I’m telling everyone I know that I’ve finished the first draft of my fiction novel. Of course, in doing this, I’ve discovered that half of those people didn’t even know I was working on a novel. The manuscript is printed and currently fermenting in a desk drawer. I’m going with the Stephen King Method for this first novel of mine: I’ll let it hide in the dark for about six weeks, so when I pull it back out I’ll be getting a fresh look at it. Once I go through and edit (and I know there are a long list of errors), a few kind souls have volunteered to read it for me. And then…it’s time to find an agent. I have a feeling that writing the story was the easy part compared to finding an agent and actually getting the book published.
If you’re in that half of people I know who haven’t heard me gush about my book and the characters I’m so enamored with, have no fear. I’m always ready to talk about it! The premise centers around a young woman named Betty “Boo” Boorman, and she’s a paranormal investigator in Savannah. The story, which I ultimately want to turn into a series, follows Betty’s adventures, from strange investigations to her budding relationship with a guy who introduces himself simply as “Maxwell, Demon.”
The idea came about when I was doing research for my book of Georgia ghost stories, which introduced me to a lot of ghost hunters throughout the state. With the popularity of ghost hunter shows on TV right now, I figured, “Why not a book?” And so Betty Boo was born.
Maxwell (who is, of course, drop-dead gorgeous) got an odd beginning: he was originally inspired by a mural of a train. Those of you who have been to Pleasure Island at Disney World (may it rest in peace… Kungaloosh!), might remember a huge mural of a locomotive that used to grace the side of Mannequins. The train’s name was Maxwell’s Demon, and the “back story” for the club was that it was once a roundhouse for this amazing train. My mom and I were discussing the old mural after our Pleasure Island Farewell Tour in August of 2008 when I got the idea for a character by the same name. Maxwell, Demon was born, but he still needed a face. I wrote down my description of him – pale blue eyes, dark hair styled perfectly so that it looks messy, dramatic cheekbones – before trying to describe him to Mom. Finally she asked, “If they made a movie of your book, who would play him?” Cillian Murphy, I decided. I did a Google search to find a picture of him to email Mom, and one image I stumbled across made me think, “Oh, that’s Maxwell!”
And just what lies in store for Betty Boo and Maxwell, Demon? Well, you know…you’ll just have to read the book!