The Next Big Thing

I am posting this blog meme a wee bit late but better late than never. If you are a writer with a blog please leave me a note and I'll tag you, and link to your blog, then next Wednesday (or any belated day after) answer these questions, blog em, post em, tag away!

The purpose of this meme is to let everyone know a bit about what you got cooking--novel wise. So, here are the beans on the manuscript I have that is the closest to completion. Cheers!

I was tagged by the lovely and talented Rebecca Emin whose blog can be found here.





What is the working title of your book

For right now. "Blood Brilliant" although that is very much a working title.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The main idea came from an image I had in my head of a woman struggling with a man who snaps her neck. It came from a nightmare I suppose, but I began to wonder what circumstances led that woman there and what could I build around it.

What genre does your book fall under?

Young Adult paranormal.

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

Oh dear! Let me think. For the lead, Talitha, I would really like an unknown. She's a temperamental  tough, Texan who does not fit the stereotypical svelte body of a Hollywood ingenue and I'd hate to see the role go to someone who is just wearing a fat-suit or gaining weight for the role. I'd like her to be played by someone authentic.

Her father, Ethan Curie, however is totally Brenden Gleeson. Nuff said.

For Robert Christobel I'd love to see a young Spanish or Mexican actor.

Danielle Blakely I'd love to see played by Kat Graham.

Lena Mirinova would be brilliant for Olga Kurylenko and Antonius Merryn is perfect for someone like Bill Nighy.

Amy Ryan would be awesome for Annie and Rose Byrne would be a great fit for Miranda.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

A young girl suffering from a lifetime of loss and self loathing is ripped from her shell as she is forced to fight for the life of her new best friend who has been kidnapped and held hostage by vampires.

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

I am still considering self publishing but the prevalence of good indie press out there has me really loving the idea of submitting to small market publishers. I am not at all concerned with money or instant prestige so much as I just would love to have my story out there.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The first draft took about one year to write before edits. I sat on the IDEA for about 11 years, haha, before actually rolling up my sleeves and doing it, however.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I feel it is a lot closer to the young adult books I read growing up, like "The Silver Kiss" and "Blood and Chocolate" by Annette Curtis Klause, and "The View From the Cherry Tree" by Willo Davis Roberts. There is a combination of paranormal and suspense thriller to it that I think matches well with those types of books. It's the element of a young person suffering who is still forced to take matters into their own hands when things go over their head.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

I think my inspiration to write it has always been my love of reading, above anything else. I grew up devouring books and I loved being a reader but then I began to feel the urge to create something of my own for someone to read. I remember being frustrated at times however, as books geared towards my age group often were 90 percent love triangle and 10 percent action, and so I began by writing the story I would like to read.

Also, I am a rabid fan of the vampire genre, and the beautiful thing about that genre is that the author has the freedom to create whatever world they please. The trend right now is towards a beautiful, romantic sort of hero, and that's fine. What I wanted to create however, is a vampire who is more an unabashed villain, someone pitiless and cruel. My protagonist is a teenage girl who despite all her emotional ills and traumas has a solid core that she needs to rediscover for herself. The vampires in this case serve as the rat in the grain exposing that core, but they are not the crutch for her to create a new sense of self.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

I think it will appeal to the reader who is looking for a dark, vampire tale without all the sweetness of romance and longing. If the reader is looking for a lone-wolf style heroine and vampires that stay evil, well then, this book is for them.