Blog hopping with The Next Big Thing

I was invited to tag along with the The Next Big Thing Blog hop by Gayle Hayes, author of The Sunset Witness and The Scrimshaw Set novels.

The Next Thing Blog Hop issues 10 questions about your current Work In Progress which an author answers on their blog, and then tags other authors to do the same on their blogs or websites in the following week.

You can find out more about Gayle and her novels at http://wwwgaylehayes.blogspot.com.au/

Now - I can't reveal too much about my WIP, so in the spirit of Seinfeld I've tried to answer by telling you everything and nothing at the same time.

What is the title of your current work in progress?

There are two potential titles vying for attention, like siblings trying to outdo each other, so the jury's still out. We'll have to leave it as "Untitled." Most probably to be released under the same name as my first two novels, but who knows? So for the purposes of this interview, we'll call the WIP "Untitled," by Unknown. Hope that's clear :)

I've always had a sneaking suspicion that a book called Untitled by Unknown with a vague synopsis would be a big seller.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

There were several inspirations. A visit to a family member at a medieval-style battle- fun day made me wonder how those methods would fit into a modern day crime scenario. A news story a few months later added fuel to the idea.

What genre does the book fall under?

Suspense/Thriller

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

In keeping with the noncommittal tone of 'Untitled," by Unknown, I'd want - for the male lead character - Mr. Up-And-Coming-About-To-Break-Big. And for the female star - Ms. About-To-Be-This-Year's-IT Girl. I'd sign them up now if I knew who they were.

For the second male lead -  a laid-back but dedicated FBI guy - I could see Chris Hemsworth or Sam Worthington fitting the bill. But they'd have to work for free. Tight budget.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

If we told you what this book is about, we'd have to kill you.

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

I'm currently publishing through my own imprint, Sunfire, but this is a rapidly-changing industry and so it's important to keep all options open. Never say never...except when you do.

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

18 months. Currently revising and editing.

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

My previous novels, 'Disappear,' and 'The Delta Chain,' are thrillers with underlying elements of science, forensics and high-tech. My new work will have a mix of some of those. I'm crap at comparing to other books, however I can say that some of the authors I've read and been inspired by, who have books with some of those elements, are Allan Folsom, John Case, Tess Gerritsen.


Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I have read accounts of executives, who walked away from the corporate world after a life-changing event. It caused them to revaluate what they were looking for in life. I  felt many people, including myself,  could identify with events that cause them such reflections. My novel's main protaganist is confronted with this.

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

For several years there have been growing protests against economic and social inequality, for example the G8 protests and the Occupy Movement. My thriller blends the ancient and the modern against this backdrop as a murder investigation unfolds.


Joining me on the Blog Hop are the following authors

Chris Everheart at http://www.ChrisEverheart.com

and

Grettir Jacob at http://grettirjacobs.com/

Check their blogs for their Next Big Thing interviews from  Wednesday 23rd January.