ve read – seriously! I know you’ll want to stop by her blog next Wednesday as she joins the Blog Hop.
Happy Writing and Reading!
11 Comments
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Welcome
Carla here. I'm a novelist with a passion for times gone by. I think we all yearn for the place in our hearts we call “home.” My novels are meant to take you there. I’m so glad to have you along on the journey. Coming Soon
May, 2013 from Faith Words
New Release
May, 2012 from Faith Words
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Catching up Carla! Time flies (getting not older but wiser or so I wish!). Good interview and congratulations!
The nostalgia including Patsy Cline’s mention featured in my decision to add this one to my (never ending) list!
At this rate I might need to get a job (does reading books – translate as purchase of, constitute an addiction?). Perhaps I should write…(not likely as I would hate the requisite media dealings)
Blessings and thank you for sharing YOUR dreams!
Thanks, Noelle! You’ll be hearing more about Sweet Dreams and some chances to enter giveaways as May draws nearer. I still play Patsy Cline songs – they’re a great pick-me-up! I understand about the growing to-be-read pile, but I hope you’ll get a chance to snag Sweet Dreams and escape for an afternoon.
What are your dreams?
Carla, I have many dreams…One cannot have too many of those. But behind all these, there is an urge to tell a story…If I did not have to deal with the advertising, book promoting and signing, I would become a writer…once I learn English though (not my native language as I am sure you can tell!)
Blessings Dear,
This sounds like a great book. Appears we grew up in the
fun exciting years…remember well when Patsy was in that horrible plane crash….and her famous song is a favorite of mine.
My dream is to get a positive reply from my publisher and they’ll like my new WIP to follow. I’ve written a number of short stories about growing up in the 50′s and 60′s and they’ve been published….praying my book will follow…
Thanks for sharing your heart through your writing, Dear Carla~
Blessings,
Diane
Praying for favor for you with the publisher, Diane!
There were any number of “big” events in the sixties I could have chosen as the back drop for Sweet Dreams, but with the 50th anniversary of Patsy’s death coinciding with the release year of my book, I knew I had to use that. And I adore her music, maybe even more now that I did growing up. Funny how that works.
Hope that you enjoy Sweet Dreams!
Somewhere in your interview, it took me back to my bringing up years. Such a magical and frustrating time to be sure. Part of the magic for me was the emphasis on being a polished and confident young woman. In those days it was not unusual to do modeling and fashion shows at the area clothing stores, like Renbergs. It was dress-up time taken to the max. In junior high school, I attended what they called “charm school” where we learned to walk the runway, making proper turns, for scheduled events. I am one of seven children and store-bought clothing was never the norm. We learned to sew. It was quite a treat to wear new fashions and feel like a princess. My first job out of high school was at the Pants Parlour at Utica Square where it was considered expedient to wear and model the clothes during working hours to encourage a purchase. The Parlour was an offshoot of Irene Herberts store where customers were treated to fashion shows as part of their purchase experience. They even had mink coats! A surreal moment was when I met Ms. Herbert in the store during one of the private fashion shows for client. I remember it as an awesome and jaw-dropping event for the likes of my young self.
Josanne, what a wonderful memory! Yes, I learned to sew or Mother made my clothes. I grew up in a remote area of Texas – no fashion shows or charm school for me, although I’ve heard there was one in a town about twenty miles from where I went to school. And thanks for sharing some of the history of Tulsa. Utica Square is still “the” place for fashion (and home ideas).
Thanks for stopping by. Hope that you’ll find more pleasant memories when you read Sweet Dreams.
I can tell, Carla. I’m gonna love Sweet Dreams too!! What an incredible title–and story idea.
Thanks, Julie! There are so many parts of my heart that dwell in the pages of Sweet Dreams. And the Patsy Cline soundtrack in the background was very fun. Hope that you love it.
Congratulations on the new title! I’m am so excited to meet and delve into the lives of your Sweet Dreams characters. Thanks for continuing to bring “times gone by” that are still relatable to your readers.
Hi Denise! I can’t wait for you to read my next Texas story. I do try to make things relatable to contemporary struggles – family, love triangles, and peer pressure are timeless. Hope you love!