The Next Big Thing: Week 16

My lovely friend Adrianne Russell tagged me in The Next Big Thing blog series. I regretted the decision the moment I agreed to participate. I thought first of all, I'm not the "next big thing", and sharing my story info with "real" writers would somehow cheapen their "real" status.

Then I removed my self doubt hat and took a second look at the questions. Okay, it doesn't look too bad. I could give it a shot... Warning: one-sentence synopses are EVIL.

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:

What is the working title of your book?
Oh crap. Really? We're starting with a title question? Let me preface this by saying I LOATHE titles, so this has been referred to as "My 2010 NaNo" since, well, 2010. I'd like to think the title somehow reflects the idea of David Fitzgerald (my MC), the Guardian, Fragments, and Year 1. If you have any ideas, let me know.

Where did the idea come from for the book?
I knew I wanted to write a book set in Ireland. For MG boys. Without magic. That incorporated multiple continents. And a puzzle or riddle. I also wanted to try and break the Curse of the Missing Parents you see so often in MG stories. That has been the hardest part so far, creating a story with an independent MC, but who also has a good relationship with his parents. Much easier said than done.

What genre does your book fall under?
Middle grade. Boom. Easiest question I've answered all day.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
My MC is 12 and I'm not familiar with any 12yo actors, so I really can't answer this. But I would LOVE to see Tim Curry as the gardener.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
12 year old David Fitzgerald is trying to survive boarding school in another country, but when he learns he is the next Guardian, responsible for collecting Fragments scattered across the globe, he realizes there is more at stake than school--like navigating overgrown mazes, fighting Mudruks, and saving his dad.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
This is hypothetically speaking, right? Repped by an agency.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
It took about 4-5 months to really round out the first draft, but the ending was garbage. I was okay with it at the time because I knew I had to redo plot lines earlier in the story that would change the ending.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I really enjoyed Rick Riordan's PERCY JACKSON books. Not only were they set in "real time", but he also crafted a real relationship between Percy and his mom. THE 39 CLUES books did a great job of introducing a large cast of characters and weaving in riddles and puzzles.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?
Two things. One, my nephews. I wanted to write a fun adventure story for them. Whenever I get stuck or question if the reactions are real, I think about what they'd do. They are two total opposite personalities, so if one would cry in danger, the other would probably run toward it. I try to balance both of those.

Second, if you ever saw the 2nd Pirates of the Caribbean movie, at the end, you see Jack Sparrow looking at a circular map with opposite moving panels. I saw that and knew I needed to work something similar into my story. I'm not sure if it's going to stay (Kill your darlings and all that nonsense), but it lit the creative spark.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I've heard feedback from readers/friends that the idea of having to solve riddles and puzzles is great. I stumped my writing group, and they're a pretty savvy bunch of readers! Also, while the book stands alone, I have the outline for 2 other books. Since the plot deals with different continents and there are 7 to choose from, I have an abundance of source material to create stories with amazing, rich settings!

Paying it forward:
This is the part where my hard work pays off. I chose to tag two writers who have some serious writing chops AND who have super interesting stories. I'm nosey like that. I want to know their answers!

Sarah Ahiers at Falen Formulates Fiction
Sommer Leigh at Tell Great Stories

How about you? Have you been tagged in The Next Big Thing? Do you hate one-sentence synopses as much as me?

NaNo 2012--who's in?

Hey gang, I hate to be the bearer of slightly panic-inducing news, but National Novel Writing Month 2012 begins in exactly seven weeks from yesterday. Are you ready to rock? Or are you still on the fence?

Last year, I featured two weeks of guest bloggers who participated in NaNoWriMo. I asked them to share their stories and experiences in a series I named "Write What You NaNo." You can find each entry here. Personally, I think it should be required reading for all NaNoers, but maybe I'm biased.

Anyway, where was I?

Oh, yeah. NaNo 2012. Coming soon to an internet near you... (cue movie announcer voice)

Last year's image. Expect a lot of the same,
but with a different year, for this years image

I'm ready. Ish. Ready-ish. I think. I mean, my story's going to be a massive pile of poo come Dec 1, but I'm okay with that. My goals for this year are simple:

1. Win.
2. Finish the story.

See, I've won every year, even last year when I went to Ireland for 10 days in the middle of the month and didn't write a single word. Winning I can do. Finishing the story, though? That's where I struggle. I usually quit the minute I hit the elusive 50K mark, leaving my characters and my story in limbo until I dare re-open the file after the New Year.

How about you--are you participating? What's your goal?

Late to the party. Again.

I missed my friend's blog fest earlier this week.

I tried to get my act together but it didn't happen. But it wasn't until I saw all the other posts in the fest that I realized how badly I wanted to play, too. So, here's my entry, direct from Las Vegas, for The Teenage Heartthrob Blogfest, hosted by Sarah, Vic, and Emily. (I reserve the right to blame dehydration for any poor choices below...)


Heartthrob #1: Christian Slater
Hands down, number one on my list. Gleaming the Cube, Heathers, Pump Up the Volume, Robin Hood: Prince of Theives... I've seen them all. J'adore Christian Slater. That is all. I'd say more, but I'm having a moment...

Fun fact! Yours truly shares a birthday with Heartthrobs 1 and 2! Ergo, I assumed it was fate that I'd end up with one. Seeing how the next one is now deceased, my hopes like solely with Christian Slater. *fingers crossed*


Heartthrob #1: Johnny Castle Patrick Swayze
Yes, there are two number one pics. Sue me. How's a girl supposed to choose between Christian Slater and Patrick Swayze? Yes, I watched North and South JUST for him. And wore out my VHS version of Dirty Dancing. Most women dreamed of being Baby in the final dance number of Dirty Dancing. It was especially painful for me seeing as I was at least a good foot taller than any boy in my class when the movie came out. I'd never get to do the run and jump... :(  If you have a second, check out the YouTube video of Swayze and Chris Farley as Chippendales dancers and prepare to piss yourself laughing. You're welcome. :)


Heartthrob #3: Corey Feldman
Who was hotter--Corey Feldman or Corey Haim? I was CEMENTED in Camp Feldman. Stand By Me, The Goonies, License to Drive, The Lost Boys... but my fave was Dream a Little Dream. 'Stars shining right above me...' Random CF facts: did you know he was the voice of young Copper in Fox and the Hound? Did you also know he was the voice of Donatello in TMNT 2 and 3?




Heartthrob #4: Slash

Hi. My name is Tricia and I have a thing for rockstar men in leather pants. Preferably without their shirts on. And yes, I had a poster of Slash on my wall, complete with top hat, half-empty bottle of Jack Daniels, and cigarettes. My mom so badly wanted me to replace it with a NKOTB poster, but I couldn't do it. I was a rock n' roll girl.



Heartthrob #5: Michael Trucco
Um, did anyone else watch Pensacola: Wings of Gold, or was this just me? I watched this short lived series for one reason: Lt. Tucker Henry, aka Spoon. But the show went away and I grew up, soon forgetting about this total hot pocket until lo and behold, I was watching Battlestar Galactica and who should appear on my screen? SPOON! I squealed and had a total all-out girl moment. I mean, really. Just look at him!



Heartthrob #6: Richard Dean Anderson
Arguably the one of the best mullets of all time, this guy was the ULTIMATE camper. Duct tape, q-tip, and piece of chewing gum and Boom! Automatic bomb-diffusion device. Part smarts and part bad ass made for one of my earliest crushes. But trust me--don't look for recent pics. Remember him like this or from Stargate.


Heartthrob #7: Keanu Reeves
The Bill and Ted movies were my favorites! *crosses fingers for a B&T3* Alas, he should've stuck to comedy because I can't take him serious (Matrix or not) in anything else. Party on!







Honorable mention: David Hasselhoff
It pains me to put him on here because he is such a hot, hot mess. But if I put Slash, I have to give David Hasselhoff honorable mention. NOT the Baywatch years (though he wasn't too bad), and certainly NOT anything since 2000, but old school Knight Rider Hasselhoff. Go ahead, hassle me. HA!