I was tagged in “The Next Big Thing”

Last week, I was tagged by Margo Dill to play a game going around the interwebs called “The Next Big Thing.”

Here’s her original post. Per the rules, I must answer ten questions about my current novel because it is the next big thing and then tag five other writers/authors. I was supposed to post this on Wednesday, but its late because I was busy attending my critique group that night and then Thursday was my birthday. So, here it is, now Friday.

What is the working title of your book?

Jenny BigSis & The Bug Club

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It started as a short story based on a ‘mini’ adventure my younger brother and I went on during grade school. I took it to my then critique group and they wanted to read more about the main character’s adventures. So, I sat and did some character development. I asked her why she’d gone on her mini adventure. Her answer was, “I have to save my pet spider. His name is Jack.” Once I learned that I had to keep writing.

What genre does your book fall under?

The story is younger, middle grade. If you want to be more specific it’s a mystery/adventure.

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

I’d prefer unknown actors for the kid parts. Similar to how Harry Potter was cast with maybe the two secondary adult characters – Grandma Stella & Red the Janitor – played by more well-known people like Lainie Kazan or Simon Pegg.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Jenny Maria Jenkins and the Bug Club have less than two weeks to rescue her pet jumping spider Jack from the snotty Girl Gang before they smash him during the Easter Expo and ruin their chances of winning the All-Round Science Award.

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

I am in the process of pitching to agents. If that doesn’t work, then self-publishing is an option further down the road.

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

First draft took a year. I seriously thought I was done. How silly was that? Second draft, took another year, while it went through my awesome critique group, The Lit Ladies. I’m now finished with final edits and am ready to start submitting.

Now that I’ve learned the process of how much work goes into writing a novel, my next manuscript I hope to finish in less than half the time it took to finish Jenny.

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

Sweet Farts & The Secret Zoo series

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

My brothers & sister & the adventures we had growing up.

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

Jenny BigSis is not just about finding a missing pet. It explores the themes of friendship and overcoming bullying without becoming a bully yourself. Jenny discovers this is harder than she thinks.

Also, because Jenny loves bug collecting and her pet is a spider, I’ve had several alpha readers say they think it would appeal to boys.

So here are the people I “tag”:

Deb Marshall at http://quicksilverpen.blogspot.com

Elle Lothlorien at http://ellelothlorien.com/blog/

David Lucas as http://davidalanlucas.blogspot.com/

T.W. Fendley at http://twfendley.com/?page_id=404

Brad Cook at http://www.thewriterslens.com/

Be sure to check out their blogs to see their answers about their “The Next Big Thing” by Wednesday, Sept. 19.

One thought on “I was tagged in “The Next Big Thing”

  1. Even though I know and love Jenny, it was very interesting to read about it from your point of view and like it was a published book! 🙂 I can’t wait to hold a copy of this in my hands some day. Thanks for playing. 🙂

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