What is a blog hop? It’s a virtual event that helps readers discover new authors they would never have known otherwise. For the “Next Big Thing”, you answer ten questions about your published book or WIP and tag about five other writers who in turn tag five more and so on...
This is the first time that I have ever revealed this much about my book, so I hope you enjoy learning about the inspiration behind my story.
Before I begin, I have to thank TD Hassett for introducing me to this wonderful experience. Her first novel, “Isabel’s Awakening” premiered on 4/22/13 with the follow up expected in the fall. Please visit her blog to read about her “Next Big Thing”. Also check out the links below the questions for other writers you might be interest in.
Ten Interview Questions for the Next Big Thing:
1. What is the title of your work-in-progress?
Heaven Born
2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
The idea was actually conceived from a very strange and seemingly insignificant event that turned out to be far from insignificant.
"One day, when I was twelve years old, I sat down on a small grassy hill next to my childhood home after a lone game of basketball. I was playing with the sharp blades of grass when my fingers brushed something that was stuck deep in the roots. I thought it could’ve been a lucky penny or a key to a secret place.
"Curious, I dug it out and looked at my find. Unfortunately, it was not a penny or a key but a screw. The tip was crooked and it was crusted with orange rust. For the strangest reason, while holding that pathetic screw, a story came to me about an extraordinary girl in an alternate world.
"I rushed inside my house, grabbed an old notebook and a black pen, and then ran back to that little mound of grass to write the beginning of that story. I wrote fiercely, trying to catch all the words stumbling around in my head, and I've written every day since."
Actually, I wrote for four years nonstop then after writing three books, I stopped. At first, I thought it was because I was forced to leave high school, but the real reason was that my books didn't reflect my adult mind. Therefore, I started the long and grueling task of rewriting the entire series. For months, I got and rejected many ideas. I started several new beginnings only to toss them out. Finally, one fabulous day, an idea came to me that I loved and that was “Heaven is Ticking”.
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| This is the stack of notebooks from the original series. |
3. What genre does your book fall under?
Paranormal-Romance
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
• Mila Jovovich would be perfect for my powerful female protagonist, Avrianna, which tells you about the level of action in my book.
• A red-headed Scarlett Johansson would be Avrianna’s gun-wielding, man-eating “sister”.
• Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock would be the assassin.
• Vin Diesel would be the drug lord.
• And Chris Pine would be the leading man's cousin. (I can't think of an existing person to play the leading man. Sorry.)
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Avrianna is Heaven’s only hope of survival, but unless she uncovers the secrets about her existence Heaven will continue to tick until times up.
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I hope that my book will be represented by an agency, but which one is still unknown.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I spent four years writing the original series where “Heaven is Ticking” originated from, but from the moment I got the new idea to the second I typed “THE END” was a year and a half.
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| The manuscript for "Heaven is Ticking" |
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
This question is always tricky for me and I am not saying that to be a snooty writer who believes their book is above all the rest. “Heaven Born” has many different layers to it that expands across many genres, so trying to find a book that compares is difficult. However, the characters could be compared to those in J.D. Robb’s “In Death” series if they had supernatural powers.
Now, if I had to compare it to movies I would say UltraViolet and S.W.A.T. mixed with the TV show Supernatural.
9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Well, I have to give the screw its credit because without it I never would have started this writing journey.
I also have to cite 30 Seconds to Mars because when I was writing "Heaven Born" I ran into a writer’s block half-way through that threatened to squander my rewriting attempt, but then I stumbled across their album "A Beautiful Lie" and while listening to their music on repeat, I was able to finish writing my book in just two weeks.
And finally, my brother, because I wrote the prologue for him, hoping that if he liked it other members of the male species would too, despite the fact that the protagonist is a woman.
10. What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
“Heaven Born” is for readers who want to dip one toe in the world that we know and the other toe in an unknown world. You’ll meet dangerous criminals as well as ghosts, angels, and even Guardians. You will also find yourself tangled in a forbidden love.
Oh, and “Heaven Born” is the first in a four-book series
Now check out these writers, too:
Iulian Ionescu was born and raised in Bucharest, Romania. He has been writing all his life, mostly in his native language. He runs a blog on fiction writing where he will be posting about his “Next Big Thing” Friday. Bookmark his blog and check back May 10th! http://www.fantasyscroll.com
JeanNicole Rivers is the author of “The Secret Keepers” and has a wonderful blog about writing that includes her own special thoughts about being an author. www.jeannicolerivers.com
Very interesting!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tif!
ReplyDelete