Thursday, October 11, 2012

Blog Hop - The Next Big Thing

I'VE BEEN TAGGED!!!

I guess that means I'm it? Welcome to my little corner of the blog hop, folks! I was tagged by Chris Ward, fellow blogger and indie author of  The Tube Riders series. Much love for the tag, Chris! Now, I was also informed I have to follow some rules, and while I don't particularly care for rules, these are so easy a caveman could do it...them...you know, follow the rules...ah, heck, let's just get down to it!



The rules for the blog hop are as follows:

****Give credit to the person/blog that tagged you

****Post the rules for the blog hop

****Answer these ten questions about your current WIP (Work In Progress) on your blog

****Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them



Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:


What is the working title of your book?

     To be perfectly honest, there are about 5 different in the works right now, 3 of which I'm actively writing on a regular basis, but the most important one-and the next to be published-is going to be called Daughters of Night: Possession. It's the second in the Daughters of Night series, following my first novel Daughters of Night: Sanctuary.

Where did the idea come from for your book?

     The end of Sanctuary changed drastically from the original ending when I realized there was more to tell. After living the battles and trials with Carmen and Gaviyn, I found myself wanting to get them involved with other people, with other groups. I needed to see what happened after the happily ever after, but I also needed to see how their actions affected not only their close knit group, but other lives.

What genre does your book fall under?

     Tricky question. It's definitely Young Adult Fiction, but depending on what website you're researching or what website you purchase from, there are different subcategories that don't always match up with one another. If I had to pick, I'd say it's along the lines of Paranormal, Teen Thriller, and even Occult Fiction. It crosses genres a bit, so it's hard to nail it to just one.

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

     Another tough question, because when I created the characters, they were literally that, my own creations, and I wasn't thinking about anyone in particular when I wrote it. After contemplating this one for quite some time, here's what I came up with: Gaviyn - Asher Book, Carmen - Hannah Marks, Aliena - Elena Satine, Abby - Dreama Walker, Jackson - Hunter Parrish, Connor - Max Irons, Damien - Nolan Gerard Funk, Olivia - Shelley Hennig, Zariah - Indiana Evans, Zachary - Austin Butler. Whew! That's a lot, but they're the main characters of the story.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

     Carmen and Gaviyn have the greatest love story in history, but now they must face off against a greater demon trying to reclaim her followers...and Carmen's life.

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

     Self-published, definitely. I've found a new respect for indie authors, and the community is like a mini family. I love the indie community, and unless someone presents me with an offer I can't refuse, I plan to stick with self-publishing.

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

     I'm actually still writing it. I hit a bit of a block recently, but I started working on it toward the beginning of the year. The last chapter in Sanctuary was initially the first chapter of Possession. After some editing, though, I found it worked better to transition the end of one book into the beginning of the other by making it the last chapter of Sanctuary. I'm making slow progress, and I've hit a few roadblocks along the way. It didn't help when my brain decided to create several new stories, all of which demanded immediate attention in order to organize my thoughts and quiet the voices of some of the characters. I suspect it will be published before Christmas, though.

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

     Actually, it has some very common elements of many Young Adult novels. The theme of vampires, of course, relatable to the Twilight series, Vampire Diaries, Vampire Academy, and such. What really sets my series apart is that I combine witches with vampires in one big coven, and in the second installment, I'm introducing the element of demonic possession. Not a lot of books really combine all three elements. I'd like to say it's similar enough to the most popular books in my genre to create interest, but unique enough to set it apart in a way that will draw readers in and make them want to not only continue the series, but read other works I put out there.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

     Laugh if you want, but the initial idea came to me in the shower as the picture of a candy apple red Ferrari, and the story just created itself from there. What inspired me to keep writing it? My husband, for one, who supported me through every step of the process and helped me to believe in myself. In my senior year of English, as part of a state-mandated portfolio, I had written a short story that ended up being closer to a novella in length. There was an assistant teacher who really encouraged me, and while I hate myself for forgetting her name now, she was the first to believe in my work and praise what I had written on a grander scale than just saying, "good job." I hope I can give her thanks one day for the support she showed me.

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

     There is more than one element of surprise and a twist that will give you whiplash in this series! I don't want to give too much away, but Carmen and Gaviyn's relationship is put to the test as they battle the life taking over her body. This story is one that you would regret passing up!



Now it's my turn to tag!


Michala Teelucksingh

Eddie McGarrity

Chris Stralyn

Raquel Dove

Cas Greenfield

George Arnold Hall

**Yes, I know, I was only supposed to tag 5 people. I told you I don't like rules, and I'm not very good at following directions...**


Thanks to all, and happy reading!

-Ash

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