the next big thing meme

So today I've got two posts out there in the world. One on Dee White's Writing for Kids blog about my Young Writers Newsletter, and I'm also participating in a meme that's been doing the rounds titled The Next Big Thing.

And here are the 10 questions:


1)    What is the working title of your next book?


I am horrible with titles. It’s the bane of my writing life and I am in awe of writers who have that magical gift of plucking out an artistic title.

I had a meeting with my literary hero, Cate Kennedy earlier in the year when she invited me on her one hour feature with Books and Arts show on ABC Radio National. Afterward when we had lunch we spoke about our writing projects and I told her about my memoir.

‘You should call it ___,’ she said.

‘Can I use that?’ I asked.

And she said yes.

So this is a rather long winded way of saying that the title is so precious and top secret that it won’t be made public until there’s a book contract.

2) Where did the idea come from for the book?


I had what you could describe as a tumultuous childhood being parented by a single mother who suffered from Bi Polar. This meant I developed the gift of observation from an early age and became a confidante to the adults in my life. As a result I’ve collected a lot of amazing stories that are desperate for a home.

3) What genre does your book fall under?

Memoir.

4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?


Naomi Watts as my mother because she’d capture her fragility.

A young unknown girl who has an interesting face and presence like Saoirse Ronan who played Briony in Atonement to play me.

5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?


My mute child’s curiosity and unnatural stillness was like a balm to the wounded adults in my life and I became their confidante as they poured forth their heartache and pain, believing that their confessions would be lost in a child’s short-term memory, but I never forgot.

6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?


I am represented by Curtis Brown agency.

7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?


I wrote three chapters in the first half of the year and an additional rough draft of 50K during Nano. I am now developing this rough draft into a manuscript.

8)What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?


The raw honesty of In My Skin by Kate Holden and the cultural insights of Unpolished Gem by Alice Pung.

9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?


The women in my family who didn’t have a voice and were victims of the times they lived in.

10) What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?

At heart it's the story of a girl (me) growing up way before her time and being exposed to a lot of stuff that a child shouldn't, but that ultimately shaped me as a writer.

Here are some other awesome authors who have participated in this meme.

Tor Roxburgh wrote about her awesome young adult novel.
Sheryl Clark will be posting on the 3rd January but in the meantime you can check out her awesome blog about her Masters in Fine Arts in Writing and great writing tips.
Amanda Wrangles will also be doing a meme.
Simmone Howell will be posting on the 17th of December.

If you're also participating leave a comment with your link so we can check it out.