Thanks to Susan Shea, VEEP of Northern California Sisters in Crime and all around nice person, for giving me the opportunity to join this Next Big Thing thread where writers discuss upcoming projects. Susan Shea is the author of Art in the Abstract, the first mystery in the Danielle O’Rourke series with The King’s Jar due out in 2013. Susan is also a charter member of the delightful blog, The Lady Killers.
For me, this blog chain is a chance to talk about the seventh, in progress, Carol Sabala murder mystery, which takes place in CUBA!
Q/A for My Next Big Thing
What is the working title of your book?
Mojito Madness. But I also like Venom Twist.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
Several places – from the almost month-long trip my husband and I made to Cuba, from the possible cure for cancer produced from the venom of a scorpion found only in Cuba, and my sister’s battle (and death) from cancer.
What genre does your book fall under?
Mojito Madness is a soft-boiled mystery. However, as in Death with Dessert, the fifth book in my series, private investigator Carol Sabala is searching for a missing person, rather than for a killer.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Right now, I’m thinking Eva Mendes, especially if the movies started with the first mystery, Murder, Honey, when Carol Sabala is in her thirties. For fun, by the time the film producers reached Mojito Madness, Ryan Gossling could play the villainous Eric Mars.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
A wealthy mother hires Carol Sabala to locate her daughter in Cuba where the daughter has fled to seek a miracle cure for her cancer, but the daughter has been followed to the island by her abusive boyfriend, a very handsome, and very evil man.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
The series will most likely continue as my DIY venture.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I’m only 50 pages into the book. However, the answer will probably be way too long.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Early Sue Grafton, like A is for Alibi, when her novels were shorter. However, because Mojito Madness will be set in an exotic place, possibly Cara Black’s work. For the humor, I’d go with Carl Hiaasen. That comparison will be heightened by the tropical setting of Mojito Madness.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
The material from our trip to Cuba is too good to waste! I also have a friend, with cancer, who traveled to Cuba. She has given me a copy of her journal, including her visit to a babalao and her initiation into the Palo Monte lineage of Santeria.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
My villain, Eric Mars, is a picker. In this unusual occupation, he finds and/or chooses objects for collectors. He specializes in baseball cards.
Here are three other authors continuing this Next Big Thing thread. Find out about their upcoming projects next week, November 19-23!
Anna Citrino has taught abroad in Turkey, Kuwait, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and now India. Her poetry has appeared in numerous literary journals and Finishing Line will be publishing a chapbook of her poetry.
Lisa Jensen, a well-known film reviewer in Santa Cruz, is also the author of The Witch From the Sea, and Alias Hook.
Patrice Vecchione is the best poetry teacher I’ve ever met. I stole all her ideas for use in my classroom. A multi-talented woman, she writes, edits, performs, journals, and creates gorgeous collage.