Most writers dream of becoming The Next Big Thing. Not me. I just wanted to become big enough to get a facelift and go on Oprah!
I’ve done radio, TV, newspaper, and blog interviews, but this is my first “hop” interview. I call it an interview, because I will be answering ten questions about my current book, You’re Busting My Nuptials, which is about to be released by Briona Glen Publishing under their Raven Wings Imprint.
As a reader, this will give you the opportunity to hop from one blog to the next and meet authors, some new, some seasoned, and their current works in progress. There’ll be something for everyone, so happy hopping
Before we get to the questions, I want to give a big Texas thank you to my friend, Christina Jean for tagging me to participate. Please check out her blog, http://www.christinajmichaels.blogspot.com/
Q and A
What is the working title of your book?
You’re Busting My Nuptials, is the second book in my Tizzy/Ridge Trilogy. Book 1 is Laid Out and Candle Lit and book 3 is in the early stages of development. I’m actually conducting a contest on my website to name book 3.
Where did the idea come from for this book?
When I began the series, I planned it to be a trilogy, so I needed to come up with three ideas. The first book would introduce Tizzy, a widow, single mother, and bakery employee who finds a dead body and becomes a suspect in the crime. Her love interest comes in the form of Texas Ranger Ridge Cooper. Laid Out and Candle Lit, covers their love story and of course solving the murder. In YBMN, the story starts out on their wedding day and Ridge doesn’t’ show up. Tizzy takes center stage in this book, solving the mystery of finding Ridge. The third and final installment of the trilogy will deal with their married life and how Tizzy wants to be a part of Ridge’s investigations.
What genre does your book fall under?
Oh, this is always the hard part. I write a light mystery, with some steamy sex, and wrap humor around all of it. If I could, I’d put my book in humor, but that category is generally for joke books, so I must decide between romance and mystery. Since I think my writing leans more toward romantic comedy, I consider it romance.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
This is an easy question, because I cast my characters before I write. By doing so, I get a clear picture of how they smile, speak, flirt, kiss, and everything else I have them do. So, here’s my list:
Tizzy/ Nina Dobrev. Nina has dark hair and eyes and the delicate features I want Tizzy to have.
Ridge/Garret Hedlund. Garret is not only good-looking, but he has a deep voice and looks damn good in a cowboy hat. (played Bo in Country Strong)
Saint/Tom Selleck. Saint if based on my real-life daddy, Saint. Although Tom Selleck doesn’t look anything like my daddy, he has his gentle nature and blue eyes.
Pattiecake/Mary Steenburgen. Sugarpie/Sela Ward.
Mary and Sela are southern girls, so they wouldn’t have trouble with the accent AND since they’re based on my sister and me, I wanted them to at least resemble us…dark hair, brown eyes.
Dan/Vince Vaughn. Dan (Sheriff McAlister) is based on my brother Dan and he’s a big guy…6’5”, Vince Vaugh was the obvious choice.
Bubba/Jim Parrack. Jim is a Texas boy and just looks like a Bubba.
Rayann/Kelly Stables. Kelly is tiny, just like Rayann. She can also pull off a Texas accent.
Jinx/Warren Christie. I love Warren Christie and think he is just so gorgeous I had to make him Jinx. He’s too pretty to be Ridge, but he’s perfect for Synola’s love interest.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Texas down home wit and wisdom abound as Texas Ranger Ridge Cooper tries to solve a murder and clear Tizzy Donovan as suspect number one.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
My books are published by a small press, Briona Glen Publishing, LLC. I deal directly with them. I don’t have an agent.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
With YBMN, it took about six months. With the first book,LOACL, about two years. The way things are going now, the third book may take ten years!!
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Not sure I have a comparison of story. I’ve been told by readers my southern voice is much like Charlaine Harris. I’ve never read her work, but I know she’s from Louisiana, so the southern thing makes sense. However, we don’t write the same genre.
I’ve also been told my humor is similar to Janet Evanovich. Our books are very different. Hers takes place in NJ, mine in Texas. Her main character, Stephanie, is broke, clumsy, can’t shoot a gun, works as a bond enforcement agent, has a hamster, and can’t decide between two men. My character, Tizzy, has money, can shoot with the best of them, works at a bakery, has a child, and has no trouble deciding Ridge is the man for her. Plus, Janet closes the door on the bedroom, but I leave mine wide open! Again, humor similar, books different.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I’ve answered this question many times and I know everyone is tired of the response, but here goes. I was keeping my grandchildren each day and rarely saw adults other than my husband, son, and daughter-in-law. I needed some type of adult interaction. You can only take so much Sponge Bob and coloring. Later, while visiting an uncle, I told a story of a trip to the cemetery and my uncle replied, “You should write a book.” The seed was planted, so I decided to try my hand at cultivating it. It’s been great brain exercise. I love trying to develop funny, quirky, characters and crazy situations and make the story fit together.
What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
Humor has always been a big part of who I am. I learned early on, if you could make people laugh, you could make friends. My books will (hopefully) make you laugh out loud, or so I’ve been told. I know I laugh when I write them.
Well, that’s it for me. Again, thanks Christina! I was happy to hop with you. Now, I hope everyone reading will hippity- hop over to the writers I have listed below. Thanks to them for agreeing to hop with me!
Linda Rosen http://www.linda-rosen.com
Patty Wiseman http://www.pattywiseman.com
Cathy Dougherty http://www.catherinedougherty.com
Gay Ingram http://www.gayingram.blogspot.com
Sounds like your second book will be a ringer, Ann. Just wished the blog addresses you recommended were live. Is there no way your blog can activate them?
Thanks, Gay for reading and pointing out the “live” thing. I got it fixed. So sorry, but glad you caught it. I posted this in a big hurry this morning and then didn’t even read or check it after I got it done.
Great blog-hop Ann. As with your stories, this was witty and fun to read. Now I suppose I’ve got to get busy on mine. Didn’t realize that. I thought I had time, but I’ll focus – maybe with a glass of wine at my side from Valley Hill Vineyard (the fictional winery in my novel, Flourish). But who wants fictional wine?
This should be a fun hop. I hope as much fun as reading Laid Out and Bustin’ My Nuptials was.
Hi Linda,
Thanks for reading. Drink a glass of wine for me…I can’t drink it. My friend Gay pointed out the sites weren’t live, so I fixed that. Now folks can click on your site and it will go right to it. Hope everyone gets some hits.
Yeah, I’m still hacked that Elvis died before I got to see him in person and now Oprah retired from her show before I became famous!!LOL!! Oh well, there’s still hope for the facelift~!
I won’t use any of your sources, but my friend Patty Wiseman could only get one, so I’m sure she’d love to use some of yours. Her website is listed in my post, and I think she has her contact info on her site, but I’ll email you her address and you can contact her. I know she would appreciate it, plus it will give the hop four more authors!!
Thanks so much, Joss.
I love how you’ve casted all your characters. But what about Sinola? Great choices, btw. Thanks again for participating! 🙂
Hey Christina,
You’re welcome. I enjoyed doing it.
I haven’t been able to come up with a character I like for Synola. I don’t want her to be beautiful. I want her to be fairly ordinary. I thought about the black girl on Parenthood, but she’s not quite right either. At some point, I’ll see someone and go…that’s her! Until then, she’ll remain a mystery!