Monday, November 19, 2012

The Next Big Thing: That Weekend at Shangri-la


Welcome back!

Today, I get to play with a few of my fellow authors. The two who tagged me, and the five I'm about to tag! 

The Next Big Thing is a blog circle where authors tag each other, giving fellow authors an opportunity to share their current Works in Progress (WIP).

Judy Baker and Celeste Jones tagged me, so I'm grabbing the baton and off we go! Thanks, ladies! :)


Ten Interview Questions for the Next Big Thing:




What is your working title of your book?


That Weekend at Shangri-la.
 
Where did the idea come from for the book? 
 
It’s not so much where the idea came from, but how it came about. I’ll elaborate when I speak about what inspired me to write “That Weekend at Shangri-la”.
 
What genre does your book fall under?
 
Rom-Com Christian Romance with a dash of mystery/suspense.
 
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
 
I think Stacey Dash and Matt Bomer.
 
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? 
 
When a young Christian couple, on the verge of divorce, finds themselves unexpectedly sharing their holiday cottage the weekend of their tenth wedding anniversary, they have to find a way to hide their secrets—and resist each other.
 
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
 
I’m going to self-publish. "That Weekend at Shangri-la" is a Christian romance with flavor! Meaning, I’m leaving the bedroom door wide open. I don’t think I’ll find a publisher who would ever consider publishing a Christian romance that features fully depicted love scenes. I’m not a fan of rejection, so I’ll save myself the heartache and go Indie with this book. :D
 
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
 
 I’m in the process now. I started the MS on November 5th.
 
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
 
I don’t know of any comparisons. I haven’t found anything like it.
 
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
 
My inspiration for this book came about one morning while I was in my Morning Devotional prayer time. God showed me how sin opens doors for the enemy to control you (Genesis 4:6). Then the idea for a series of Christian romances hit me. Why don’t I write about this? We all have to deal with anger, jealousy, envy, un-forgiveness, lying, lust, pride etc. It is part of living in a fallen world, but if we can understand how the enemy uses these sins to defeat us, perhaps we would be able to work smarter to win the battle.
 
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
 
Like I said, I’m leaving the bedroom door wide open! I believe love is a beautiful thing. God made man, then He made woman and He gave them to each other. He also gave them an amazing gift—the ability to enjoy procreation!
 
Why shouldn't lovemaking be included in Christian romance? It’s not the work of the enemy—it’s a beautiful gift from God. Let’s celebrate it.
 
Include the link of who tagged you and this explanation for the people you have tagged. 

Tag, you’re it!

Ednah Walters
Teresa Blue
Georgina Sellwood
Chicki Brown
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19 comments:

  1. Hi, Monique,

    I love the title of your new book. It sounds really cool:)

    I've read your other books and I'm looking forward to reading this one too. Thanks for letting us have a look at your WIP :)

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  2. Oh I love Christian romance. Especially if it comes with laughter, mystery and suspense!

    Will be keeping an eye out for this one. :)

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  3. Lovely way you express yourself about "leaving the bedroom door open" because what you're writing about is healthy and normal and sounds like a great book.
    Good luck with self-publishing. Sounds like the perfect way to go for you.
    Patti

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  4. I can't wait to read this book. Thanks for sharing about the gift of God. Judy

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  5. This sounds really great and I agree about the bedroom and Christian romance. Maybe we need a new sub-genre.

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  6. What an awesome idea, Monique! This sounds like an excellent story and will probably be very much in demand. I agree with Celeste, we do need this kind of sub-genre. And thank you for tagging me. I'm looking forward to showing you all my Next Best Thing.
    : )

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  7. Sounds neat about a Christian romance! I'd also like more of romances between a married couple. Who says the wedding is the end of the romance? :)

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  8. Simone & Micki,

    Thank you so much for leaving me such lovely comments!

    Please keep popping back because when I publish "That Weekend at Shangri-la" I'll be giving away copies to my long time commenters.

    So keep commenting to make sure you receive your free copy! ;)

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  9. Thanks for stopping by, Patti,

    Yeah, I'm praying that this Indie thingy works for me! :D

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  10. Hi, Judy,

    I read a while back that a lot of Christian women secretly read spicy romances because they're looking for that extra bit of satisfaction they don't get in most traditional Christian/Inspirational romances.

    I think it might be a niche I can fill...I hope so, anyway :)

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  11. Celeste, thanks for tagging me.

    I like that idea. A new sub-genre...:)

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  12. Thank you, Tere...from your lips...:)

    I can't wait to read all about your next big thing!

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  13. Hi, Ana!

    I'm with you there. One of my fav romance buzz themes is the reunion/second chance romance. I guess it shows because several of my stories are second chance romances :)

    Thanks for stopping by!

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  14. This sounds like fun, Monique. So true about lovemaking in Christian fiction. I think it is tastefully done, we should be okay with it.

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  15. I am definitely interested in this story. I hate the idea that the beginning is the end of romance and love...Open that door, it should be considered beautiful and precious.

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  16. Love the title! Love the idea! I'll definitely be reading it once it hits the shelves!

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  17. Hi, Ednah!

    Thanks so much for stopping by.

    I only write tasteful, romantic, emotion-filled, satisfying love scenes. ;D I write what I like to read :)

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  18. Hey, April!

    I think you might get to see it before it hits the shelves...;)

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Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. I greatly appreciate it! :) :)