I was invited by Teresa Thorne, author of the highly acclaimed novel, Noah's Wife, and other upcoming books worthy of our attention, to participate in a book blog chain. The idea of The Next Big Thing is that I discuss my WIPs, works-in-progress, then invite other bloggers to do the same.
My first book, Sweet Music on Moonlight Ridge, introduced a pair of surprising, unforgettable characters, Lily Claire Nash and her famous cousin, Willie T. Nock. The story tells how Willie T. became a famous hero in their hometown of Eden, Alabama and Moonlight Ridge, the wooded mountain home where these eight-year-old mystery solvers live.
Sweet Music on Moonlight Ridge is Southern literary fiction with a touch of the supernatural, mystery, music, and humor. The story is set in a small 1950s Alabama town and surrounding woodlands, published by Chalet Publishers LLC in 2010. Recently Chalet LLC went out of business. A few copies are still available on Amazon and B&N. Now my book will be reissued as Book One of The Moonlight Ridge Series in spring 2013. I can't wait!
Set in 1950s Alabama summer, this is the tale of two young intrepid explorers who come to the rescue when an important member of their community is apparently kidnapped. Lily Claire and Willie T. use their wits, courage, and knowledge of the mountain to restore peace when tragedy threatens to destroy the harmony of their idylic community.
Here's what authors Cassandra King and T.K. (Teresa) Thorne said about Sweet Music on Moonlight Ridge:
"The antics of the delightfully eccentric Greenberry family had me laughing from the first page, and by the time I'd reluctantly finished their story, I wanted to pack up and move to Eden , Alabama
Cassandra King, author of 'The Sunday Wife'
“If you didn’t grow up on Moonlight Ridge, you will wish you had. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn would be right at home.
I promise you laughter and the sweet music of a place and time you will not soon forget.”
T.K. Thorne, author of “Noah’s Wife”
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Ten Interview Questions for the Next Big Thing:
1-What is your working title of your book?
The Witches of Moonlight Ridge. Lily Claire and Willie T. befriend a charismatic young teacher who comes to Eden Elementary, and the trio find themselves immersed in a haunting manifestation that will lead them into a truly mysterious adventure.
2-Where did the idea come from for the book?
As with my first book, I must thank my family, parents, grandparents, relatives, for inspiring me to write The Witches of Moonlight Ridge. My writing is a mixture of fact and fiction, and, like the first of the series, the most remarkable and unbelievable parts are the ones that are true.
3-What genre does your book fall under?
The Moonlight Ridge Series is Southern literary fiction.
4-Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I'll have to go back to my debut novel, first of the Moonlight Ridge Series, to answer this question. After watching the phenomenal Hatfields and McCoys TV series, I definitely want Kevin Costner to play Great-granddaddy W.T. Greenberry! I think for Lily Claire and Willie T. there would have to be a great talent search to find the right ones! And for this current work-in-progress, I would want to choose a young dark-haired beauty to play "the witch."
5-What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
In Book Two, autumn comes to Moonlight Ridge, and with the changing seasons comes a spooky story that brings many changes out on the mountain, tranporting the reader into the realm of the supernatural.
6-Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
After the publisher of my first book went out of business, I have been considering what direction to take for publishing the entire Moonlight Ridge Series. I'll have an announcement concerning the publisher soon. I have a new option.
7-How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I'm still in the middle of working on this new manuscript. I have chapters, notes, scraps of paper, notebooks, and print-outs all over my house! I expect to be finished by January 2013. That will make it about a year and a half that I've worked on the book.
8-What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Reviewers compared Sweet Music on Moonlight Ridge to Because of Winn Dixie, Tom Sawyer, and most flattering, To Kill a Mocking Bird. I originally compared the series to an adult version of The Bobbsey Twins. My work-in-progress is much more gothic, a Southern gothic Bobbsey Twins for adults.So I don't know for sure if there are other books to compare it to! It's a totally innovative idea.
9-Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I can't say much about this question without letting "spoiler" information out. I mentioned before that my family, family stories, and the mountain environment are the true sources of my inspiration. The tale I have to tell is wrapped up in the life and legacy of the real Moonlight Ridge.
10-What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I hope everyone who read and loved Sweet Music will watch for the publication of The Witches of Moonlight Ridge early in 2013. You'll find some new characters, new-old songs, bewitching poetry and spine-chilling adventures as the witching season comes to Moonlight Ridge.
If you like adventure, strange beasts, Southern songs, friendly possums, precocious children, and scary stories, then please leave a comment!
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