The Next Big Thing - The Rustler's Daughter

I was incredibly honored when I was approached by Stacy Claflin to take part in the Next Big Thing blog hop. Read about her book, Deception (The Transformed, Book One) here. I love finding ans sharing information about new authors and books, so I was more than happy to join in. The point is to give published/unpublished writers a chance to share their work and then pass it on to two others who will post the following week for the rest of the year.

1      What is the working title of your book?

The Rustler's Daughter  (Haven't finished the cover yet)

2      Where did the idea come from for the book?

I grew up reading Harlequin romance books and watching western shows on television, so it was bound to come up at some point.

3      What genre does your book fall under?

Historical romance

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

I'm always terrible at casting. It doesn't help that most of my characters are young, and I'm not up on the latest up and coming actors. After a little research, here is what I came up with.

Hannah Miller - Amanda Seyfried 

Roy Miller - Dennis Quaid 

Thomas Miller - Chad Michael Murray 

Jackson Scott - Jesse Metcalfe 

Matthew Scott - Matt Lanter 

Lucas Scott - Josh Bowman 

5      What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Hannah is forced to accept help from her handsome neighbor after her father's reckless decision leaves her in a desperate situation.

6      What is the longer synopsis of your book?

This is just a quick synopsis. I am terrible at writing these, and generally go through several drafts. This is what I came up with in a pinch.

When Hannah Miller's mother dies unexpectedly, she is forced to go live with the father and brother she thought were dead. Hannah has high hopes that her father will be happy to finally meet her, but Roy Miller quickly puts Hannah in her place. She is a burden -  just another mouth to feed and an ugly reminder of the wife who left him.

Roy Miller's act of desperation puts Hannah at the mercy of his enemies, the neighboring Scott family. Despite the bad blood between their families, Hannah is immediately attracted to Jackson Scott, but he has his own secrets and feels Hannah would be better off with someone else. When someone else does offer Hannah a way out of her predicament, will Jackson put aside his past and step up, or will his choices force Hannah into a loveless marriage?

7      Is your book self-published or represented by an agency?

It will be self published next month.

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

I don't have a lot of time to write, so it seems like it takes a long time. If I put the time together, I would say it took about a month to write the first draft.

9      Who or What inspired you to write this book?

I really have a deep love for old western television shows and movies. I used to watch them with my grandfather, and he always went to the Swap Meet (flea market) and pick up grocery bags full of used Harlequin Romance books for me. I used to tell him that I would write one someday.

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

I tried to make this book as historically accurate as I could as far as the setting and the culture of the time. It was difficult for a woman to make it alone. They were often dependent on men, but they could  still be incredibly strong. It was a challenge to create a strong female character in a male dominated world.

Next up on January 30th

RJGordon author of Gemini Witching: Elements 101: When strange things start happening to Samantha Carpenter and Emily Hunger, a woman shows up claiming to be their aunt bringing these two strangers together. Her revelations will lead Sam and Emily on a journey of self discovery in a world they never knew existed.

DionneLister author of Shadows of the Realm: Bronwyn and Blayke are two strangers being drawn into the same war. The young Realmists' journey pushes them away from all they've known, to walk in the shadows toward Vellonia, city of dragons, where an even darker shadow awaits.