The Next Big Blog Hop

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

Today over on the lovely and talented Gae Polisner's blog, she talks about her work in progress, In Sight of Stars as part of a little "blog hop" tour. Allison Dickson tagged me for this post, so I'm tagging some friends to do the same.

The Rules:

Answer these ten questions about your current WIP (Work In Progress) on your blog

Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them.

• Jim Reader
• Karla Brady
• Ellen Herbert
• Cheryl Kaye Tardif
• Steffan Piper
• Stant Litore

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:

What is the working title of your book?

Madame President -- Book 1

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The story's loosely based on two real-life incidents from my high school days:

1. The election of a Black female Student Council President and other racially-charged incidents
2. Two years after I graduated, the school kicked out the KKK

What genre does your book fall under?

Young Adult -- the story takes place in 1974-1975 time frame, but this would not qualify it as Historical Fiction, since I was alive during that time.

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

Good question. I'd probably pick unknowns for the leads. One actor I'd love to have is John Boyega from Attack the Block.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

All Leslie wants is a good education and grades sufficient to get a scholarship, will racial tension, politics and violence prevent her from achieving her dreams?  

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

I'm submitting to traditional publishers without an agent at the moment. We'll see how that goes.

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

This was my NaNo project last November 2011. I finished the first draft more or less in November, but I almost totally re-wrote it.

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

Soul of the Band by Karla Brady comes close, but it takes place in a contemporary setting.
Cruisers by Walter Dean Myers is another book I believe touches on personal responsibility and similar themes. 

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

The issues America is experiencing with their first mixed-race President brought up some old memories and I thought the story would make a good YA novel. (The names have been changed to protect both the innocent and the guilty)

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

There's a tie-in to To Kill a Mockingbird. In addition, I've included quite a bit of interesting 70's history and trivia. 

Now Hop away to some really great writers

Check out all of the authors I have linked above. They're as varied as snowflakes, but all very talented. As for the one who inspired me to write this, you really should check out Gae Polisner's amazing book, The Pull of Gravity and keep watching out for her new work (I hear tell there will be a new book out soon, and I plan to buy it oh yes I do). This kid's going places.