Adventures in NaNo-land – The Next Big Thing
As much as I would like the world to stop in November so I can get off of it and focus on NaNo, the fact is, it doesn’t. The next in my Fervor series, Transcendence, will be released very soon, and I can’t drop the ball with my publisher. So I agreed to participate in a promotional blog hop called The Next Big Thing, to help put the word out.
It was the dynamic Autumn Birt who invited me to participate. Autumn is one of those creative free spirits who seems to have more energy and ingenuity than any three other people combined. That, and she’s one of my fabulous cohorts at the Guild of Dreams. She did the Next Big Thing last week, so make sure you go check out what’s happening with Autumn at Weifarer’s Writing and Wanderings.
So this leads to this interruption in NaNo-land. Or, in other words, “and now a word from our sponsors…”
And now The Next Big Thing! (at least as far as I’m concerned.)
1. What is the working title of your book?
Transcendence (Fervor #3 – it’s pretty well set in stone at this point)
2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
It’s the third book in a dystopian science fantasy series I started because an agent had a wish-list of certain themes he wanted to see. I was inspired by a book on genetics I had been reading and used that as the basis for the story, while following his theme. Apparently, the agent didn’t want to see those themes that badly unless they were coming from an established author (I’m pretty sure he didn’t even look at my query.) Nevertheless, I wrote Fervor, my debut novel, because of him because of him, so I guess I should be grateful.
3. What genre does your book fall under?
Dystopian science fantasy with a hint of horror
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie version?
Logan Lerman would be a good Sam, but he would have to grow his hair and dye it blonde. Steven Strait would make a great Royce (clean-shaven with longer hair), and I think Natalya Rudakova (as a short-cropped redhead) fits Angela to a T (the three characters depicted on the cover.)
5. What is the one sentence synopsis for your book
Free from Fervor, but not really free at all, Sam and the other refugees face the intolerance of Windlea while trying to figure out how they will rescue their friends from the Scholars.
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
It is being published by May December Publications
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Two months.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Several people have compared the Fervor series to Golding’s Lord of the Flies or the Maze-Runner trilogy
9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
My real-life muse, Barb McQueen (and my publishers, who asked for it.)
10. What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
It has a futuristic feel with elements of fantasy that seems to appeal to readers of all ages. There’s political intrigue, romance, action-adventure and mystery all mixed into the story as well.
And now that you’ve seen what I have coming up, here’s the hndful of folk up next on the Next Big Thing Blog Hop, fabulous writers you might not already know. Remember, their answers to these questions will be up next week, so make sure you check them out to see what they have to show you.
And now back to our regular programming…
More tomorrow J
Word Blurb 
Christina Westover said,
November 15, 2012 at 1:16 am
Great blog post! I am thoroughly enjoying Fervor and will certainly read the others. The story is unpredictable, even sort of alien, and what I like most about it are the poignant moments of pain or fear played out by the characters–they sort of catch one off-guard, the way an Alfred Hitchcock film does.
chantellyb said,
November 15, 2012 at 2:05 am
Thanks! Oooh, Hitchcock. I love Hitchcock. 🙂