Today, I'm excited to have Keris Stainton as a guest blogger. Keris is the consummate multitasker when it comes to writing. She's written articles for magazines and newspapers and hosts 2 blogs of her own. She is a former book reviewer for Trashionista and now reviews books for Five Minutes Peace. She co founded Chicklish with fellow author Luisa Plaja. I met her through Write Words, an online writing group where she founded and hosted the Chick Lit group. Her first book, Della Says:OMG! was released last week. Today, she talks about her current work in progress- see collage above.
Keris Stainton:
I am completely obsessed with New York. I've been five times and think of it as my spiritual home (I'm not sure I'm tough or cool enough to make it my actual home, but still). So when I was trying to think of an idea for my next book, a New York setting seemed like a good one. This was partly because I like to write the first drafts during National Novel Writing Month and so I try to think of things that will make writing every day for a month more enjoyable: researching New York locations and basically pretending I was there for 30 days appealed to me.
I've already forgotten how I came up with the character of Jessie, but Finn appeared in my mind, fully-formed. I just saw him, standing in Times Square, wearing a tuxedo, holding a bunch of red roses and trying (and failing) to hail a cab. I hadn't planned to have a boy's point of view, but I kept coming back to Finn and so the book alternates between Finn and Jessie.
I don't want to say too much since I haven't finished writing yet, but this is the synopsis I sent to my editor. I hope you like the idea, at least!
SYNOPSIS
Jessie and Finn would be perfect together. But first they have to find
each other.
Jessie's had a horrible relationship experience and wants to get away. Far away. Fortunately, her mother lives in New York. Unfortunately, her mother didn't have much time for her when they were living together and Jessie doubts anything will be different now. Particularly since Jess suspects the big-shot theatre producer responsible for taking her mum's play (and her mum) to Broadway may have a more than professional interest... Jessie's dad can't chaperone (or stand to spend the summer with his ex-wife) - he's too busy with his architecture practice and with moving his boyfriend (yes, boyfriend - no one said Jessie's life was simple) in. When Jessie arrives in New York, she notices the good-looking, tuxedo-wearing, red rose-carrying American boy who takes their cab (how could she not?), but she's not likely to see him again in a city of eight million people, is she?
New Yorker Finn has some issues of his own - the main one being that he's completely and utterly in love with his best friend's girlfriend, Samantha. Of course he has no plans to do anything about it... unless Sam and Josh break up. Which could happen, couldn't it? When Finn's not preoccupied with Sam, he's worrying about what he's going to do with his life. His mother's a journalist and theatre critic and his father works in insurance. Finn's not interested in insurance, but he is fascinated by the building his father works in - the Empire State Building. In fact, he wonders if he might like to be an architect. When Finn's running late for his (totally not a surprise) surprise 18th birthday party, he's intrigued by the curly-haired British girl
whose cab he takes. Maybe she could take his mind off Sam. If only she wasn't a tourist - a holiday romance is not what he needs right now. Or maybe it's exactly what he needs. But he's hardly likely to bump into her again in a city of eight million people, is he?
Jessie *hearts* NYC is about first love, chance meetings and travelling thousands of miles to find yourself.
EXTRACT
Since it was a nice day for once, they met in Cathedral Gardens. Molly was wearing tiny cut-offs and causing the boys on bikes to almost wheely straight into the side of the Urbis Centre. Jess sat down on the grass and Molly perched cross-legged next to her.
“So do you want the good news or the bad news?” Jess asked. She was almost certain Molly would ask for the bad news, she always had done before. Although if she asked for the good, Jess was in trouble.
Molly pulled a face. “Bad.” She wrinkled her nose and closed her eyes.
“I'm going away for the summer,” Jess said.
Molly opened her eyes. Wide. “Noooo!”
“Yes. I have to. I can't be around Taylor all summer, I just can't.”
“Oh I know what you mean, but we don't need to go anywhere we know he'll be.”
“He goes to all the same places as us,” Jess said. She plucked some grass and fiddled with it.
“We'll find new places. All our places are shit anyway.”
Jess laughed. “They're not. But they would be this summer. I just can't stay. I'm sorry. I know we had loads of plans.”
“Well, exactly! Plans to do new things! Away from Taylor. You don't need to go away away.”
“But I want to, Mol'. You know how my mum's been--”
Molly leaned forward so fast she almost knocked Jess over backwards. “You're going to New York? Shit! God, I'm not surprised you'd rather go. Bloomingdale's beats The Trafford Centre. God. You lucky cow.”
Jess smiled. “And do you want the good news?”
“You'll bring me back some Krispy Kremes?”
“Nope.” Jess grinned. “You're coming with me.”
-- Keris Stainton
I've already forgotten how I came up with the character of Jessie, but Finn appeared in my mind, fully-formed. I just saw him, standing in Times Square, wearing a tuxedo, holding a bunch of red roses and trying (and failing) to hail a cab. I hadn't planned to have a boy's point of view, but I kept coming back to Finn and so the book alternates between Finn and Jessie.
I don't want to say too much since I haven't finished writing yet, but this is the synopsis I sent to my editor. I hope you like the idea, at least!
SYNOPSIS
Jessie and Finn would be perfect together. But first they have to find
each other.
Jessie's had a horrible relationship experience and wants to get away. Far away. Fortunately, her mother lives in New York. Unfortunately, her mother didn't have much time for her when they were living together and Jessie doubts anything will be different now. Particularly since Jess suspects the big-shot theatre producer responsible for taking her mum's play (and her mum) to Broadway may have a more than professional interest... Jessie's dad can't chaperone (or stand to spend the summer with his ex-wife) - he's too busy with his architecture practice and with moving his boyfriend (yes, boyfriend - no one said Jessie's life was simple) in. When Jessie arrives in New York, she notices the good-looking, tuxedo-wearing, red rose-carrying American boy who takes their cab (how could she not?), but she's not likely to see him again in a city of eight million people, is she?
New Yorker Finn has some issues of his own - the main one being that he's completely and utterly in love with his best friend's girlfriend, Samantha. Of course he has no plans to do anything about it... unless Sam and Josh break up. Which could happen, couldn't it? When Finn's not preoccupied with Sam, he's worrying about what he's going to do with his life. His mother's a journalist and theatre critic and his father works in insurance. Finn's not interested in insurance, but he is fascinated by the building his father works in - the Empire State Building. In fact, he wonders if he might like to be an architect. When Finn's running late for his (totally not a surprise) surprise 18th birthday party, he's intrigued by the curly-haired British girl
whose cab he takes. Maybe she could take his mind off Sam. If only she wasn't a tourist - a holiday romance is not what he needs right now. Or maybe it's exactly what he needs. But he's hardly likely to bump into her again in a city of eight million people, is he?
Jessie *hearts* NYC is about first love, chance meetings and travelling thousands of miles to find yourself.
EXTRACT
Since it was a nice day for once, they met in Cathedral Gardens. Molly was wearing tiny cut-offs and causing the boys on bikes to almost wheely straight into the side of the Urbis Centre. Jess sat down on the grass and Molly perched cross-legged next to her.
“So do you want the good news or the bad news?” Jess asked. She was almost certain Molly would ask for the bad news, she always had done before. Although if she asked for the good, Jess was in trouble.
Molly pulled a face. “Bad.” She wrinkled her nose and closed her eyes.
“I'm going away for the summer,” Jess said.
Molly opened her eyes. Wide. “Noooo!”
“Yes. I have to. I can't be around Taylor all summer, I just can't.”
“Oh I know what you mean, but we don't need to go anywhere we know he'll be.”
“He goes to all the same places as us,” Jess said. She plucked some grass and fiddled with it.
“We'll find new places. All our places are shit anyway.”
Jess laughed. “They're not. But they would be this summer. I just can't stay. I'm sorry. I know we had loads of plans.”
“Well, exactly! Plans to do new things! Away from Taylor. You don't need to go away away.”
“But I want to, Mol'. You know how my mum's been--”
Molly leaned forward so fast she almost knocked Jess over backwards. “You're going to New York? Shit! God, I'm not surprised you'd rather go. Bloomingdale's beats The Trafford Centre. God. You lucky cow.”
Jess smiled. “And do you want the good news?”
“You'll bring me back some Krispy Kremes?”
“Nope.” Jess grinned. “You're coming with me.”
-- Keris Stainton
Can't wait to read more! Fantastic post. :)
ReplyDeletexx
Love the sound of that. Can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteLove it! Can't wait to read more!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds brilliant! Happy typing, Keris!
ReplyDeleteOooh how exciting to read a bit of the next book - fab post - well done both of you x
ReplyDeleteThanks, everyone. And thanks Michele for hosting me!
ReplyDeleteKeris x
No- thank you!
ReplyDelete