The Next Big Thing

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.


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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.

Circle of Friends Book for August: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

            The Circle of Friends Book Club met last week at Carole’s house, and, as usual, the food was amazing and the conversation engaging. At least, that’s what they told me. I missed it because I was in Nashville celebrating my grandson’s second birthday. Talk about being torn. I love seeing Brooks and his mother and dad, but I particularly wanted to be at this meeting as we were discussing Unbroken, one of my all-time favorite books. 

            No doubt, you’ve heard of this book by Laura Hillenbrand (of Seabiscuit fame) and  probably have read it. If not, RUN to your nearest bookstore, library, e-reader and buy, borrow, or download it. I promise, you’ll be entertained, engrossed, and inspired. I happened to be in Washington, D.C. when I read this book and, right after finishing it, toured the World War II Museum there. The combination of those two activities gave me a better understanding of that tumultuous period and a renewed appreciation for the men who served in that war. In times when there is so much criticism of the United States’ actions and involvement in world affairs, we can look to that event and know we got it right. 

            But enough of my ramblings. What were the “Friends” thoughts? Brenda, our de facto leader, was kind enough to take notes, and this is what she reported:

·         Judy (who taught journalism) felt the beginning was repetitive and “unjournalistic” in style. But once the action started, she was into it.

·         Elizabeth commented that Hillenbrand suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome and was never able to personally meet with Louis Zamperini while writing the book. Some critics feel that “Zamperini’s personality suffered at her hands” because of this, while others say the writing was not affected by it.

·         Probably the question that most closely deals with the theme and title of the book was raised by Nicci: What can the human spirit survive? How strange it seems that Zamperini was able to endure the loss of a promising track career, a plane crash, being lost at sea for forty-seven days, and a Japanese POW camp, but what came closest to “breaking” him was post-traumatic shock disorder and alcoholism. What rescued him from those destructive forces was his faith and ability to forgive.

·         As a group, the Friends agreed this was a great book, some even saying it was the best book they’d ever read. Shelly said it was one of those books that you can’t get out of your mind and continue to think about even after you’ve finished it. I agree. Your thoughts? 

            On a lighter note, it seems the star culinary attraction of the night was Tomato Pie, prepared by Sandra. Sandra reports this recipe is “pure Paula Deen." I tried it myself and am both happy and sad to report that Bill and I finished a whole pie in two meals!

 

           

Just Give Me Books and a Bic and Call Me Old

I try really hard to resist induction into the-older-I-get-the-better-I-was club. But on a recent morning bike ride through the UCO campus (yes, Bill and I were the old fa...olks, swerving to avoid students and cars), I came alarmingly close to qualifying for membership.  

I’d braced myself for the latest campus fashion trend—Daisy Dukes paired with black pantyhose and Doc Martens. According to friend and author Sonia Gensler, this is a hot new look at Oxford. But I spotted no such outfit on the UCO coeds. Either wriggling into pantyhose takes too much time and effort before an early morning class, or this uber style has not yet made it across the  pond. Give it a couple of years. 

While I was prepared for what I thought students would be wearing, I wasn’t prepared for what they were carrying. Or, rather, weren’t carrying. Riding through the campus, I noticed the same thing over and over: students hurrying to class, carrying nothing more cumbersome than a purse or a wallet or a can of Red Bull. No books, no laptops, not even an iPad that I could see. I counted exactly three scholars whom I considered properly prepared for class: an Asian girl toting a book bag, a woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties pulling a wheelie (pretty sure she wasn’t a professor), and—bless his heart—one rather nerdy-looking young man gripping a briefcase. 

When we returned home and were pouring milk over our Raisin Bran, I asked Bill, “Did you notice anything strange about those students this morning?” 

Being a card-carrying member of the aforementioned club, he gave the exact response I was expecting: “Everything about them is strange.” 

Rather than risk an I-don’t-know-what-this-world-is-coming-to lecture, I dropped the subject. But my mind was still churning, and here’s what I determined. A lot has changed on college campuses since the days I roamed them. Where my generation lugged twenty-pound tomes and bulging notebooks to class, today’s students have downloaded all their information on computers. Having read all assignments prior to class and having stored that vital information in their brains, they head to class burden-free, ready for stimulating and thought-provoking dialogue with their professors. OR tucked into their purses or pockets are teeny, tiny computers on which to take notes for further review. OR the class is being pod-cast and they can catch it again in the evening.   

Please assure me that these scenarios are feasible. I try not to dwell on the negative, but occasionally I worry about the future of our youth. And about the future of my Social Security check.