Ready to be introduced to some new authors through a Blog Hop? Never heard of a Blog Hop? It’s new to me too. I’m going to answer ten questions and at the bottom are links to blogs for several other authors I’d like you to meet. They’ll be guest-blogging next Wednesday, so please check back and read their posts.

A big thanks to Sheila Lowe for graciously inviting me to participate. Her blog is at http://www.claudiaroseseries.com/SheilaLoweMysteries/node/16. And to Connie Archer for originally inviting me to participate. Please visit her blog at http://www.conniearchermysteries.com/blog 

Here’s my Q and A:

What is the working title of your book?
Weddings Are Murder

Where did the idea come from for the book?
It’s the second in an outlined 3-book series about Sam Monroe, an amateur sleuth from Boston. The first book, Deadlines Are Murder, is available through Kindle and Smashwords. It involves the murder of Sam’s soon to be ex-husband’s grad assistant/lover’s murder. This book follows just a few weeks after the end of the first book and follows directly. My inspiration is all the weddings I’ve attended, including my own, and making up backgrounds for all the people I don’t know at the wedding.

What genre does your book fall under?
My book is a traditional mystery with a sub-genre of Amateur Sleuth. It’s a little ‘soft-boiled’ with some romance for fun and to move the story to the third in the series, Vacations Are Murder.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
That’s a tough one, especially since I haven’t thought of one until now. Possibly Ginnifer Goodwin for Sam, Demi Moore for Kate and Paul Rudd for Pete O’Malley. I’d love to have my story made course, if this story were made into a movie I would

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Sam Monroe has a husband in a coma, a best friend in custody for two murders and attempting to murder her and is a bridesmaid at her brother’s wedding when a dead body is found at the rehearsal dinner.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
This book will be self-published via Kindle and Smashwords as Deadlines Are Murder has been published.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
This had taken more than a year. Working full-time at a new job, some home renovations and a trip to Italy have slowed down my progress but my focus is now on this book. My plan is to have this book out between July and October 2013.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I have a hard time comparing my story to something else. I think it’s unique while being traditional but I’m most inclined to compare it to An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by PD James.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?
I started what I thought would be one book about 14 years ago. I put it aside for other things in my life but always knew I wanted to write novels. A cancer scare which thankfully turned out to not be not life-threatening caused met to get back on track with my writing. A review of the old manuscript told me I had about 4 books rather than one.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Characters to care about and some great twists and turns that will keep you thinking and reading.

Next up on December 5 please check out the following authors who will be carrying on the The Next Big Thing:

Connie Johnson Hambley: http://thecharitythriller.blogspot.com/

Lynette Eason: http://www.infinitesuspensefromlynetteeason.blogspot.com/

Jan Godown Annino: http://bookseedstudio.wordpress.com/

What do you think The Next Big Thing will be?