The Next Big Thing Blog
Hop
This is a blog tour that's been circulating for quite a while. I was
excited when friend and gifted author Sonia Gensler contacted me to
participate and gave me a chance to share my work in progress with you.
What is the working title
of your current/next book?
Cross Dressing is the book I just completed.
Where did the idea for CROSS DRESSING come
from?
One
afternoon my husband and I were driving across Oklahoma City, and I saw someone’s
clothes strung along the freeway. I started thinking, boy, someone’s going to
be really disappointed...or angry...or up the creek when they get to where they’re
going and discover they have no clothes. I started thinking about all the possible
scenarios. A plot was born.
What genre does your book
fall under?
Definitely
women’s fiction. It’s what I love to read most, and it’s what I love to write.
What actors would you choose to play the part
of your characters in a movie rendition?
My book actually has
two protagonists because it is two stories running simultaneously, connected by a wardrobe exchange. Wendie Malick
would make a great 56-year-old Estelle Grant-Perkins. In picking an actress for
this role, I feel my choices are limited because, as we all know, “mature”
actresses are not exactly in huge demand in the U.S. film industry. Fortunately,
that situation is improving, but it’s still a problem. I began writing this
book before Hot in Cleveland ever aired, but when I saw Malick in that show, I immediately
thought, Estelle!
The choice for my second protagonist,
26-year-old Paige Perkins, is Emma Stone. She has spunk and sensitivity, and
she fits the physical description perfectly.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your
book?
Near the crossroads of
the country, two women reach across generational divides and cultural
prejudices to find surprising answers to the question: “Do clothes make the
woman?”
Will your book be self-published or
represented by an agency?
I’m in the process of pitching it to agents
right now. I’ve had one book published by an indie publisher to whom I’m grateful
for putting my debut novel in print. It was an excellent learning experience,
but one of the lessons I learned was the value of a good agent. If the agent
angle doesn’t pan out, I’ll see what direction to go then.
How long did it take you to write the first
draft?
About two years. I’m
pretty slow, and contrary to popular advice, I edit as I go. I try not to, but
my inner-English teacher rears her ugly head and starts correcting me.
What other books would you compare this story
to within your genre?
There are lots and lots of books within women's fiction and every other genre that deal with the "trading places" plot line. But I'm going waaay out on a limb here and comparing Cross Dressing to Sense and Sensibility--only with a contemporary, southwest flavor. I can hear all of my critiquing partners screaming "What?!" but when you think about it, both books deal with women of different generations who find themselves in reduced circumstances. They must rely on their resourcefulness to survive, and they learn much from each other. And there's some romance thrown in along the way!
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
When I
reached a certain age as a teacher, I started observing the dynamics between
the new, young teachers and the...let’s say... more established ones. At the
same time, my own daughter was entering the work force, and she and I would
discuss her situations with older co-workers. In my case and hers, these weren’t
always situations of conflict. Some were, but others were very positive
mentoring/learning relationships for both the old and the young. And that is
the way it should be. When women of varying ages and circumstances work
together to support and encourage each other, they all benefit. That is a
message I hope comes across in my book.
And I must admit to a not-so-hidden agenda of promoting Oklahoma and, in
particular, Oklahoma City. I love reading books about New York City, but, hey,
life—interesting life—happens in
other locations, too. Rural Oklahoma has
beauty and charm and a no-nonsene, laid-back approach that appeal to many. At
the same time, Oklahoma City is a metropolis on its way up. It has much to offer
in the way of culture and entertainment. I wanted to share that message with
the rest of the country and even—pardon me for dreaming big—the world.
________________________
Be sure to look out
for the next installments of The Next Big Thing next week, February 22nd,
on the blogs by authors C. D. Jarmola and Jennifer Collar McMurrain.