Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The Next Big Thing

It's time for the Next Big Thing Blog chain! I was tagged by Laura Golden, the extremely sweet and talented author of EVERY DAY AFTER, published by Delacorte/Random House and to be released on June 11, 2013.

It took me awhile to figure out which novel I wanted to talk about, but I think I'm going to answer these questions about latest work in progress.

1. What is the working title of your current book? SNAP

2. Where did you get the idea for that book? 
When I tore my ACL in 2010 I spent a lot of time in physical therapy. While in rehab I saw a lot of young athletes who's worlds were upended because they could no longer compete in their sport. 

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

4. If you could pick actors to play the lead characters in your story, who would you pick? 
Natalie Portman from like ten years ago would be excellent for the main character.

5. How would you describe you book in one sentence?
Seventeen-year-old Kate Reddy has sacrificed everything from family to a social life to be an internationally competitive figure skater, but when Brice, a Canadian hockey player, moves to town, he not only wrecks her career but her heart.

6. How will your book be published--submitted through the traditional route to a traditional publisher, or will you be handling it yourself through indie publishing methods?
I plan to go the traditional route, try to acquire an agent, and go from there.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of this book?
I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm not done with the first draft and I think I started last May or June. I have a really nasty habit of writing 80 to 100 pages and then going back to edit and revise, and then going forward with next chunk of 80 or so pages. I don't know why it's always around 80 pages that I decide to back track. I'm trying to break the habit and learn to write a draft straight through. The only benefit to my madness is that when I do complete the "first draft" it's really more like a second or third draft.

8. What other books within your genre are similar to yours?
I don't know if I've actually read a novel that focuses around athletic injuries, but I strive to be as fantastic as contemporary authors like John Green and Sarah Dessen--both are amazing!

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Myself. LOL. Seriously, a lot of my inspiration comes from being a figure skater for twenty-two years and my own personal experience of dealing with ACL reconstruction.

10. What about your book will pique the reader's interest?
I hope this is a book that teens and adults can relate to, even if you haven't suffered a serious orthopedic injury. In the United States there are almost 200,000 ACL tears a year, with the largest number occurring in girls between the ages of fourteen to eighteen. When an athlete suffers this type of injury it’s not just a rupturing of a ligament that is so devastating, but the shattering of one’s identity. Most athletes after nine months to almost two years of rehabilitation will return to their sport, but many never return.

Thanks for stopping by! Make sure you visit my good friend Elizabeth Arroyo's blog next week where she'll keep The Next Big Thing blog chain going.
 

9 comments:

  1. Oooo, Anita! This sounds fantastic. Now hurry up and finish that draft so I can read it (she says selfishly). ;-)

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    1. I'm trying to finish. But me and this MS have such a love hate relationship. LOL.

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    2. Ha! I COMPLETELY understand. Just keep slogging forward. You'll get there. :)

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  2. Love your one sentence- really intriguing.
    It took me several months to write my first draft too- I found though that it's taking me an even longer amount of time to revise it- LOL

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    1. I'm glad to hear you like the one sentence, they are so difficult to write. best of luck with revisions!

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  3. Thanks for tagging me! =) SNAP sounds awesome! And I think you're right, sometimes we identify ourselves with what we do and when that's taken away we are lost. Your book sounds like a very relevant read. =)

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    1. Your welcome for the tag! can't wait to ready your post next week! Thank you for the encouragement on current novel--I need it.

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  4. I think your story sounds great! And you know I'm a sucker for anything relating to skating! And what teenage figure skater hasn't had a run in (or a date) with a hockey player?! Perfection!

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    1. (Holds up guilty hand) I dated a couple hockey players. Thanks for the encouragement Kristin! I need it as I return to drafting.

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