What is the Next Big Thing Blog Hop, you ask? An author answers some questions, then tags other authors, who then tag other authors, and so on, giving readers a chance to find some great new writers they may otherwise have never discovered. So read on to find out what I'm working on right now, and then consider the work of some other writers who might turn out to be the Next Big Thing.
What is the working title of your book?
I'm pretty awful at coming up with titles, but I like the working title of my current novel-in-progress, Death is the New Normal. It's a young adult/new adult urban fantasy novel set in Albuquerque about a recent high school graduate named Rose who comes from a long line of necromancers.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
I took an online writing class about a year ago taught by Bruce Holland Rogers. One of our assignments was to come up with a scene-by-scene outline for a novel. I did that for a young adult-space opera sort of novel and then realized that I didn't want to write it, at least not at that time. I wanted to write something more along the lines of urban fantasy, and maybe with a character just out of high school (because really, I don't want to revisit that part of my life, even in my imagination), and maybe something a little dark. Don't ask me how my brain got from the first idea to the second.
What genre do you write? What genre does the book fall under?
I write primarily fantasy, and I occasionally dabble in science fiction and horror. If I'm honest with myself, the reason I set aside the young adult-space opera novel is that I don't feel as confident in writing science fiction as I do fantasy. I'm slowly overcoming that, and I look forward to writing that sf novel someday.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I have a toddler, I've hardly been to the movies lately! Seriously, I have no idea who I'd pick. I don't know current actors that well. But if I could go back in time and choose Anne Hathaway as she was in The Princess Diaries, I'd have her play the lead.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
An eighteen year-old discovers she can raise the dead and unintentionally draws the attention of three self-proclaimed angels who believe it's their duty to kill her.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I'll pursue publishing through more traditional means.
How long has the editing taken you?
I wrote two drafts last year, and right now I'm waiting for responses from beta readers. So all together, it will probably be a year of edits before it's ready to send out into the world.
What other books would you compare your book to within the genre?
Hmm, I'm not sure. I'll get back to you on that one.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I wanted to explore what it means to be good or evil.
What else about your book might pique your reader’s interest?
Rose works in her brother, Ed's, restaurant, which is a fusion of Cajun and New Mexican cuisine. As far as I know, a restaurant like that does not exist in the real world. I wish it did.
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And now for the tagging, in no particular order:
If you enjoy haunting stories and lyrical writing, you'll love Luisa Prieto's work. I met Luisa at The Never Ending Odyssey, where I discovered her work. It's dark, it pulls no punches, and I love it. She's the author of the After Series, Cooking With Ergot, Written in Blood, and Shadow Hunt.
Susan Abel Sullivan is the author of The Haunted Housewives of Allister, Alabama and Cursed: Wickedly Fun Stories from World Weaver Press, as well as the short story collection--Fried Zombie Dee-light: Ghoulish, Ghostly Tales. Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in numerous online and print publications, including Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, ASIM Best of Horror: Vol II, Beyond Centauri, New Myths, AlienSkin, and Writers' Journal. She is a graduate of the Odyssey Writing Workshop for Speculative Fiction. When not writing she likes to get her groove on by teaching Zumba Fitness classes. Visit her website at: http://susanabelsullivan.weebly.com/.
Abby Goldsmith is a fellow Odyssey graduate and has been working on an epic science fiction series. And she is a fabulous artist. And she started a web show. And she's had several short story publications. I think she sleeps. Sometimes. I can't wait to see her Torth series on book shelves some day. Until then, go to her blog, or her website, to find out more. She'll also be making an appearance on this blog on February 14th.
