I’ve been tagged in The Next Big Thing by fellow writer Leela Soma (www.leelasoma.com Blog http://leelasoma.blogspot.com). Leela has written two novels Twice Born (2007) and Bombay Baby (2011) and has had short stories in various publications.

I’m instructed by Leela (and who am I to disobey?) to tell you about my current or next book (as if you didn’t know) by answering  her questions and to tag other writers about their Next Big Thing.

What is the title of your current book?

It’s called Inspector Bucket and the Beast, a murder mystery and romance set in Victorian England.

Where did the ideas come from for the book?

From my love of Charles Dickens’ work. I was fascinated with his character Inspector Bucket, from ‘Bleak House’ and wanted to explore his character in my own ways and in new contexts.

What genre does your book fall under?

Well, historical fiction certainly, but it is essentially a melodramatic, even gothic, crime novel – lightened, I hope, by comedy and romance.

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

Well, of course Alan Armstrong played the role in the BBC’s production of ‘Bleak House’ but I’ll go for Michael Gambon!

What would be a one sentence synopsis of your book?

A child killer is loose in London, terrorising both the rich and the poor, and only Inspector Bucket can track him down.

Is your book self published or represented by an agency?

Like Leela I have been published by a small indie press, Dahlia Publishing, based in Leicester. The book is available from www.dahliapublishing.co.uk as well as from www.waterstones.com. Waterstones at Kingsgate, Huddersfield still  have some copies in store as I write.

What else about your book might interest the reader?

I hope that I’ve been able to conjure up something of the atmosphere of the mid-Victorian era but I hope, too, that I have been able to deal successfully with a few issues that are, unfortunately, still relevant today – in particular child abuse and the hypocrisy that is still too often found in ‘high’ places.

Now, enough about me. Here are a couple of fine authors that I’ve tagged to tell you about their Next Big Thing!

Louise Swingler

www.evolvingwriting.wordpress.com or www.writingfromundera beechtree

www.thegrammargarden.wordpress.com.

I’m waiting for a couple of other writers  to respond and I will update my blog as they do.

My thanks to Leela Soma for tagging me and allowing me to take part in The Next Big Thing!

Bye for now!