I have a BIG DEAL BLOG TOUR coming up next week. Look for reviews of The Loved, The Lost, The Dreaming all over the internet! I will be reposting them too. As part of that, Richard Long incited--I mean invited--me to participate in this tag-fiver blog hop. Here are his ten questions! My ten follow beneath it. I have also tagged some authors!
****
What is the working title of your book?
‘The Loved, The Lost, The Dreaming’ is my most
recent work, and it is published. My work in progress is called
‘Synchronicity’, but I’ll be focusing on TLTLTD for this round. I also have two
other previously published books, ‘The Stolen: Two Short Stories” and “And the
Stars Will Sing”.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
I had a terribly overactive imagination as a child—and still do. For
many years, I had nightmares. Some of the short stories were inspired by real
life events or cues, one was inspired by a Russian classic, and the main story
of the volume, ‘The Underlighters’, was inspired by a mix of a Russian game, my
nightmares, and fairy tales. I wrote it in the darkest days of the year, deep
in the Canadian winter, and it definitely shows.
To my surprise, since I wrote the book, they’ve stopped. I miss them a bit.
To my surprise, since I wrote the book, they’ve stopped. I miss them a bit.
What genre does your book
come under?
Horror, but it’s definitely cross-genre. There’s some dystopian and cyberpunk
elements in ‘The Underlighters’, and other stories suggest urban fantasy. While
calling it romantic would be a slight stretch, there is definitely a lot of
exploration of love and loss in it, as well. I generally say that if you like
fairy tales, madness, and regrets, you’ll like this book.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie
rendition?
Ooooh. Interesting question. I’m a bit behind on actors, but here goes.
I’d go for an indie cast for most of the roles, but for big names, here’s what
I’ve got. Uma Thurman as Una, Daniel Day Kim (because I don’t know any
Indonesian actors L) for Nathu, and
Abigail Breslin for Janelle. Breslin has the skill and the wit for the
character, and I like seeing her in slightly grittier roles, such as the one
she did for Zombieland.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Based on nightmares and fairy tales, “The Loved, The Lost, The Dreaming”
is an exploration of madness and regret that will twist your heart.
Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or
represented by an agency?
All of my books are self-published. I haven’t decided whether to go for
an independent publisher in future, but for now, I’m looking to stay completely
indie and self-pub.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The short stories were written over a period of years. I collected a
number of them in a folder from various times of inspiration, and noticed that
they all fit together far too perfectly for coincidence. I took a few
half-finished ideas, tidied them up, and the book appeared. It was intended to
be a bit shorter, but the main title, “The Underlighters”, turned from a
novella into a novel. I wrote about 75% of the novel this past winter, but I
started it in in either September 2011 or March 2012—I’m not quite sure which.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
If I throw my modesty out the window, Neil Gaiman’s “Smoke and Mirrors”
is a pretty good anthology to compare mine to. I am told that “Ember” (author
unknown) is similar to the main novel, but I didn’t like ‘Ember’ much. I’d
definitely cite Lovecraft and Charles de Lint as inspirations too, now that I
think about it, and I think readers will notice definite similarities to those
two writers.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Nightmares, as I said. Crime & Punishment by Dostoevsky. The end of
the world. Tales of beauty and madness, and of creeping things and forest
shadows. Terrifying dolls I saw in a store in Nova Scotia. Shapes and shadows
and small moments, and the cold Canadian winter.
What else about your book
might pique the reader’s interest?
In spite of all the mystery and doom and gloom, it has some very funny
and hopeful bits, too. I’m also told that it’s very beautifully written, and
even people who don’t usually read horror or science fiction really liked it.
1. What is your latest book about?
2. Who or what sparked the idea?
3. How long did it take to write?
4. How did you choose/design your cover?
5.Why did you choose indie publishing?
6. Are you ever tempted by traditional publishing?
7. Would you rather be famous and read by many (and hated) or read by a few and loved?
8. What is the worst thing most indie authors do?
9. What is the best thing that's happened to you in your publishing adventures so far?
10. What are you working on next?
My five victims:
Be sure to tag me and let me know about your post on Twitter. I want to see your answers!
*****
Thanks for dropping by the nest once again. Don't miss any of the good kind of crazy. Find me on Twitter, Facebook, and on Tumblr. A review of The Hobbit is coming, as well as more info about The Loved, The Lost, The Dreaming in paperback. Spring is going to bring a fantasy theme with it--interviews with fantasy authors, content related to fantasy films and reviews, and some political commentary--the phuquerie you've come to expect from me. Keep checking back to see those surprise posts, too. This is your darling SciFiMagpie, over and out!
No comments:
Post a Comment
As always, be excellent unto others, and don't be a dick.