10 Questions: The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

"Edgar Allen Poe - The Raven" by Ian Burt under CC BY 2.0

Kim Neville tagged me.

She emailed a few days ago and asked whether it would be okay to tag me for The Next Big Thing. I wanted to ask her what being tagged meant and what The Next Big Thing was but it seemed like a cool adventure, the sort of thing close examination might spoil--and, besides, I felt I should perhaps know what 'being tagged' meant--it felt Facebooky--so I just said, "Okay, sure!".

I can't sleep--bad cold--so I decided the perfect thing to do at 4:30 in the morning is The Next Big Thing.

1. What is the title of your work in progress?

"Spiderman" by Alan Turkus under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

It's been so long since I worked on my novel I had to look up the name. And then I had a moment of absolute panic when I realized the name of the file was the working title. Is that ironic or just bad planning?

I did find the file, finally. Samantha.

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

"Put on your Sunday best" by Kevin Dooley under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

There's a very personal answer for that but I think it would be To Much Information so I'm just going to say I started writing it as a way to come to grips with something I learnt about someone who was close to me.

I hadn't intended to start a novel but my scribblings morphed into something more.

3. What genre does your book fall under?

"Premade BG 75" by Brenda Clarke under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

Urban fantasy, but that category is large and very accommodating. It is interesting that Kim (who has been known to write stories about faeries from time to time) was the one who tagged me. My WIP is about faeries, but I don't think she knows that (yet)! :-)

My faeries are different from the ones you meet in Celtic lore, but I think they're enough like those faeries to be worthy of the name.

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

"Morena Baccarin" by Alex Archambault under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

Ohhh, decisions, decisions. Antagonists first. One of my favorite actors is Gary Oldman, but my Big Bad is a gal, so maybe not. Helen Mirren? She would do an excellent job. Or Deborah Ann Woll (Jessica on True Blood).

As for my heroine ... I think I'd choose Morena Baccarin from Firefly. Come to think of it, she would also make a great Big Bad. Hmm....

Actually, though, if I'm going to daydream ... This isn't an acting choice, but I'd want Jane Espenson to do the screenplay. I know she writes for TV (Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Game of Thrones, Once Upon A Time, etc., etc., etc.) but if she could be persuaded I'd be over-the-moon happy.

5. What is a one-sentence synopsis of the book?

"Vintage Brass Celtic Knot Circular Brooch Pin - 1970s" by Grannies Kitchen under CC BY 2.0

Samantha comes into possession of an object that could destroy humanity or bring peace to a world torn asunder.

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

"Sharing Silent Moments" by Cris under CC BY 2.0

I will likely self publish. I would like to mention, though, that even if I traditionally publish I would try to avoid getting an agent. Many traditionally published full-time writers do not have them.

One of these writers, Laura Resnick, has excellent articles on this subject: The Author-Agent Business Model & Agents.

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

"Isabella!" by Tricia under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

My first draft is only 25,000 words or so and I wrote it in about three weeks.

8. What other books would you compare this story to in your genre

"Weta Cave wonders - who are you looking at Precious" by W J (Bill) Harrison under CC BY 2.0

Lord of the Rings meets Harry Dresden. Or perhaps Rachel Morgan.

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

"FREEDOM" by Luz Adriana Villa A. under CC BY 2.0

My inspiration for the book ... Well, my idea for the book and the inspiration for the book are wrapped up in one another, but let me try to reach beyond that. One of the main themes of the book--although it's only in first draft form at the moment--is freedom and the price of freedom.

In mentioning the cost of freedom I don't intend to conjure up images of war and the cost of war. I'm talking about freedom on a painfully personal level. Friendship, community, being in relation with another, puts constraints on you; there is an expression, "the ties that bind". Cut the strings, all of them, and the individual is completely alone ... and completely, terrifyingly, free.

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

"Fossil Sitting In Sun Light" by A Guy Taking Pictures under CC BY 2.0

I think writers write about concepts that fascinate them, concepts that some small (or large) part of them wishes were real. I had the idea of an artifact changing shape, form, depending on the person who was responsible for it. It turns out that the shape the artifact takes tells something about the person bearing it.

Include the link of when tagged you and this explanation for the people you have tagged.

Kim Neville tagged me. Kim is an awesome writer who has a wonderful, and wonderfully intimate, blog. She is a magician with words and I love her stories.

(I'm reading Kim's blog post as I type this) I guess people who are tagged have a week to respond with their own posts. Good to know!

I've sent out emails but won't put up the names of those I offered to tag until they accept.

Thanks for reading!

Other articles you might like:
- Chapter Breaks: Where Should They Go?
- How To Attribute Artwork Licensed Under The Creative Commons
- Mary Robinette Kowal and The Mysteries of Outlining