The Next Big Thing ~ Me?

I love reading these posts.
The ones where my peers answer questions about themselves, their book, their careers, all of it… Then they tag other writers who they believe you should pay some extra special love to.
I had a peer tag me in a blog post as “The Next Big Thing,” only I had to wait because, as some of you know, announcing major publishing accomplishments have to wait. But the waiting is over, and now I get to talk more about ARCHETYPE. 
In this Next Big Thing meme, I get to tell you all about my project, but also get to introduce you to five fellow writers who are “The Next Big Thing,” or in my mind, already are.
The peer who tagged me, Bee Ridgway, is a fellow author I contacted a couple months ago after I heard we share the ridiculously awesome Denise Roy, Senior Editor over at Dutton Books. Denise spoke passionately of Bee and her upcoming debut, The River of No Return, which will hit shelves April 23rd.

“In Bee Ridgway’s wonderfully imaginative debut novel, a man and a woman travel through time in a quest to bring down a secret society that controls the past and, thus, the future.”

You can read all about Bee and her novel HERE. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.
So now, onto my questions:
1. What is your working title of your book (or story)?

The “working” title has to remain under my hat, but the new and improved title is Archetype. The sequel, though, was named Harbinger and has recently been changed to Prototype, which I love. Each title suits the feel of the novel a lot better.

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?

I don’t know that I had an “idea,” so much as an awakening. Literally. You know, one of those waking from a deep sleep, eyes flying open, sitting straight up in bed, and racing to the computer because the first line of the idea is zipping through your head at lightning speed and could be gone at any moment. I was scared to death the words would disappear if I woke up too much. (I have since turned those first lines into a polished pitch.)
But the story didn’t come from nowhere. Once I got a few lines down, I had this OhHolyShit moments.
Long before I had the notion I wanted to become a writer, I told myself this episodic tale every night to slow my brain down enough to go to sleep. It was very soap opera-esque, had no clear GMC’s, and was just straight up ridiculous sometimes, but it got me to sleep.
I’m not sure how or why I stopped telling the story, but I forgot all about it. Not even when I started writing did the story cross my mind. So imagine my surprise when my main character, Emma, woke me out of a dead sleep and said, Bitch, tell my story already!
The moment I sent the first pages to my CP, Charissa Weaks, she told me to drop everything I was working on because THIS was the one. Turned out she was right.

3. What genre does your book fall under?

After a long journey, it’s finally found a home as a thriller w/ sci-fi elements, or something to that effect.

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

O_O I definitely have an entire cast of actors for Archetype and Prototype. Well, one is a model, so if I had to choose an actual actor, that’d be tough for me. In any case, I chose Katie Holmes for Emma and Bradley Cooper for Noah. I would love to see them in an actual movie rendition. The model I envision for Declan is David Gandy.

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Simple enough question. Hard to execute, so how about two?
In a world where women are a rare commodity, Emma fights for freedom while held captive by the love of two men—one her husband, the other her enemy. If only she could remember which one was which.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

My Jedi Master agent, Jennifer Weltz, executed the deal for me. I scored all the points when she decided to take me on as a client and she has since worked her jedi mind tricks all over the place in my name.

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

Roughly five weeks. When a story takes me as swiftly as Archetype did, I barely sleep in order to get it down on paper. The editing process prior to querying it probably took just as long, if not longer.
Prototype, on the other hand is taking me a while. I didn’t go into it with anything in mind, and other than the major plot points planned ahead of time, I’m winging the rest. But I have to say, I am in love with the way Emma’s story is continuing to unfold before my very eyes. I just wish it would unfold faster. I’m anxious to see how things turn out.

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

I don’t know that I would compare it to anything, but a couple people have thrown out The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I’ve never read it, though. I saw the movie when I was younger, so based off that, I can see where they’re coming from.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Emma inspired me. I have no explanation for how or why I woke that night from a deep sleep other than she exists in some way. Maybe you understand that, or maybe you don’t, but for me it’s reality.

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Oh, good question. Well, let’s see. I like to think Archetype has a little something for everyone. There’s a mystery to solve with a reveal I hope you don’t see coming. There is, of course, a love story with warm moments, as well as heartbreaking ones. Lastly, I’ve set it all up in a future that I hope, for our sake, never exists. I definitely played a “what if” card and took it to the extreme.

So that’s it! Now I can introduce and pass the torch to a few names you may, or may not, recognize.

Wendy Webb ~ Wendy is a fellow author from JVNLA and has just released The Fate of Mercy Alban with Hyperion. This is definitely on my To-Read pile…you can’t use the words “haunted” and “spine-tingling” in the same sentence and expect me to ignore it. If I didn’t, expect pigs to start flying.

Follow Wendy on Twitter @WendyWebb

 

Christi Barth ~ Christi is not only my local RWA chapter prez, but a fabulous contemporary romance author. I smoked just ONE of her novels in a single day, and I think that sucker was longer than MY novel. The final book in her Aisle Bound trilogy is coming out this year, so hopefully we can get the skinny on that

 

Follow Christi on Twitter @Christi_Barth

 

Derek Sherman ~ Derek’s debut, Race Across the Sky, comes to us this June via Plume/Penguin and is already getting great reviews.

“RACE ACROSS THE SKY is the single best running-related novel I've ever read. The story was more captivating than BORN TO RUN.” –Jason Robillard, author of THE BAREFOOT RUNNING BOOK

GO read the synopsis. I dare you not go add it to your TBR pile. No, I triple-dog dare you.

Follow Derek on Twitter @DSherman101

 

Melanie Thorne ~ Melanie is another of Denise Roy’s children whose debut novel Hand Me Down has already gotten a lot of great reviews. Throw in some words like “compelling,” “sympathetic,” “sad,” and “triumph over desperation” and I’m there. Maybe you should be too. Let’s take this ride together, shall we?

 

Follow Melanie on Twitter @mthorneauthor

 

AND FINALLY…

 

Lesley Livingston ~ #TeamJVNLA up in here today. You all must know Lesley from the Wondrous Strange, Never, and now Starling series. Descendant (Starling #2) is due August 27th from Harper Teen. If you haven’t already, and love a good paranormal YA, Lesley is a must read!

 

Follow Lesley on Twitter @LesLivingston

 

Click names to follow websites/blogs, and the pics will take you straight to GoodReads so you can add these books to your lists! These five authors will be answering the same 10 questions soon, so keep an eye out.

Thanks for stopping by!