Monday, October 29, 2012

The Next Big Thing Blog Chain


So this is basically about a WIP, but since my WIP is the sequel to the book I have coming out in March, I decided to write about that one. It will make much more sense. SO. Here we go!

Where did you get the idea for your book?


I have no idea where the idea came from. I remember when it came - my third baby believed sleep was for the weak, so we didn't sleep for the first nine months of her life. I remember sitting awake with her at night, the house was silent, I couldn't watch t.v. cuz she would wake up, so I daydreamed this really awesome story. After she started sleeping on a schedule, I started writing (not on a schedule. But I tried).

What's the genre of your book?


It's Young Adult Urban Fantasy. Young Adult because I think there's still so much potential as a teenager. Your life still has so many directions it can take. And Urban Fantasy because I love the modern world but it would be better with magic in it.

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


Ari would be Victoria Justice, except taller and more formidable.
Shane would be Matt Long - like from the Jack and Bobby series
Hunter would be the Pittsburgh Steelers Tight End - Heath Miller (oh, he's not an actor, you say? Well he should be)

My elevator pitch:



Arianna has been hunting Shane since she could throw her first spell. Now she’s falling in love with the nemesis she is prophesied to kill – until Shane tries to kill her first. 

Will your book be represented by a publisher or self-published?

Feudlings will come out with Astraea Press in March of 2013. (I say so calmly while bouncing like a small child)

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

It took me over a year. 

What other books compare in your genre?

I would like to think Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instrument series is comparable. 

Who or what inspired your book?
I kinda did - in a backward sort of way. I am small, shy, and sickly. I wanted to daydream about a character that was big, tough, and powerful. Ari is the exact opposite of me - always says what she thinks, is afraid of nothing, and is uber-tough. When I would put her in a situation, I would think, "hmm. What would I do?" And then I'd have her do the exact opposite.

What else about the book might pique the readers' interest?

It's a love story, but it's also a story about friendship and and loyalty and learning to love the person you are -flaws and all.  It's also got a bit of a Romeo and Juliet thing going on.

Now, my tags!

Enjoy!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

My Big News!

If you read my last couple of posts, you know the story. I was about to quit, but fate had other plans...well, here are the details, now that THE CONTRACT IS SIGNED!! *passes out*

Hubs had been sick all day. It was 10:30 pm, and I was so tired, I was just playing a Facebook game, waiting until I was tired enough to sleep (sleep and I...have our issues). I saw that I had an email, so I clicked over. It was Stephanie Taylor from Astraea Press, saying that they loved my book. The contract was attached. I thought, hmm. Cool, and went back to playing my game.
About ten minutes later, it hit me. Wait, WHAT?! I fell out of my chair. I climbed back into my chair and re-read the email, getting shakier by the second. And Hubs was unconscious, completely un-wakeupable (yes, that's a word). Luckily, I had Facebook and my iwritenetwork friends, so I told all of them. And then I didn't sleep.
Fast forward a few days, and I'm doing all my research, comparing royalty rates and company reviews, stalking authors that write for each company  (I had a second publisher offer, after I told them Astraea had offered...ya know what, it's a long story. Just see here), and I kept telling my Hubs, I know I need to weigh pros and cons, but I really just like Astraea. That's who I feel I should go with. Part of it was that the emails to Stephanie were super-fun, more like I was talking to a friend than a potential holder-of-my-life-in-her-hands.
Hubs, of course, agreed that I should do whatever I felt was right. But I did more research, more stalking, more praying and weighing. And on Monday, October 1, I signed my contract, and my first book, Feudlings, is slated to come out in March 2013!!!