The Next Big Thing Blog Hop is a chance for authors around the world to tell you what they’re working on. All they have to do is answer the following questions and tag more amazing writers to join the hop. Thanks to the wonderfully named, but totally unrelated Lilly Gayle, author of the soon-to-be released paranormal vampire romance Embrace the Darkness, for tagging me. I am really excited by all the authors I see tagged and tagging so here we go…. The Next Big Thing!

1. What is the working title of your book?
Father of the Bride?

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
I read an article about high school sweethearts who reunited later in life. The first line of Father of the Bride? is almost a direct quote from the woman in the article: You are not supposed to meet the love of your life when you’re twelve. For some reason their story really struck a chord with me.

3. What is the genre of the book?
Contemporary Romance

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Dana Delany would make an excellent Penny Malloy,
and tall, blond-haired blue-eyed, all-American Tim Robbins would be fantastic as David Parker.

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
She never expected to see her ex again, but at their son’s wedding he’s father of the bride.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency/publisher?
The book is being published by The Wild Rose Press. Its release date is set for January 23, 2013. It is the first release in the Dearly Beloved anthology, a digital collection of stories featuring weddings and an older heroine (who’s not necessarily the bride).

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I generally write full-length novels (about 90,000 words). This short story clocks in at about 16,000 words and it took me two weeks to complete the first draft. I then spent a month layering and revising it before submitting it to my editor.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
This is the first short I’ve written so that’s a little tough. Generally, though, I think my writing is along the lines of contemporary romance authors that focus on families and community: Susan Mallory, Lisa Kleypas, and JoAnn Ross. At least that’s what I’m aiming for <wink>.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I had just handed in the manuscript for the second book of my contemporary romantic suspense series and I was looking for a small project as a break before I started working on the third book. My editor, the incomparable Maggie Johnson, told me about a call for submissions The Wild Rose Press had issued for a new digital anthology it was putting together. As I mentioned before, I had read an article about an older couple reuniting after many years apart and the story fell into place.

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I have difficulty writing a straight-up romance. I’m always looking to add some element of suspense or a twist to surprise the reader. Father of the Bride? is no exception.

Next author up? The wonderful Anne Lange. Check back to see when Anne’s blog goes live and follow the tour!