The Next Big Thing

On the 5th, the wonderful Chrystalla Thoma tagged me into the Next Big Thing blog chain! She answered these questions, I’ll answer these questions, and then the people I tag will answer next week! It’s a whole merry-go-round of fun! Or something. *G*

1) What is the working title of your next book?

Born of this Soil. This will probably be the actual title, as well. I get attached to them and, if I have a choice, I cling to them.

2) Where did the idea come from for the book?

It came from a lot of places, actually. Part of it is from the question of what ancient societies might have been like if they’d experienced some of the ‘progressive’ influences of the printing press and some of the Enlightenment ideals. Some of it comes from the characters themselves. A lot of my stories start because I come up with the characters and then the story unfolds as they move through the world I’ve set them in, the way they deal with things makes things happen.

3) What genre does your book fall under?

Political fantasy. Definitely. It’s my favorite kind of fantasy. There’s also action and adventure, conspiracy and magic, but lots of political intrigue!

4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

That’s always a difficult question for me. I have a really definite vision of my characters and it’s difficult for me to think how an actor might play them. Plus, I tend to feel that most movie versions aren’t as good as the books. Not all of them, of course, but a good many movies cut out characters of color, change story lines and the movie makers don’t always care for the material the same way an author does, so… I tend not to consider movie versions.

5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

The murder of one of her people, and her drive to protect her less than legal mission to save other magic users, leads Beshauna into a world of political intrigue, shadowed conspiracies, and shifting loyalties.

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

I have no idea. I won’t know until it’s finished, but I’m not ruling out either.

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

Exactly 30 days. I wrote it for NaNoWriMo. First drafts aren't the real challenge to me. It’s the editing that takes me ages! As you can imagine with a first draft written in 30 days. :-D

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

Oh, my. Such a dangerous question! But, hmm… I’d say that some aspects are similar to the Nightrunner books by Lyn Flewelling, and some aspects are like Crossroads series by Kate Elliott.

9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I don’t know how to answer that question. A story starts niggling, and I write it. It’s what I do.

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

I wanted to write a story with a mix of people, with deep cultures and a secondary world that felt tangible. I enjoyed exploring the characters and politics and the setting, and I think readers will enjoy it, too.

And to hear more about the next big things, check out...

Cherylanne Ham
Cindy Borgne
James Hartley
Mike Arsuaga

Comments

Celebcùen said…
It's interesting to hear about Born of this soil. I have a feeling that the thing is already so different from what I read. And I'm so very curious to see the new version :-)

While reading, I tried to answer the same questions for Ghost Trilogy... thankfully, I don't have to! ;-)
Marion Sipe said…
I don't know how different it is, but I have been getting some work in on it! It's going to take me a while to edit it, because it's long and I can only get in a little bit at time. So frustrating! But eventually it'll be worth it. *G*

Well, to be fair, I answered all these questions on my last book, too. Or, at least most of them. The questions tend to be the same and if you answer them often enough they get easier. *nods*

I'd love to hear you answer for the Ghost Trilogy, though!! You can do it here if you don't want to blog about it.... :-D

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