The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

I was tagged for The Next Big Thing Blog Hop, in which writers talk about one of their current projects. First, go check out the writer who tagged me: Carissa Taylor. Thanks, Carissa!


Now, on to my questions and answers...

The Next Big Thing

What is the working title of your book? 

Titles are my kryptonite! My KidLit writing group actually helped me pick out the working title of RIMOTEST FALLING. (Side note: I owe these writers for a lot more than a title!)

Where did the idea come from for the book? 

That is such a hard question. It’s the story I need to tell. It was always there, just waiting. I know, it sounds like a cop-out answer. But it’s true.

What genre does your book fall under? 

It’s YA Fantasy, or you could say YA High or Epic Fantasy since “fantasy” has become such a diverse genre and means so many things.

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

This took me forever to do! I even asked for help from people who have read the book. My choices are based on looks alone. I recognize that real casting decisions are made on the basis of a lot of other equally important criteria, but since this is just pretend anyway, I went on appearance alone.

Arika: Clémence Poésy

Eldred: Cillian Murphy

Syd: Kit Harington

Mina: Nicole Kidman

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? 

Oh, please don’t make me do this. I know it’s hard for everyone, but I feel like it’s especially difficult for a book that takes place in a completely new world. Here’s my shot at it:

In a world where magic only lives in the old stories told beside smoldering hearths, a young peasant girl fights for her forbidden love and discovers everything she thought was fiction is true; she must traverse a realm filled with ancient magic, malevolent elves, and masked assassins to prevent war. 

Ha! You didn’t say no semicolons!

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

I’m pursuing traditional publishing at the moment.

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

A decade. No, really: almost a decade. I didn’t slave over it every day or even every month. It took me a while to decide this was something I HAD to do, not just something I was piddling around with.

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

Like Kristin Cashore’s Graceling, my novel portrays a strong, believable female protagonist. The politics in my world are sound but not inaccessible, as in Shannon Hale’s The Books of Bayern. You will find lots of Tolkien-esque adventure in it, and Arika comes along like Garion in David Eddings’ Pawn of Prophecy.

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

My world, Rimotest, is fresh and different. For example, elves are both good and evil, many prejudiced against humans (pure racism). Arika and Syd’s stories alternate and they are given almost equal attention. Romance is present but doesn’t overwhelm the story; adventure and self-discovery are the key drivers. And the ultimate villain is complex, not just some bad guy bent on destroying humanity for no good reason like you see in a lot of fantasy; he even has more than one history, depending on who tells his story.



Now it’s time for me to pass on the fun. Writers, I hereby declare you TAGGED!

Teal Haviland: http://www.tealhaviland.com/ 
DB Graves: http://panicwritten.blogspot.com/
April Robbins: http://aprilrobbins.com/

This was fun! Thanks, Carissa, for tagging me, and everyone keep your eyes peeled for my victims’ posts. Teal, DB, and April, let’s see your answers to the questions above!