So anyways, enough studded boot kissing from me.
Now I get to talk about MY book! I have to answer questions about my work in progress, then tag five other writers to answer the same questions. Let's get started...
What is the working title of your book?
Technically, my WIP is a trilogy called The Neverearth Prophecies. I completed the third draft of the first book a couple weeks ago, and it's called Running on Faith. Book 2 is entitled Edge of Darkness, and the conclusion is Change the World. The individual book titles may sound familiar to some of you...if so, we can probably be friends, because yes, they are all the titles to Eric Clapton songs, who is my favorite musician of all time. The titles were not just picked out of a hat though, don't worry. They are actually very significant to each plot line within the novels...however, I must admit, I'm not in LOVE with the title for Book 3, so that one may change.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
Nowhere. Everywhere. A dream, a voice, a movie, an argument, a yummy lunch, a boring dinner....I don't know if there was ever ONE idea. I'm sure there was an initial spark that started it all rolling, but I can't remember what it was.
What genre does your book fall under?
Well, it's definitely Young Adult Fiction. However, I don't want to categorize it beyond that, yet...there is adventure. There is a definite supernatural element. There is maybe some romance. There is absolutely lots of fantasy, some of which might be considered pretty "old-school" but it's set in modern day. There is a quest, and twists and turns and back alleys. There are lots of fight scenes, and some really funny parts, and some really emotional parts. What would you call it?
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I've actually thought a lot about this. Right from the beginning, I've thought of this story as something I very much want to see made into a movie some day. Every scene has been written with the thought on the forefront of my mind...How will this translate onto the big screen? Movies and books are tied as my true loves, so it would be weird for me NOT to dream about this. The main character is named Alexa, and I could totally see Chloe Grace Moretz playing her. She is pretty, and has that youthful innocence about her, but she also has a very dark, edgy, dangerous glint in her eye. I think she could bring Alexa to life wonderfully. I've also strongly considered Robert Ri'chard as Carson, one of the other very important characters, but I'm not sure if he has the acting depth to pull it off. (Robert, if you ever read this, please don't take offense...I know your career is just starting...)
There are other VERY key characters, but I don't want to give too much away...I will say that filling the roles of Albin and Adrian would probably be the most challenging...there is a LOT going on with those two!
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
This is the hardest question of all. I don't want to answer it. Mainly because I don't know how to answer it. Every author, at some point, is asked to give their book a "tagline."
How do you condense 75,000 words into one sentence? (That is a rhetorical question....I know there are like 87 gajillion blogs, 14 books, and endless seminars about how to do just that.) Every time I've tried, the taglines sounds so frigging cheesy, even I wouldn't want to read my own book. I probably shouldn't admit to that, but it's true. I might have to make my friends who have read it help me come up with a line one of these days.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
My plan is to seek representation from an agent and try the traditional route first. Not because I think it's better, but because I won't really have the time needed to commit to making Indie pubbing a reality for this story for at least 2 years while I'm in school. My tentative plan at this moment is if I don't get an agent within a specific time frame, I will begin pursuing less traditional options. But I will throw out there that one of the reasons I chose the area of study I did (Graphic Design and Media Arts) is so that I will have the technical know how to get VERY involved with Indie publishing in the future- cover design, blog/web site creation, etc. So who knows how it will all turn out?
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
You know, I didn't really keep track. I THINK I wrote the first sentence about 2 years ago. It has had major plot overhauls along the way, lots of time-outs, etc. But it's probably fair to say, yes, it took me 2 years to write this story. I don't plan on the next one taking that long!
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Since I refuse to give it a specific genre, this question is hard ;) I will say my style and thought process is influenced by writers I've been reading since I was a child...some of these include traditional fantasy writers like Terry Brooks, or Robin McKinley, but there is a lot of influence by other sources like video games and movies, such as the Resident Evil empire, Sucker Punch, Underworld, etc. (There are no zombies, vampires, werewolves, or science lab creations in my story. But the overall "feel" of those creations was definitely a factor.)
Who or What inspired you to write this book?
Um....Ok, I'm going to answer this honestly, but pretty much everyone is going to scratch their heads and go...Huh?
The Bible.
No, I'm not joking. And nope, I'm not going to elaborate further...you'll have to read it and seeeeeeeeee........ :D
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I'll go ahead and copy and paste a sample or two for you from Book 1, Running On Faith, shall I? (Proviso...These are samples prior to editing. Have mercy!) There are some other earlier samples Here and Here. You can see the title was different initially, and the excerpts needed a lot of clean up!
“Protector! Come down.” Kavi calls
up to me. I know he doesn't mean to, but his use of my title feels
mocking. I don't know what exactly he was trying to prove with this
test, but I've obviously failed miserably. I slowly get to my feet.
Albin is standing with arms folded, scowling, looking up at me.
Great. He's disappointed in me too. His scowl changes to a look of
surprise.
No, not disappointed. Worried. You
can take these guys. Get Adrian out of your head and under your feet,
where he belongs.
My lips turn up at
the corners at his words echoing through my mind, then I slam my
shield up. In my panic at being restrained, I'd let it slip. But I'm
less perturbed by Albin's intrusion than normal. It didn't even feel
like much of an intrusion, actually. It felt comfortable. Now I'm the one
scowling. There is nothing enjoyable about Albin being in my head.
What a stupid thought.
And...
Hopping the fence is easy. The driveway is circular, with the remains of an old hitching post on the far end, now fitted with a brass commemorative plate. The house is only fifty years younger than I am. I can imagine what it must have looked like in its heyday. It's enormous, and glorious. There is a white pillared, circular patio overlooking the sloping lawn that leads directly into a large pond, located in what is now a public park.
A huge window of leaded glass
overlooks the patio. I can picture ladies in flowing dresses and
fancy hats stepping down from gilded carriages, accompanied by
handsome, mustachioed men of wealth and circumstance.
I
climb the patio steps and peep in through the window. It's old glass,
the kind that ripples
ever so slightly, distorting the view. Fine wallpaper hangs in shreds
from the high walls. A crystal chandelier a full five feet in length
hangs from the sculpted, decorated ceiling. When I close my eyes I can
see the ladies and their dresses twirling to and fro to the tune of a
waltz, played by the orchestra that would have been placed on the
raised dais at the far end of the room.
I'd never been to a
ball. I'd never worn one of those full skirted, swirling dresses with
the stiff petticoats and corseted tops. I'd never worn my hair up in
jeweled combs. There were lots of things I might do differently if
given the chance to do them over, but the fact is, I was always meant
to be a warrior, not a debutante.
I step
away from the glass and leave the past trapped inside it.
So there you have it...some peeks into what I am currently working on! Now to tag some other unsuspecting victims I'd like to hear from...(no one will hide in your closet if you decide not to participate. Not anytime soon, anyways...mwah ha ha!)
London Cole London's Blog
Miranda Stork Miranda's Blog
Rebecca Hamilton The Forever Girl
Xander Buchan Dracula Returns
Elise Stephens Moonlight and Oranges
