My Next Big Thing

Fellow Paris-lover and author Amy Thomas invited me to share details about my next big project in a fabulous pay-it-forward author event, and after just finishing the edits on my third novel, I'm so glad she did! Amy wrote the delicious book Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate).

I will definitely be devouring a bar of chocolat as I devour Amy's book!

And without further ado...some details on my third novel, Dancing with Paris, which will be out next spring:

Where did the idea come from for the book? 

I've always joked that I must've been French in a past life because I have been in love with France for almost as long as I can remember. It was this seed of an idea that helped me come up with the concept for Dancing with Paris.
 
What genre does your book fall under? 

Like my other two novels, my third book is a cross between romance and women's fiction, but this one definitely has some extra spice! We have magic realism, time travel to 1950's Paris, and a murder mystery!

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? 

Oooh, this is fun. I would choose either Amy Adams or Christina Applegate to play my main character, Ruby. They both have the glamour, humor, and the beauty to pull off this role.

Then for Antoine, my hero, I would choose Jean-Pierre Martins. He played Marcel in La Vie en Rose, and I have written Antoine with this actor specifically in mind. Swoon.
  
What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

Dancing with Paris  is the story of a woman sent back in time to 1950's Paris to revisit her past life as the dazzling star of a scandalous Parisian cabaret club, where she must deal with murder, danger, and unexpected love. It's Midnight in Paris meets Moulin Rouge.
 
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Amazon's Montlake Romance will be publishing Dancing with Paris next spring. I'm represented by my wonderful agent, Kevan Lyon, of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
 
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

It took me about five months to write the first draft. Then I had some major plot revelations and spent another several months re-writing the entire book! This is when I learned how difficult it is to write a mystery. Changing one little detail can change the entire story!
 
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Some other women's fiction authors who do a beautiful job of mixing magical elements into their characters' everyday lives are Cecilia Ahern and Allison Winn Scotch. Also, The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene is a beautiful story set in 1940's Paris that really swept me into this time period in France and was a wonderful inspiration to me. 

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

As mentioned, the idea that I must've been French in my past life inspired me to send my main character back to her past life in 1950's Paris. Also, I was a ballet dancer growing up, so I've always had a passion for dance and loved the idea of making my heroine a scandalous cabaret dancer in Paris. Another source of inspiration was the film Moulin Rouge. I absolutely adore the costumes, the dancing, and the songs, and I often listened to the soundtrack while writing this book.

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

Dancing with Paris is magical, suspenseful, glamorous, sexy, and will take you to 1950's Paris. Hopefully this mixture of elements will hook my readers and keep them turning the pages!

Now I will be passing the torch along to four other fabulous writers!

Marion Croslydon, author of a brand new release, which I absolutely loved, Oxford Whispers. Marion and I met by rooming together at RWA Nationals in New York City and we clicked immediately. The only thing I don't like is that Marion lives in England and I live in San Diego . . . somehow we need to figure out a way to be closer! Marion is hard at work on the next book in the Oxford Trilogy. Can't wait to hear more about it! 

 




Cari Kamm, author of Fake Perfect Me. If Cari and I were to meet in person, I know we would get along because in the FAQ on her website she states that if she could eat one thing for the rest of her days it would be cheese. I am with you Cari. Can't live without it. I can't wait to read Cari's first book, and she has a new release out this December, so pop on over to her site to learn more about it!







Barbara Longley is a fellow Montlake author, and her latest novel, Far From Perfect, just came out last week! Congrats Barbara! I am absolutely in love with the pics of Barbara's cat and dog, Fred and Sophie, on her site. Just sayin. Can't wait to see what Barbara is working up next!



And last, but definitely not least...

Lauren Clark, author of Dancing Naked in Dixie and Stay Tuned is one of my sweetest, most supportive author pals. I loved Dancing Naked in Dixie, and can't wait to read her first novel too! I'm so happy I *met* her this year...and hopefully one day we will meet in person! Lauren has a few projects up her sleeve, so check her out to see what's next!