The Next Big Thing

I am very late posting this week. After six weeks of moving madness, I have barely returned to a “normal” writing schedule. Plus … the fallout from an insane road trip on Saturday put my writing behind by another two days.

The photograph from JenG, is the shadow of promise, and suits who I am, and who she is becoming.

To all my fellow writers whose blogs I follow and comment on frequently. I trust you will forgive me for being remiss these past weeks. While I give no guarantees, and after raising children, learned never to promise anything or tell you when we’ll get there, know that even when I am absent from the blog roll, I am with you in spirit.

On October 10^th and again on October 15^th, Laura Drake and Shelley Noble tagged me for The Next Big Thing, and finally here we are.

*See the end of the post for rules.

There is this thing I have about rules.

I seem determined to break them, like crackers in chicken noodle soup. Rule number one. Answer the questions?

Well, the truth is I have two WIP. One is the first of a mystery trilogy, and the second is the first of a series of Women’s Fiction novels under the umbrella of Brooklyn Tales. The settings are the beach and fishing communities of Brooklyn, many of which I have featured in City Scapes.

For the sake of your sanity and mine, I’ll give you the one closest to the finish line. But in case you were also interested:

Brooklyn Tales, Cut Down to Size, features Brina Esmerian from Coney Island … a shopaholic, hoarder who, after the financial collapse of 2008 is downsized out of her career of twenty-five years, and faces the challenges of starting over at fifty-something, battling her addictions, and the guilt of being a survivng twin.

Talk about your one sentence synopsis.

The ten questions:

What is your working title of your book?

Framed in Black and White, a Third Eye Mystery

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The idea came from an old story I wrote in 2008 about a gal who does strip salvage and discovers a macabre tressure in the rubble of an auto salvage yard. It morphed from my memory of my brother’s darkroom in our tiny Brooklyn apartment and my frustration that I have no “eye” for the camera lens.

What genre does your book fall under?

Mystery. A bit of cozy mixed with a tad of suspense, and spiced with a pinch of romance.

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

The female, Antoinette “Toni” Gallucci, might be played by Angie Harmon … tall, rangy and tough. Unfortunately, Angie is already in a TV series based on the work of Tess Gerritsen … Rizolli and Isles.

More than midway, I introduce her love interest, Murphy. Colin Farrell looks the type

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Framed in Black and White features Antoinette “Toni” Gallucci, a no-nonsense photo journalist, with a penchant for photo art, whose third eye is not merely the lens of a camera, pointing outwards, it is also her inner vision and her uncanny ability to put herself into the dark places outside the frame.

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

Represented by an agent (from my  lips to her/his ears).

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

One month. Then I stashed it for two years. Did the rewrite in one month this July. Stashed it again in August while I relocated and have finally finished edits this week.

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

It’s a bit darker than most “cozy” mysteries, yet not as dark as a thriller. The character is not as tortured as Eve Dallas, and not quite as silly as Stephanie Plumb.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Photojournalist, Margaret Bourke White and my brother’s work “inside the frame.”

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

It’s a trilogy, that takes place during the anti-Vietnam and civil rights movement, focuses on the issues of that time, and the parallel issues that are still prevalent today.

Toni’s commitment to finding what is outside the frame resonates. She is what I’d call a woman’s woman … satin undies under denim.

Include the link of who tagged you and this explanation for the people you have tagged.

I was tagged three weeks ago by Laura Drake. I was also tagged by Shelley Noble who I have missed dearly during this protracted break. Sorry it took so long, gals. Rule number one broken.

The people I tag are a varied group and write a mix of genres.

Rosemary DiBattista because she has written a cozy about a crazy Italian family in Jersey (close enough to Brooklyn) and because I have always loved her voice.

Patti Yager Delagrange because I was touched by her first book, her comittment to nature and animals and her loving ways with people.

Sherry Isaac because she is the first person I have met on-line who, like me, has a total preoccupation with ghosts, Nancy Drew and because she also has good taste in music. If you haven’t read her, you should.

Sheri Degrom … who is in the drafting stages with me and does slammin’ book reviews, is outspoken about the military complex, is another tough old broad who took her valuable time to help me … and we all know how much I need help.

Christi Corbett … because she is a young mother of twins who works hard and who was my first on-line friend. And because any minute now she will find an agent and remind me to get my query ass in gear.

If I were allowed to mention another half-dozen, I’d pick the whole crew from Writers in the Storm blog.

There you have it, my better late than never Big Thing.

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Much thanks to all of you for staying with me through this difficult time. I might mention, that my troubles are little ones compared to my fellow northeast family and friends.

Some of our beloved shore communities have been devastated beyond reason, and the aftermath of Sandy will be felt for many years to come.

This is the last of my “regularly” scheduled posts until 2013. In January, I will return with updates and query quips, features in City Scapes, and a few more hilarious adventures from the hapless residents of Sunset Park.

There are not many days left before we begin Holiday madness. To this end, I will dig into my archives for my favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas posts.

What is your next Big Thing, that story that we all want to read?

And like me, do you ever break rules for the fun of it?

fOIS In The City

The Next Big Thing Rules:

***Use this format for your post
***Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (work in progress)***Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them.
When you’ve written your post and queued it up, send me the dedicated URL/permalink so that I have it for my post to link your upcoming one. There’s no need for you to give me the names of the people you’re inviting. Just go ahead and invite people to participate on the week after your post runs. You include their links and also include mine as the person who invited you.