This week, I am participating in The Next Big Thing with several other authors.  I’d like to thank fellow romance writer Cindi Myers for nominating me and asking me to participate.  Cindi writes award-winning romance and women’s fiction including western historicals, relationship novels, romantic comedy and sexy romances.  Her characters are always well-drawn and her stories never fail to capture my interest.   You can find Cindi’s blog at http://cindimyersmarketnews.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/the-next-big-thing.

1) What is the working title of your next book?

My next book, which will be released in August or September of 2013, is entitled CHANGES.  This is the final book in my related character series–Lise’s story.

2) Where did the idea come from for the book?

Because the book is part of a related-character series, I needed to set it in the same general time frame as the first two, which are both in 1876.  Because I had made Lise part-Indian, I built the story around that conflict and looked for historic events that would fit in.  In 1879, there was a landmark trial concerning Indian rights in Omaha, Nebraska.  The Trial of Standing Bear, as it became known, focused on whether or not the law would recognize Native Americans as people.  It was the perfect backdrop for Lise’s story and became the central outer conflict for the book.

3) What genre does your book fall under?

CHANGES will be published as part of Five Star/Gale/Cengage’s new Frontier Fiction line.  It is a western historical romance.

4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Oh, my!  What a difficult question.  I honestly have no idea.   I admire Anne Hathaway a great deal and would love to see how she would interpret Lise.   Zac Efron would make a gorgeous Zach but might be a bit young.   Keith Urban doesn’t act but I could picture him, despite his being older that Zach.  Hmmmm.  Toughest question of the bunch!

5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Lise is a part-Sioux librarian who agrees to assist with the landmark 1879 Indian rights case of Standing Bear and finds herself battling with attractive attorney Zack Spencer, who refuses to bend the law for anyone.

6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

CHANGES will be released by Five Star Publishing as one of the first titles in their new Frontier Fiction line.

7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

Like my previous two books, CHANGES was written over a period of years, around life events (in this case, my late husband’s battle with leukemia) and a full time job.  No such thing as quick writing during that phase of my life.

8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I feel my characters are complex, with deep inner stories.  Other authors who favor such characters are Catherine Anderson and Jill Marie Landis.

9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Lise needed to be a strong female with a particular cause.  Since I had already made her part Sioux, I didn’t need to look far.  Research on the Trial of Standing Bear and the outstanding non-fiction book Standing Bear is a Person by Stephen Dando-Collins established the trial as the central conflict.  I also grew up in Minnesota and couldn’t resist plotting in the Sioux Uprising.

10) What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

This is my final book in the related character series about St. Louis schoolmates Sarah, Miriam, and Lise.  All feature strong female heroines and western settings.  Unlike cookie-cutter westerns, though, my books do not center around ranches, outlaws, or cowboys.  Instead, I prefer Americana—small town western life.  And I love inserting real life events into my stories.

Thanks to all of you for stopping by, reading, and getting to know me a bit more.  Be sure to check out my fellow authors’ blogs, websites, and books!  Also participating this week are Katriena Knights, Mary Gilgannon, and Colleen Collins.  Here’s just a bit more about them.

Katriena Knights is a prolific and talented author.   Katriena writes contemporary romance, urban fantasy, erotic romance and all kinds of other things. Her most recent release is Necromancing Nim, a funny, sexy urban fantasy.

Mary Gilgannon is a former critique partner of mine and writes historical romance and romantic fantasy full of emotion and compelling conflict. If you love sexy vikings or witty Regencies, you must try Mary’s books. She’s making her backlist and new material available in ebook form, including Earl of Scandal.

Colleen Collins writes romance, mystery, nonfiction and has a wicked sense of humor and a talent for telling engaging stories. Colleen has worked as a stand-up comedienne, Hollywood script girl and private investigator, and is both smart and witty.