Meet the Books! - A Broadway Waltz

Hallo! I'm back!... finally. ;) With another Meet the Books! this time! Haha, it seems like it's been forever since the last one... :P Anyways, for any and all who are interested, new, or don't remember, this feature is one of my own invention to introduce my stories on my blog here, but I intended it as a way for anyone to do the same if they so wish. Only rules are to answer the questions and link back on my blog here, Worlds of Ink and Paper, so that I may see it. And anyone who wants to do this feature is also quite welcome to take the picture with them as well. That being said, I'll get to business.

What is the genre?
The genre is Romance, I think. It could be also mistaken for Romantic Comedy, but it definitely leans more into a serious romantic setting than my previous Romance/Romantic Comedy, The Top-Hat Gang.
What is the title? Time period?
The title is... in speculation, to say the least. But the temporarily winning prototype for it is A Broadway Waltz. Some other ideas were A Brooklyn Waltz, Step by Step, Change Partners, and Shall We Dance? (the main reason that the latter two were rejected was because they too closely resembled titles of a couple of Fred Astaire movies or songs). I also considered Broadway Melody as a title for it, but I seem to vaguely remember five different movies all having that very same title... ;) As for the time period, it is my sole story written in modern day - all of the others are respectively in medieval times, the 1600's, the 1950's, WWII, and the near future (around the year 2121).
How is it written (Point of view, MC, etc.)?
It's written - again, haha - in third person limited, and usually the only POV is the MC, named Amy Cassidy (however, I wrote a single lone scene from a different point of view and may write later parts of the book with different POVs).
Who are the characters?
Well...
Amy Cassidy is a young aspiring dancer who has danced all her life, and is, at the beginning of the story, beginning to make her way in the world. All her life she's longed to be performing. She is an small, auburn-haired, Brooklyn-born girl who can be slightly sarcastic, perhaps, but is often seen mothering her best friend/unofficial date,
Alejandro Lorenz, another young aspiring dancer. He and Amy have been dancing together since they were only four years old, just toddlers in a junior ballet class, and they have remained partners against all odds for almost eighteen years, through all the academies and recitals along the way. He is very good-natured, but is often playful (and is, despite their mostly casual relationship, rather stuck on Amy). He's at least nominally her date, but mostly is in more of a position as her best friend. He's also Brooklyn-born, though Hispanic in descent and looks (and, funnily enough, accent).
Blane Thomas is a big star in the performing world. Not only the sweetheart of Broadway, but the envy of every male singer who ever stepped on stage - and he knows it, too. Not to mention he's handsome and knows a good few lines. ;) But, though he's got everything (he thinks), he's thrown for a whirl when he sees something he actually doesn't have...
Surprisingly, those are the only characters as of yet. There's another one in the making, but I'm not sure if I want to keep her or not yet.

What does the plot consist of?
It consists of three things:
a) Amy's (and Alejandro's!) bid for a place in the performing world,
b) a Broadway show that seems to have Fate against it ever being performed,
c) one (or two... or maybe even three) rather difficult romantic development(s) concerning Amy and a certain gent.
What is the setting?
The setting is the high society/everyday society of Brooklyn, New York, and the life on Broadway (or, in Amy and Alejandro's case, the struggle to get the life on Broadway).
What gave you the idea?
I was just listening to some laid-back Gregorian chant (plus a bit of baroque) with my dad, and we listened to a piece that contained castanets (of baroque, haha, not chant). ;) Then we got to talking about how fast castanets could even be played, so we looked up pieces with castanets. We found this awesome Spanish baroque piece consisting of harpsichord and castanets, and we loved it. I listened to it over and over - even after my dad was gone doing something else. And it snapped - just like a castanet. A story. My first instinct, though, in listening to the song, was to write a Spanish historical novel of a certain time period. However, a friend of mine had just started doing the same thing, so I felt like it would be taking her idea (which was silly, but I'm glad it led to what it did). So I thought I might write people doing a Spanish activity instead. So I wrote a lively scene of a couple of teasy and ever-so-slightly flirtatious flamenco dancers at practice (and play), and decided I absolutely loved them. So I continued the story, in modern times and not Spanish historical of any kind. (fun fact: Alejandro's name was originally Sebastio - odd, right?). ;) Then as the story went on, another character developed in my head - and, oh boy, was he a character! He sure was. And now... Mr. Difficult (a.k.a. Mr. Blane Thomas) is a prominent person in the story.
Who are the favorite characters so far?
That I can answer without a doubt. Alejandro. Alejandro. Alejandro. Everybody has said Alejandro. Except my stubborn sister, who favors Blane (though she insists that his name is not Blane Thomas, but Darby Blane - the name she suggested for him originally).

Not Darby - just Blane. :)

What is the favorite scene so far?
The scene in which you first meet Blane (not Darby!), and in which Alejandro says and does a few super awesome guy things of various types (and the best cutting in on a dance I have ever written in my perhaps not-so-humble opinion).
Any themes of music for this work?
Actually, the book itself has a theme song - Sway, or Quien Sera (the Il Divo version specifically, because it differs from other versions in a very significant way - plus, Il Divo's way better!). :) It has significance in more than one way as well - it's in Spanish, which makes it somewhat reminiscent of Alejandro, and it is a request for a dance (and, after all, dancing is the core of this story!). Not to mention the Il Divo version has a depth to it and an almost sad part which emphasizes the drama part of the plot. So there's your Belle-rant-analyzing of the day. ;)
Any drawings?
Nope! Not a one, unfortunately. I never tried to draw Alejandro because I already knew exactly what he looked like in my head, and I never tried to draw anybody else from it just out of laziness.
Any snippets?
I'm afraid not for the moment - you see, I have just moved back up north from my Virginia post. So I have not yet unpacked all of my notebooks, and this story will have to wait to be found.

Strong point in story?

The banter. The laughs are - to say the least - very flourishing in it, and comic relief is not without place to be sure.

Weak point in story?

The communication. I have what seems to me like a good idea, but it's very hard somehow this time to get it through in writing. There are so many emotions and ideas flourishing, but I'm afraid that your average reader won't spot them, and I'm afraid that no one short of a romantic expert would spot them. This has always been my problem in writing romance. I write romance with the old-movies method - communicate the biggest feelings by the smallest things. A glance, some sentimental item, a mere sigh - anything. But I feel like this method may be slightly outdated, and ineffective on the modern reader. I think now is more a time when you need more clarity when writing such things.

What are your plans for it?

Well, I want to finish it in the next year or two (hopefully!), and then get it published maybe. Pretty small-town, commonplace plans, but they do for me. :)
Any particular writing habits for it?
Well, I almost always listen to music. The three main ones being the lively Spanish baroque piece that started it all (here), the story's theme, Quien Sera (Sway) - which is linked to above - and the song Red Roses For a Blue Lady by Andy Williams (here).
If it were made into a movie, what would be your ideal cast?
I would definitely have Ricardo Montalban play Alejandro (after all, he was unwittingly Alejandro's look-alike), Thomas Hampson as Blane (Blane's looks are loosely based off of young Thomas Hampson). As for Amy, I'm not sure. I think Natalie Portman would be a good Amy, only it would be weird to see her with auburn hair (not to mention, as far as I know, she neither dances nor sings). Oh well. :P
What did you think? Would you read it? Who do you think would be your favorite character? Are you considering joining up for Meet the Books!? (please do!) Do you have a WIP? A Romance novel also, perhaps? I would love to hear about it! I want to hear all your thoughts! Chat with me, my lovely readers! :D