The Next Big Thing Hop: A Sneak Peek at Encore (Blue Notes #5)

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop asks the question, “What’s your current work-in-progress?”  Special thanks to Hayley B. James for inviting me to join the hop this week.  Be sure to stop by Hayley’s blog and see what she’s working on, as well as the other participants who are posting today:  Charlie Cochet and J.R. Loveless.  Then, a week from today, check out Thea Nishimori’s blog.

Don’t forget that I’ve got two contests running to celebrate the release of Aria.  Comment on this blog and tell me where in the world you would travel if you could.  You have until midnight 12/25 to be entered to win an ebook copy of your choice of the first two Blue Notes Series books (Blue Notes and The Melody Thief). Enter on Goodreads until 12/20 to win an autographed copy of Aria.

Honestly, I had a hard time choosing a WIP to talk about.  I have three going right now:  Stealing the Wind, Encore (Blue Notes #5), and Blood and Rain.  You can read about each and read excerpts by clicking the links.  In the end, I decided to talk about Encore, since the third book in the Blue Notes Series will be released in less than two weeks now.

Each Blue Notes Series book is a standalone story set in a classical music universe.  Secondary characters in one story become the main characters in another.  Aria (Blue Notes #3) will be released on December 24th by Dreamspinner Press, and is now available for pre-order.  It’s the story of opera singer Aiden Lind and attorney Sam Ryan, both of whom appear in other Blue Notes novels.

So, on to the blog hop questions!

What is the working title of your book?

Encore (Blue Notes #5)

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The two main characters in Encore appear in the fourth Blue Notes book Prelude.  John Fuchs becomes the conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Roger Nelson becomes a violin teacher.  Seeing these two men in Prelude, I decided I wanted to write a love story than spans decades, beginning when they first meet in high school, and ending years later.

What genre does your book fall under?

Encore and the other Blue Notes Series novels are all contemporary gay romances.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie?

It would depend upon what decade you’re talking about.  In college and after, I could see John played by Orlando Bloom, and Roger played by Gerard Butler.

What is a one sentence synopsis of your book?

Old friends dance around their relationship, each avoiding the other for different reasons until they realize they don’t want to be apart any longer.

Will your book be self published or represented by an agency?
The Blue Notes Series is published by Dreamspinner Press, and I hope they will also publish this novel.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

It generally takes me three months to complete a draft of a 65,000+ word novel.

 What other books would you compare this story to within your genre.

I haven’t read another book in the MM romance genre that spansthe better part of a lifetime.  If I were to compare it with something outside the genre, it would probably be the movie, “When Harry Met Sally,” since it follows a close friendship over a long period of time.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

As usual, I was inspired by writing about the main characters when I used them as secondary characters in another book in the series.  I loved the playful friendship of these two men, and I found myself wondering about how they met and why it took them so long to find their happily-ever-after.

What else about your book might interest the reader?

Encore, like the other Blue Notes Series novels, gives the reader a taste of what it’s like to be a professional musician.  I was a professional opera singer for about 16 years, and the stories incorporate many of my own experiences singing and, before that, playing violin.  Each book of the series takes the reader to foreign locations like Paris, Milan, and London, to name a few.

So thanks for letting me talk a bit about my WIP, Encore. Want to read an excerpt from that or any of my other WIPs?  Click here and scroll down to the excerpt tab of your choice.  Interested in the Blue Notes Series?  Click here and you can read about the different stories.  -Shira

10 comments

  1. Andrea M - Reply

    Loved the first two, have the third on pre-order and can’t wait for all the others. Your writing astounds me and it’s great to know there will be more in this series.

    • Shira - Reply

      That means a lot to me, Andrea! I really appreciate the feedback. And yes, there will be plenty more in the series! -Shira

  2. Urbanista - Reply

    I want to go to Johannesburg and Barcelona. Also, the upper peninsula of Michigan. These are places I’d travel if I could, since I’ve already been to Vancouver. Thanks!

    • Shira - Reply

      I’ve been to the UP (very beautiful!), but I’ve never been to Barcelona or anywhere in Africa, Urbanista. Every time I think about it, I realize how few places I’ve really been! More than a lot of people, but the world is so BIG. XD -Shira

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