One of my dream big goals for this year is to write a book. It’s almost March and I haven’t done as much for this goal as I would have liked. Enter Amy Guth. Bringing me into the meme/writing project, “The Next Big Thing” where you answer 10 questions about your work, bring in more writers and get them to share, and so on and so on. Think old school email chains with something worth reading in the content! Check out what Amy is working on here.
I have a strong layout and details of my soon to be first novel, but haven’t much divulged into the details until now. So here’s my awesome idea and now that you know, you can help get my butt into gear by asking me whether I’ve been writing or just watching Gilmore Girl reruns all weekend. Hopefully my answer will turn more into the former.
1. What is your working title of your book?
Ooof. That’s too hard of a question. I can’t even give my main character a name yet, let alone my first book ever. So far it is called Book1, because that’s how my excel sheet saved the timeline I created for the events in the book. And now I’m wondering if any other author uses excel for their writing, or am I the first one ever?
2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
That’s better. It came to me one day at Sonic. I was driving off in a fit of rage over a fight I had with my husband. I don’t remember what we were fighting about but it was enough for me to need to blow off steam by driving off in a huff. Maybe dishes? Anyway, I was driving around and I ended up at Sonic to get an Ocean Water slushy and cheddar bites. I was thinking to myself how I should get back at him by ordering lots of food and getting really, super, massively fat so he would be stuck married to an obese Sonic eating lady. That’ll show him!
3. What genre does your book fall under?
Humor and fiction. I don’t have that interesting of a life so I figured I’d make stuff up, sounds much easier.
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
For some reason, in my head I saw Cameron Diaz coming to the epiphany that getting fat would solve all her problems. But I’m not sure if she would be good for the part- she’s funny but I’m looking for hilarious. Maybe someone who would be willing to get fat, or a fat comedian actress who is willing to get thin. Plus we’d obviously become BFFs so there’s that to consider.
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Tired of having her shit together, one woman decides to fix her life by getting fat.
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I hope an agency! It would be so fun to go on book tour and see it in stores. Ugh, I’m so excited just thinking about it!
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I’d like to be done by summer. Ask me in June how that’s going.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Jen Lancaster! Her sense of humor is dead on to what my style is like. My dream is to have her write a review of my book. THAT would be awesome.
9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I’m not sure. Maybe the person who invented cheddar bites?
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
How about we talk about what the book is about? Did I miss something here or was that question not asked?
My book is about a woman in Chicago who is a fancy PR executive and seemingly has her life together. She’s a runner, naturally thin, and super fit. She has a great job, a boyfriend who seems great, and good friends. But although her friends and colleagues constantly fawn over her perfect image, she spirals into a fit of stress at keeping up the perfect life, and decides the way for her to make things better is by getting fat on purpose. Halfway through her quest, she has a set back that pulls her back into her fit life, ending in her pursuit for a happy medium.
And it’s going to be hilarious. And there’s going to be a euphoric first time experience in a Jewel parking lot with a Little Debbie. Not creepy, just hilarious.
Next up! Jill Howe, a new writer friend I met at the Reading Under the Influence series. She had a great story about her time as an English major at U of I and I can’t wait to hear what she has cooking up next.
And if you have a manuscript you’d like to discuss, let me know and I’ll add you to this list.
Connie O'Reyes 