I was asked by two authors on the
same day, so I’m tagged from the first e-mail I received – Keith Pyeatt (http://keithpyeatt.blogspot.com/). But also go see Kris Neri (www.KrisNeri.com).
These are the rules/questions:
Rule details:-
Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (Work In Progress)
- Tag five (or fewer) other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them.
Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:
What is the working title of your book?
Gee, I feel like a slacker because
I don’t have one. Me and titles – we’re
complicated. I tend to brainstorm titles
at the last minute. I’m calling the
project WitchDuck as I work on it. That’s where the kernel of the idea
started…which leads me to the next question.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
There is a road in Virginia Beach
called Witchduck Road; I hear it referenced in the traffic reports in the
mornings. The name intrigued me. I did
some Goggling and found it refers to Grace Sherwood who was the only Virginian
to be convicted of witchcraft.
Back in 1706, Grace was tested for
innocence by being dunked (or ducked as they said back then) into a pond to see
if she would float. Float = guilty of
witchcraft. Sinking below the surface of
the water = innocence (but too bad because you would probably drown). Grace floated.The witch trials and accusers went after people who were different. Three hundred years later, people who seem different are still persecuted in one way or another. Even towns that refuse to accept the influx of sameness from the big box and chain stores, restaurants, hotels, and office parks lose tax money and traffic from the hordes of people who crave the numbing sense of sameness.
Each town seems to have a
Wal-Mart, Lowes, and Home Depot with an Appleby’s and Olive Garden at the edge
of the parking lots. Sometimes I have no
idea which town I’m in. I’m a big supporter of local independent businesses.
The idea was born to construct
characters who are chastised for not fitting in. They lose things important to
them because they do not comply. I’m using an ancestor in the 1700s accused of
witchcraft to parallel the lives of her contemporary descendents.
What genre does your book fall under?
Good question…I would probably set
it as historical or maybe a mystery since the main plot is a cross-generational
mystery.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a
movie rendition?
I list these like I have thought
about it. But, I’m trying to list people
I like and who seem to have some of the character’s personality. I don’t keep up with pop culture, so my
answers may be a bit dated – hopefully these actors are still working.- Anna (the witch): Michelle Pfeiffer or Julianne Moore
- Taliesin: James Franco
- Cliodhna: Reese Witherspoon (love her because she reminds me of my niece Whitney)
- Brigid: Kirsten Dunst (love her because she reminds me of my niece Courtney)
- Finn: Colin Farrell (had a drink with him in Jerome, Arizona – he doesn’t know that since we were ten feet away from each other)
- Granny: Shirley Maclaine or Frances Fisher
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? (Really it
is three sentences – I can’t comply)
Struggling musician Taliesin
searches for the reasons his father vanished one night 26 years ago. The
disappearance leads Taliesin and his cousins to discover parallels between
themselves and their ancestors of over 300 years before. As it was then, and now,
being an outsider can be murder.
Will your book be
self-published, sent to an independent publisher, or represented by an agency
to a large house?
I plan to have this published
through Cherokee McGhee as were the last two books.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your
manuscript?
Hmmm, still haven’t finished the
draft. Once that’s done, I can have it
ready for an editor in about five months. After that, it takes about a year to
hit the shelves. 2014??
What other books would you compare this story to within
your genre?
There are no other books like this
one!! It has bits of family saga,
history, mystery, and mythology. I think
I aspire to be a mix of Lee Smith, Bobbie Ann Mason, and Tony Hillerman.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
People who know me and my family
will see the Lillys here: my father, uncles and aunt, along with my
grandparents. I get a lot of inspiration
from family history.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s
interest?
If a reader knows Irish mythology, there will be multiple
layers revealed in the symbolism. If you don’t then it will just be a damn good
story – that may spur you to dig deeper into the tales and legends of our
ancestors before us.
They will post next Wednesday, December 5, about their Next Big Thing.
Tag – you’re next week’s posts:
Narielle Living
Narielle Living is the author of the novel Signs of the South, a novella in the
collection Chesapeake Bay Christmas,
and the upcoming novel Past Unfinished.Website: www.NarielleLiving.com
Michelle Moore
Michelle Moore is a North Carolina writer inspired by quirky
characters; she has written of cats and criminals with a work in progress set
in the Great Dismal Swamp.
Website: www.MichelleAMoore.com
William Torgerson
William J. Torgerson is an assistant professor in the Institute for Writing Studies at St.
John's University in New York. In addition to novels and screenplays, William
writes short stories and articles on teaching and writing.
Website: http://thetorg.com/
John Bray
John Bray is a retired attorney, member of Chesapeake Bay
Writers, author of THE BALLAD OF JOHNNY MADIGAN, THE CONFIDENTIAL and CODE
NAME: CALEB, the sequel to Johnny Madigan, all published by BeWrite Books.
Work-in-progress working title, OPERATION REBOUND, sequel to
Confidential.Blog: www.poppa10sblog.blogspot.com
Pamela K. Kinney
Journey to worlds of fantasy, beyond the stars, and into the
vortex of terror with the written word of Pamela K. Kinney.Website: http://FantasticDreams.50megs.com Blog: http://PamelaKKinney.blogspot.com
3 comments:
Great post, Greg. Interesting background to the witchduck/odd duck book.
It was fun. Those questions had me thinking deeper about the plot. Thanks for tagging me!
Boy, you are fantastic at the short synopsis. I have a heck of a time with that. Enjoyed the glimpse into your process!
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