Guess what? I've been tagged by Suzanne Furness with the Be Inspired Meme. What does this mean? I get to answer a few questions about my current project and pass this on to five others. Problem is I'm at a bit of a crossroad with two projects, so I'll flip a coin between Woven and The Undead Road. Here goes ... Woven wins!
What is the name of your book? - Woven
Where did the idea for your book come from? - I would love to say it was all my idea, but I can't. My good friend told me a concept for a story he had for ten years, after reading a manuscript of mine. The premise was simple and I fell in love with the concept immediately. I was like, "why have you not written this yet? It's the most original thing I've heard in half my life!" So we teamed up and added tons more to the concept. This story required two artists to write it.
In what genre would you classify your book? - Short version: YA Fantasy. Long version: YA High Fantasy with paranormal elements.
If you had to pick actors to play your characters in a movie rendition who would you choose? - We recently scanned over a few actors for character models to help our character description. They might be a little too old for the roles now, but I always imagined Lucas Till and AnnaSophia Robb as the lead guy and girl. Given a few years, I can totally see Elle Fanning in the role, too. And who wouldn't love to see Christopher Lloyd as a wizard? Seriously, he is who we want. Still deciding on who would fill in the other characters best.
Give us a one sentence synopsis of your book? - Nels must rely on a princess to help him find a magic needle that can sew him back to life.
Is your book already published? - It should be, but not yet.
How long did it take you to write your book? - Three years. That seems like a lot, but collaborations do take more time. We also planned out a trilogy in case the first book (which we wrote as a standalone) is received well. We both moved at one time and I sustained a head injury. I literally had to learn how to write again.
What other books within your genre would you compare it to? Or readers of which books would enjoy yours? - Our alpha and beta readers have compared our book to the fantasy works of Shannon Hale, and Gennifer Albin, the author of the upcoming Crewel (which also has a sewing magic system) endorsed our take on the similar concepts we shared. If you happen to like the nail-biting pace and grit that's found in James Dashner's books, it has that appeal.
Which authors inspired you to write this book? - Again, Shannon Hale, but mostly my coauthor, Michael R. Jensen.
Tell us anything that might pique our interest in your book? - What's made this book special for me are the subtleties and the attention it took to feel real. Magic plays a small role in the overall story. There are no mythical or magical creatures. It's a ghost story set in an alternate medieval Scandinavia. Most important of all, it's a story about character, of overcoming fears and filling your potential. It's a story about unity and purpose, how everyone is connected, or woven - as it were - and the effect we all share in our reality.
That's the scoop! Hopefully we'll find a home for this soon so you can check out this story. Until then, it's time to pass this to five others. From those who commented in my last post, I randomly select:
Michael Offutt
Caroyln V
Tracy Bermeo
Susan Gourley/Kelley
Angela Brown
That's all for now, friends. Have an amazing day!
I'm David, and I don't know what Spirulina is, but I drank it!