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Welcome to The Next Big Thing Blog Hop!
What is a blog hop? Basically, it’s a way that readers can discover new authors, because with bookstores closing and publishers not promoting new authors as much, we need to find a way to introduce readers to authors they may not see in their local bookstore.
Here you have the chance to find many new authors. You’ll find information about me, my blog, and my work. But that’s not all! Also see links below to other authors you might like to check out.
I’d like to thank fellow author Tof Eklund for tagging me to participate. Here are links to Tof’s blog, and the sites for Autumn Harvest and The Unconventional.
In this particular hop, I and my fellow authors, in their respective blogs, have answered 10 questions where you get to learn about our current work in progress as well as some insights into our process, from characters and inspirations to plotting and cover decisions. I hope you enjoy it!
Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts and questions. Here is my Next Big Thing!
1: What is the working title of your book? I’m currently working on the final season of my eSeries Darkling Drake available on BigWorldNetwork.com. My children’s eSeries The Pirate Princess is being compiled for publication, and my short story Love Never Dies: A Zombie Love Story, originally published with Big World Network has been included in an anthology Zombies Need Love, Too now available on Amazon.
2: Where did the idea come from for the book? It was very strange, actually. I also own a Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees & Smoothies franchise, and a scene just popped into my head while I was working a particularly slow event. I used the back side of one of my tally sheets and wrote down, almost word for word, what turned out to be Episode 2 of Darkling Drake. This was at a time when I didn’t even have a blog, and hadn’t written anything since college research papers.
3: What genre does your book come under? Modern Fantasy and Action, although, a bit of romance could be in the works. It is also an adult series. My main character, Toni Drake, never passes up a chance to flavor her speech with expletives.
4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? For Toni, I would like to see a woman who has played a badass before like Kate Beckinsale, Carrie-Anne Moss, or even Charlize Theron. For Christian, Bradley Cooper certainly has the sparkling blue eyes to fit the bill, but I wouldn’t mind Chris Pine or Daniel Craig. I’d really have to interview them… personally… in order to decide. And even then, I may need several callbacks. You know, to make sure I find just the right person to portray Christian.
5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Toni Drake is a professional thief and maybe… not quite human.
6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency? It is currently published with Big World Network in an episodic format. Once the eSeries has ended, it will compiled and published as a paperpack, eBook, and audio book with them as well. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to work with the fantastic folks over at BigWorldNetwork.com, and I will continue to work with this publisher as long as they’ll have me.
7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? It’s actually a work in progress. I write it an episode at a time, send it in for editing with Big World Network, review the edits, and once both my editor and I are satisfied with it, I record the audio version. Because my editor works at warp speed, an episode doesn’t usually take longer than a week from start to finish, and most of that time is taken up by my own procrastinating.
8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? Well, anything with dragons, I suppose. I loved reading Anne McCaffery and anything about dragons as a child, and I’m currently reading the Eragon series by Christoper Paolini with my son. But there isn’t any one story I could name that is quite the same.
9: Who or what inspired you to write this book? I think an easier question to answer would be what didn’t inspire me. I’ve read everything I could get my hands on ever since I could make out the words. Fantasy, science fiction, and horror are my favorite genres, but the story is really what matters, and I love them all. If I had to name names, I would put both Donna Hanson for talking me into starting a blog, and Jim McGovern for asking me to write for his start up, at the top of the very large list of people to whom I am most grateful.
10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? Well, it’s got dragons in it. And it’s also available in audio format narrated by me, so I’ll even read it to you if you want. I’ve been told that my podcasts are capable of setting off the voice activation triggers on a Garmin, so there’s that, too.
Below you will find authors who will be joining me by blog, next Thursday. Please be sure to bookmark and add them to your calendars for updates and exciting developments. Just so you know, I may only have two bloggers joining me on this blog hop, but I guarantee that these two ladies are the cream of the crop.
Victoria Washuk, author of World War II London Blitz Diary
Jennifer Inglis, author of I Work Better With An Audience: Thoughts on Life, Love, Food and Jiggly Bits
Happy Writing and Reading!