The Next Big Thing blog hop

Thank you Skyla Dawn Cameron for making me feel like something in the writing part of the book world.  As many of you know I've been participating in NaNoWriMo for the last two years, but not finished-finished a book or even published a book.  This year, I'm planning on getting through re-writes and doing some editing and seeing what I have left in the end.  I've got big plans for this one.  So this was a treat for me to be tagged in this blog hop.

Now, I've got two WIP sitting here.  I had hoped to get to the first project and rework it, but it seems the latest project I started doesn't want to let go yet.  So... here is a bit about the latest project I'm working on.

Here are the questions—
What is the working title of your book?

Cursed, By the Rain

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Hmm, this one came to me in pieces.  The preface came to me with a song, Lightning Crashes by Live:

But the idea with the rain, I'm not 100% sure why I gripped on to that.  It hit me as something different and I liked the challenge of a woman cursed by the rain.  I think from the lightning mention of the song which is followed or accompanied by rain.  I tried writing a short flash of this idea on my Flash Fiction Friday some time ago, and wanted to try more.  All lead to me trying to see what I could create with these pieces.

What genre does your book fall under?
I was thinking a blend of Urban Fantasy with a Fantasy feel, but I ended up in strict Fantasy.  Not a complaint by me at all.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie?
I am always terrible at picking actors/tresses for books.  So, this is my best try:

Jessica Alba for Jayda: (is there not a picture of her smiling? lol) This was the best I could do, but she looks to nice in this pic too.  Age her a bit and I think she could work.

Olivia Wilde for Shard:  Something about Olivia tells me she could pull Shards personality off to the T.  A little rough and cruel.

I should pick for Aros, but I have no idea what man I would place for him!  So sorry!  I'll have to think on him.

What is a one sentence synopsis of your book?

Jayda has escaped the fingers of the rain but when a Aros shows up to pulling her away from her desert needing her to help him with her warrior experience and knowledge of what happened in a devastated village brutally murdered sixteen years ago, a secret that with help from another could hopefully stop the release of the four gods locked away by the Creator - who's been dead - she will have to face the controlling rain once again.

Will your book be self published or traditionally published?

I'm going to go traditional first and see how I feel from there.  Maybe Indie (small publisher).  I don't know if I have the time to go all out self published.  We'll see when I get there.

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

To actually write the roughest, bare bones of it, one month.  My NaNoWrimo project.

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

Oh my.  I hate comparing to published authors and ones that are much further accomplished than me.  And truthfully, I don't know who to compare too.  Not yet anyway.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

This was  a challenge to myself, to see if I could write a character that couldn't get through an uncontrollable natural happening.  And to challenge her to do just that, get through it and live with it.  Also, that chirping in the back of my mind wouldn't stop until I got through it.

I have to mention there are many great authors out there that cheer you along and tell you -- Go for it!  So, I took their enthusiasm to heart and went for it.  Also, this years Nano authors I followed really inspired me with their stories to keep going after hearing the work they put into their stories and all of the roller coaster ride with them.

What else about your book might interest the reader?

A special unexpected character that showed up, Dirt.  He is someone different, and I've learned to enjoy him and the secret he possesses.  He might be a 'piece of dirt on the floor' as many believe, but there is one who knows he's much more than leads on.  And he is.

There could be more to life for Jayda other than death, we just have to get her to it, and keep her there.

I've created gods and a whole story to go with them, something of my own mythology if you will.  The magic is yet to be released upon the world.


Now I am to call upon new authors to share their current works.  They will all be posting on January 9, 2013 on their blogs to share with you what WIP they are working on.

Kate SeRine
Cecy Robson (Cecy doesn't have a blog, so I will be posting her answers here next week. She does have a site for her books, do check it out.)
Michelle Flick