Thank you very much to Keris Stainton for tagging me in this Q&A about next novels and works in progress. This is a Wednesday thing, I’ve discovered, so watch out for posts from other authors today and every coming Wednesday!
Read Keris’s post here, and mine below…
What is the working title of your next book?
Diary of a Mall Girl will be out next spring, and that’s its official title. There’s another book I’m working on, but that’s another story…
Where did the idea come from for the book?
I once visited an amazing mall in Chicago (Water Tower Place) and it had an adjacent apartment block. You could go from the living space to the shopping space without going outside. Of course, I immediately imagined myself living there… as a teenager. With all my schoolfriends hanging out there and/or working there.
What genre does your book fall under?
Teen romantic comedy.
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
I can never answer this question, but I’m always open to suggestions from readers! (Casting directors are also welcome. 😉 )
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
The mall is the heart of Molly’s town and all her friends hang out there, but Molly actually lives there, at the centre of the gossip – with all the trouble, heartache and joy that brings.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
It was originally published in instalments by Fiction Express, and readers voted on what would happen next. It’s coming out as an ebook and paperback in March 2013, published by a brand new imprint called Curious Fox. Here’s a cover image:
How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
Exactly eleven weeks – the duration of the Fiction Express YA project. High-pressure, fun writing.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Other diary books featuring teenage girls, maybe? And other books by me!
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Everyone who read it and voted on what would happen next – and effectively decided who Molly would fall for and how, before throwing a huge spanner in the works. (Thanks a lot, readers! No, seriously, thanks a lot, readers!)
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
There’s kissing. And a glass lift. And perhaps a combination of the two.
Tag other authors…
I’d like to tag the fabulous Amanda Ashby as I’m dying to know what I can read by her next.