the next big thing {1/8/13}
Kelley Clink
Just before the holidays I was tagged by Barbara McDowell to participate in something called The Next Big Thing Blog Hop. Just what is a blog hop, you ask? Well, this is a blog chain that originates from She Writes. Each person tagged answers a series of interview questions and posts them on his/her blog or website while also linking to five other writers. Those writers then answer the questions, post and include links to five other writers and so on and so on. Unless you are like me, and fall pitifully short of five writers.
Here we go!
What is the working title of your book? A Different Kind of Same.
Where did the idea come from for the book? The book is a memoir about my brother's struggle with bipolar, his suicide, and my own experiences with mental illness. I knew as soon as he died that I wanted to write about him, but it wasn't until a few years later, when I sat down and wrote a draft about cleaning out his apartment, that the book began to take shape.
What genre does your book fall under? See above, re: memoir.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? Macaulay Culkin circa 10 years ago would be perfect to play my brother. I'd probably cast Ellen Page as me (people say we look alike, and she's the right age for the time period). Frances Conroy (also 10 years ago) would be great as my mother, and Paul Giamatti would be great as my dad. James Franco would crush it as my husband.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? See above re: idea for book.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? I would LOVE to find an agent, but it hasn't happened yet. I am not averse to self-publishing. We'll see what happens.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? Three, maybe four years?
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? Yikes, no clue. I have yet to find a memoir about losing a loved one to suicide written by someone who has also attempted suicide. I am inspired by the writing styles of Anne Lamott and Lauren Slater, so maybe that gives you some idea?
Who or what inspired you to write this book? After my brother died, I searched like crazy for books that dealt with the suicide of a sibling. The pickins were slim. After reading the few I could find, I realized what I was really looking for was a manual for my own grief--which, obviously, no one (other than I) could write.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? Life changing moments in psychiatric wards and Taco Bell bathrooms. Believe it or not, this book might actually make you laugh. I hope.
Now that you’ve had a peek into my writing, please stop by and visit the only other blogger I know: Gillian Marchenko!