The Next Big Thing - Week 16

This one has been making the rounds for a while (16 weeks to be exact), but I love that everyone has been sharing their current project. It's so fun to hear what other people are working on. Everyone's so creative. I've been tagged by Adrianne Russell who may or may not have referred to me as a "Fleet-fingered fast drafter of fantasy worlds". I have to figure out a way to work that into a query letter.

But before we put the cart before the horse, let's talk about my Next Big Thing!

What is the working title of your book? RITE OF REJECTION. It works for now, but I am horrible at naming all things including book titles and characters. I like to think I did okay with my kids' name, but I had help. :)

Where did the idea come from for the book? I wish I knew. I need to start writing this stuff down. I have no idea how I come up with any of my ideas. However, most of them come to me in the shower because that's where my muse lives. Now if I could just teach her how to use a sponge and some Clorox I'd be golden.

What genre does your book fall under? YA Dystopian, though I'm told Dystopia is dead so I'm open to any creative rephrasing ala the ChickLit change to Women's Fiction. Genius!

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? This one makes me laugh, because we don't watch television and I only get to the movies about once a year. I have no idea what teen actors are out there right now. But if I had to pick someone to play my MC, Rebecca, I'd pick Kirsten Prout because of how innocent she can look. Of course, she's too old now.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? When a corrupt government labels a teen good girl as a threat to society, she has to let go of who she was before she becomes no one. 

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? I will query this one with agents. I'm shooting for the beginning of the year. I still have lots of editing to do.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? I started this story in June for CampNanoWrimo, but after 30K words it stalled and I ended up scrapping it. When I restarted after getting some kinks ironed out it took me just over a month to finish the first draft.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I'm not sure about this one. I've tried to find other books that are similar, but nothing really matches up. I like to think of it as the YA book version of Minority Report.

Who or What inspired you to write this book? Most of what I write is fantasy based with some kind of magic system. I wanted to try my hand at something completed grounded in reality with no magic or mythical creatures.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? Teens in prison, dumpster diving, dancing in the rain, hot guys (yes that's plural), a multicultural cast, silk gloves and dance cards mixed with biometric machines and Airbusses.