Wednesday, December 5, 2012

My Next Big Thing

The awesome Mike Swift tagged me in this post on his ML Swift, Chasing Windmills blog.  He apparently believes I've got...

The Next BIG Thing!

As with all things in bloggyland, there are rules.  The Next Big Thing is no exception.  And this hop's rules state that I am to answer ten questions about my current WIP (story, manuscript, blog post, etc.) and then pass the honor to others (writers or bloggers) so we can discover what their Next Big Thing is.

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:

1. What is the working title of your book?
The Bonding (Book One of Strands of Pattern)

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
That's a very good question. I wanted to write a hero's journey on an epic scale set in a world of magic.  I'm a discovery writer at heart, stopping occasionally to plot and make sure I've not wandered too far off course.  I know where I'm starting and where I'm wanting to end up, but the unexpected course changes make the trip fun.

3. What genre does your book fall under?
Adult Epic Fantasy

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Not a clue.  I avoid allowing actors into my imagination when I'm developing characters.  If I envision an actor as a character, the roles the actor has played would bleed into the way I write them.  (Besides, I'd be a horrible casting director.)

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Cop-out alert! I personally think generating single-sentence summaries is far easier for stories highly focused on a single protagonist.  Character starts here, needs to get there, but must undergo this and endure that to do it.  My tale is not truly centered around a single protagonist (or a single antagonist for that matter.) But in reality, I probably find this so difficult because I can't see the forest for all the trees.

Now THAT's a Big Thing

6. If you plan to publish, will your book be self-published or published traditionally?

I definitely plan to publish, but I'm not fully sold on either method as yet. My dream was always to have a publisher (that I won't name here) run with the entire series.  There are two additional publishers that would tickle my fancy too.  However, there is also something to be said for taking hold of the reins and charting one's own destiny.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I worked on the first book off and on for several years starting back in the late 90s, but put it aside until I began writing in earnest late in 2011. I salvaged portions of a dozen or so chapters worth of plot and completed the first draft in May 2012.  I figure it comes to about a year's worth of serious, productive writing.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
My critique partners and beta readers enjoyed comparing sections of it to J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.  I'd be lying if I denied their influence.  I've purposely put off reading some popular ones (including A Song of Ice and Fire) to keep from borrowing from them.

9. Who or What inspired you to write this book?
I credit J. R. R. Tolkien with igniting my imagination and love of fantasy.  My desire to write this type of tale came (mostly) from Robert Jordan.  But it was my college English professor who gave me the confidence and nudge I needed to actually write the book.  So in truth, it is she who deserves the most credit.

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
It has dragons.  It has maps.  It has not one, but three strong females as major characters, with another introduced in book two.  It has not one, but three flavors of magic; one exclusive to a single race, the other two determined by gender.  The tale pits destiny against chance, prophecy against choice, despair against hope, and righteous purpose against righteous purpose.

Might as well include my working blurb, yes?
Not all gifts are free, and some gifts kill.

Supernaturally tethered beneath the mountain of fire, Arinur awaits the mortal that will set him free. Arinur's high priest, the Aridhai master, leads a theocracy toward that end. They're close. The secret to loosing Arinur lies within the Steward Stones and he'll ravage entire nations to discover it.

Millennia past, an immortal named Cretahn uttered terrible prophecies and then died. Now, the first of those prophecies is fulfilled when the dragon Rendowin claims that Cretahn's Bane now lives and possesses a Steward Stone. Some believe it's Daaron Olrey. And Daaron's afraid they may be right. His magic's quickening came unnaturally late. Were it not for the Steward Stone he'd been given, it might not have come at all. 

The gift became a curse, for it bonded itself to Daaron and parting with it will kill him. All he wants besides a life free from curses and prophecies is Abby, but he must become one with the mysterious Elanna to survive. Elanna, hundreds of years old, yet still young, now shares his thoughts--and more. She leads him into the heart of Aridhum on a quest that will surely cost his life.

What can a simple man do to thwart a nation of zealots intent on war? And even if Daaron can stop the Aridhai master, can he stop what the master set into motion?

Show us YOUR Next Big Thing
Now comes the moment where I sprinkle the bones with blood and cast them down to be read.  And although I am male, I can glimpse the ken and discern the future that the bones foretell.  (I'm the author so I can do this.)

And the bone reading tells me that these people have got The Next Big Thing!  So be on the lookout to discover what it is.

28 comments:

  1. EPIC FANTASY!!! I'm sold. Release it NOW!

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    1. Donna, clone yourself about a million times and I'll be able to retire! LOL

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  2. Lol, love the bone reading.

    Love the post, though I hope you don't hate me if I admit I never finished Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. I stopped somewhere around book 8.

    I liked your blurb but be careful of how many new names you drop. It can get a little confusing if you're not familiar with the book.

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    1. The bone reading and the ken are both from the book. And I could never hate you, Sara, not even for failing to make it through all the WOT books. Pity perhaps, but not hate. LOL (I still have to catch the last few myself. I'm really trying to limit external influence while I plot and write this thing, but it's driving me crazy because I so want to read them.)

      Good thought about the number of names. I probably wouldn't have considered that.

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  3. It's interesting how a book may change when you see it through the author's eyes. Your answers have just gave me a new perspective. Most interesting. I might start a case of study just because you're so much fun. 8D

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    1. Well, if I factor in on your case study, be sure to forward the results to my wife. She claims that she's still trying to figure me out even after all these years. ;-)

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    1. My pleasure, Richard. Looking forward to reading your answers.

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  5. What a great post!!
    I am anxiously awaiting the publishing of your book! I think that JRR Tolkien inspired a great many people with their novels. But i could never write an epic fantasy. All my novels are WAY too short to be considered epic. And though they are epic in my mind, they definietly wouldnt be considered that in the novel world.

    "The tale pits destiny against chance, prophecy against choice, despair against hope, and righteous purpose against righteous purpose."
    SOUNDS PERFECT!!!
    :)

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    1. You're exactly right. And Tolkien inspired not only writers, but a boatload of artists and musicians and so many others. And thanks to him, we hold our heads high and spell dwarfs as dwarves.

      And thanks so much for the compliments.

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  6. Jeff...no wonder I picked you - something told me your next big thing was something spectacular! The working blurb sounds wonderful. Excellent writing.

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    1. Well, thank you, Mike. I definitely labored over #5 before copping out. I really need to nail that. My elevator pitch wouldn't get me off the bottom floor right now. Glad you like the blurb.

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  7. I have to echo Mike's thought, that blurb was wonderful and yes, excellent writing. I loved reading about (finally!) what you're working on. Amazing, Jeff. Truly.

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    1. Amazing? Spectacular? Excellent? Perfect? Ya'll are much too kind. (But a little ego stroking on occasion never hurts. LOL) I really do appreciate the kind words and compliments.

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  8. Dodged another tag!
    Your series is your blog title - wow, how did I not see that before?
    And I can do a one sentence tagline easier than a back cover synopsis.

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    1. Well, Alex, it's never too late to be tagged. There's this little icon that says "Edit Post" farther up the screen. I can definitely add you. :-) But I honestly don't know how you're able to do so much every day. (I really would love to hear your answers to some of these questions though.)

      And yes, my blog title may be the very thing that makes me join IWSG. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

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  9. Love maps, dragons, and different types of magic - your book sounds awesome!!!

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    1. Thanks! We must write what we love, right? And I do love maps and dragons and magic. I just hope my book doesn't disappoint. Maybe it's time to join IWSG? :)

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  10. Sounds like my daughter would like your book, Jeff. She's always telling me that if I wrote stuff like this, she'd read my writing.

    And thanks for the shout-out. :)

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    1. You're quite welcome, Linda. And it sounds to me like your daughter has a highly refined since of taste. Of course, being your daughter, what else could be expected, right? :)

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  11. I love epic stuff like this, so get it published! And I know how hard it is to to write pitches--especially one-liners--for epic fantasies. When I wrote my first YA I was surprised at how easy the pitch was, ha!

    Much luck to you!

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    1. Hopefully that will happen soon, Charlie. I can only imagine how different designing a YA pitch would be from an epic fantasy pitch. The same basic guidelines are there, I suppose, but still. It's almost like trying to decide if the plot exists to serve the character or if the characters exist to serve the plot. I think it's the latter in my case.

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  12. This is one awesome sounding book Jeff! You've sold it to me with magic and dragons. I'll be sure to do this tag and thanks for tagging me, though I can't say it'll be as good as yours.

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    1. Only your word count exceeds your humility, Imogen. And thanks for the compliment. Can't wait to read your answers.

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  13. So fun learning more about your book! I'm not familiar with the likes of Tolkien or Robert Jordan--I know, I know, shame on me--but regardless, I find your premise intriguing. I'm always game for anything that's fantasy, and the tease about dragons only makes it sound cooler to me! I haven't read enough books with that kind of creature in it...

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    1. Sounds like you'd be a perfect "not my usual genre, but..." beta reader. :-) Dragons appear at my book's opening, closing, and a handful of scenes in between. Although they're not overly prominent in terms of scene count, they are essential to the plot. (And they're essential to satisfy this epic fantasy loving writer. LOL)

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  14. Epic fantasy along the lines of Tolkien? Oh yes, count me in!

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    1. It is encouraging to see epic fantasy being so well received by those who have commented on this post. Maybe I'll get lucky and actually have a few people read the thing! hahaha

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