The Next Big Thing

The fabulous Joyce Tremel threatened invited me to take part in this blog chain thing going around called The Next Big Thing. It's for writers, and has to do with our WIPs - or Works in Progress, for the uninitiated.

The deal is, someone tags you, you answer ten question about a new or recent project, and you tag five more people who wait a week and do the same. Joyce tagged me last week (check out her post and her WIP here), and I'm hereby tagging the following victims... um... writers for next week:

Jamie Lee Scott
Teresa Watson
Jody Wallace
Diane Alberts
Chloe Jacobs

Be sure to visit their blogs next week to learn about their WIPs.

Now, onto the good stuff:

What is your working title of your book?

Contingent On Approval - a real estate term that means that someone's concent or agreement is necessary to move forward with the transaction.   

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It’s a novella that takes place right after the events of A Done Deal, my 5^th Cutthroat Business mystery that was released last Christmas. It ends on Christmas Eve, with the hero and the heroine tumbling into bed together. It’s taken them five books to get there. Not physically, because they’ve been in bed together before, but to a point in their relationship where they’re actually committed to one another.

I thought the series was over at that point, or at least I never really planned past it. But as I was reading a lot of holiday novellas myself last Christmas, the idea came that maybe I should write Savannah and Rafe’s version of a Christmas novella.

I played with it a little last year, but then I had to start working on other things because deadlines were coming due. I picked it up again a week or so ago, and aim to have it finished and out by December 1. My very first novella!

What genre does your book fall under?

The Cutthroat Business series has been either a five-book mystery series or one long romance, depending on how you look at it. To me, it was always about the relationship between the two main characters, with the romance taking place against the backdrop of the mysteries, so to speak... but I suppose someone else might call it a mystery series with a romantic subplot. Either way, the novella is mostly just a little romantic interlude with not much mystery about it. The biggest question is whether Rafe will survive dinner with Margaret Anne Martin, Savannah’s sainted mother, who is fully capable of slicing a man to ribbons with nothing but her tongue—and whether he’ll still want to be involved with Savannah afterwards.

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

Ever since I saw Agatha Christie’s By the Pricking of My Thumbs (2006) with O.T. Fagbenle as Chris Murphy, I’ve pictured him as Rafe. If I can’t have him, I’d settle for either Shemar Moore or Boris Kodjoe, although they’re both about 8-10 years too old for the role by now. As for Savannah... I’m not really sure. I’ve always imagined her a bit like Faith Hill: pretty, blonde, and Southern, a girl-next-door type rather than a femme fatale.   

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Guess who’s coming to (Christmas) dinner? Or maybe, Will Rafe and Savannah survive Christmas dinner with Savannah's sainted mother, or will Rafe decide Savannah isn't worth the trouble?  

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

This is my self-published series – as opposed to the DIY books, which belong to Berkley and the Good Fortune series, which goes through Entangled Publishing – so the novella will be self-published.

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

I’m not done yet. I figure another week ought to do it, which will put me at about two weeks, all told. Rather a lot for a 20,000 word novella. I wrote 53K in 13 days in June...

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

If Janet Evanovich wrote a Christmas novella for Stephanie Plum, I guess maybe that’d come close. Gemma Halliday has a High Heels Christmas story, and Misa Ramirez has a Lola Cruz Christmas story... maybe something like that? It’s like any short novella wedged into an ongoing series, you know?

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

No one and nothing, other than that it seemed a logical continuation of the series as it stood. As for what inspired me to write the series in the first place, it was a combination of reading all the Stephanie Plum books, hearing Tasha Alexander tell me that if she could write a book and become published, I could too, and going through real estate school where there was a lot of talk about safety and empty houses. I had the idea for a new-minted realtor walking into an empty house and finding a dead body, and the rest, as they say, is history.

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

I don’t imagine anything much will. People who have read the first five books in the series, will probably enjoy seeing Savannah and Rafe’s first day together as a couple, but this probably isn’t a good place for anyone not familiar with the series to jump off. I’m mostly just writing it for fun and to keep the readers happy while they wait for book 6, Kickout Clause, to be available in the spring,   

* * *

So there you have it. The nitty-gritty on this week's WIP, Contingent on Approval, in which Savannah wakes up in bed in the Martin Mansion in Sweetwater, looking at Rafe and the rest of her life... just as soon as they both live through Christmas dinner with Mama Martin. The novella should be available around December 1, or so I fondly hope.

Until next time!  

 

#WriterWednesday - with the divine Diane Alberts

Ladies and gents, welcome to another installment of #WriterWednesday, this time with my fellow Entangled Publishing peep Diane Albert. Not only is she a fabulous writer - as you can clearly see from the below excerpt - but her new release, Divinely Ruined, is making its way up the bestseller lists as we speak.

That's not what makes her so divine, though. No, last night, when I realized I didn't have a #WriterWednesday post for today - for reasons we won't go into - Diane stepped up and hit one out of the park in just about five minutes flat. And if that isn't divine, I don't know what is.

Here you go, folks: the fabulous... the divine... Diane Albert!


Hi, Jennie and fellow readers! Thanks for inviting me to stop by and chat today for #WriterWednesday! I love meeting new people, and I love talking about my newest release, so it’s a win/win, right? I think so, anyway. ;)

In the spirit of Writer Wednesday, I thought I’d share a little information about my new trilogy out with Entangled Publishing. The trilogy is called The Divine Temptations Trilogy, and the first book is out now! Divinely Ruined is a novella in the Ever After collection, and it’s about a red-headed aspiring angel.

But before I tell you about it, check out the blurb:

She finally meets a decent man–after she’s oath-bound never to touch men again!

Rebecca’s life sucked before she became an angel. Crappy apartment, awful jobs, abusive boyfriends–it was no wonder she jumped at the chance to escape it all and become a real live angel. The problem is Rebecca’s not very angelic, and she’ll have to do more to earn her wings than end her love affair with the word f–er, frick.

Especially when she’s assigned to save single father Tony Weis, whose less-than-pure thoughts wreak hell on a telepathic angel’s nerves. It’s all Rebecca can do to keep her hands off him…but when she loses her memory injuring herself to save Tony’s daughter, now it’s Tony’s turn to be her angel and care for her. But will Tony’s devotion tempt her from her angelic path, even if it means being human again?

Okay, now that you know all about it, here’s some inside information! Rebecca has had all the crap that life can throw at you heaped her way—and then some. Crappy jobs, lousy apartments, dead parents—you name it…she’s seen it. So, when the opportunity comes her way to become an angel, she obviously jumps at the opportunity. A life without feelings, heartache, and pain? Sign her up!

She didn’t count on her first assignment being Tony Weis, hot single father to an adorable little four year old girl. Little by little, the two of them worm their way into her heart, and past her defenses. She finds herself questioning whether what she really wants is a safe, unfeeling life of helping others—or a family who loves her. Something she hasn’t had in years.

When she loses her memory saving Miranda’s life, and thus earning her wings, Tony is thrust into the position of caring for her. And, unfortunately for him, he falls for her in the process. When she gets her memory back, will she return to the life of an angel—or will she choose the uncertainty of the human world?

The journey throughout the book includes lots of laughs, quite a bit of cursing and fighting, and even some tears. Here’s a little taste of Divinely Ruined:

Chapter 1

Angel Rule #1: Never lie to your assignment.

From the moment Rebecca set out to become an angel, she’d known she wasn’t the ideal candidate. She cursed. She coveted. She thought highly uncharitable thoughts—and those uncharitable thoughts often led to losing her temper.

Just like she had this morning.

It wasn’t her fault. The assistant kitchen angel wouldn’t give her any apple pie. Rebecca would swear until she turned blue in the face that the wench deliberately skipped over her—and Rebecca really, really liked apple pie. But she’d made herself cool off, and even apologize…until the brat had stuck her tongue out.

That was when the hair-pulling had started.

Like that wretch would ever earn her wings, either. Hmph.

Rebecca rubbed at the bite-mark the stupid brat had left on her forearm, and leaned against a telephone pole. Across the street, a U-Haul truck sat before a modestly sized house. Boxes strewed across the sidewalk. A little girl sat on the steps, clutching a doll in her arms. Her eyes were grave, and her chestnut hair gleamed in the sunlight. She was beautiful, Rebecca thought. As beautiful as the child Rebecca would never have.

She pushed those thoughts away. Her training—a strenuous ten-hour daily lecture combined with good old hands-on experience—warned her against dwelling on her mortal life, or the personal sacrifices she’d made to answer a higher calling. She’d tried, especially after the Archangel of New Recruit Training, Her Holiness and Eminence Miss Sally of the Disapproving Stare, had held her back an extra year.

Most aspiring angels were allowed contact with humans after the mandatory twelve-month training program. It had taken Rebecca two and a half years of endless book studies and lectures on why slouching was bad for her shoulders before Sally even considered letting her accept a case on Earth—and now here she was.

She believed she just might be stalling.

No, there was no “might” about it. Rebecca tore herself from her pensive thoughts and looked away from the child. She wasn’t here for the girl.

She was here for one Anthony Richard Weis, single father of four-year-old Miranda and a man sorely in danger of losing his soul.

A gruff voice rumbled from inside the U-Haul, echoing throughout the cavernous space. Well. He had a mouth on him, didn’t he? The tips of Rebecca’s ears heated, but she lifted her chin, wiped her sweaty hands on her skirt, and crossed the street to the truck.

She could do this. All she had to do was make sure Anthony remained on sound moral footing. In the course of three years, Anthony had lost his job, his house, and the mother of his child—and would soon commit a murder. Her job consisted of stepping into his life and persuading him to take the higher ground. Or in this case, not to kill anyone.

Easy enough, right?

Except that Rebecca had never really succeeded at much in life, unless there was an award for sucking the most. Her life before Sally had been a miserable failure. She couldn’t fail again. She had this situation under control, and she would succeed.

Why, then, was she so nervous?

Maybe because her entire life depended on this mission. Her future as an angel. A purpose that would finally make her life mean something.

She couldn’t panic now.

She’d been chosen by God as one of the elite few humans given the opportunity to become an angel. A real, honest-to-goodness, ever-serene angel.

She just had to get Tony to believe in God, and in her. And work on that serenity thing. Then, maybe she’d be the person she’d always wanted to be. Maybe she’d no longer be a failure. Maybe she’d no longer be alone.

Maybe, just maybe…she’d finally be whole.

Thanks so much for having me here for Writer Wednesday, and if anyone wants to throw questions my way—I’m ready!

* * *

Diane Alberts current contracted works with Entangled Publishing are:  ON ONE CONDITION (February 2012, Ever After line), and DIVINELY RUINED (April 2012, Ever After line). Her current works with Decadent Publishing are: KILL ME TOMORROW (October 2011, 1NightStand series),  RECLAIMED (December 2011), ABSOLUTION (March 2012, Honor Guard series), BROKEN (March 2012, 1NightStand series), and ESCAPE TO ME (TBA, 1NightStand series).

Diane Alberts has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author.  Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another.

She is a multi-published, bestselling author with Entangled Publishing and Decadent Publishing. She is repped by her fabulous agent, Lauren Hammond of ADA Management. She has, as of this date, two books with Entangled Publishing, and five books with Decadent Publishing. Her February release with Entangled Publishing, ON ONE CONDITION, hit #18 on the Barnes and Noble Bestseller List. She has a lot of projects currently being shopped around by her fabulous agent, and her goal is to write so many fantastic books that even a non-romance book fan will know her name.

Buy links:

Barnes and Noble   Amazon   Books on Board

Read first chapter free: Entangled Publishing