Friday, January 4, 2013

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

Thanks to my adorable but snarky critique partner, Andris Bear, I've been "tagged" in The Next Big Thing Blog Hop. And this thing is BIG. Big as the moon big! I'm not sure how long it's been going on, but you can back track through the blogs and see what all your favorite authors have been up to lately. And maybe even meet some new authors.

But be warned, this thing is exponential. Because whoever started it, tagged more than one author, who in turn, tagged several others.

Each author answers ten questions about their latest project, whether it's a new release, a work in progress, or in my case, a soon-to-be released paranormal romance from The Black Rose line of The Wild Rose Press.

Simple. Huh? And loads of fun. So here goes!

1. What is the working title of your book? Embrace the Darkness. It's more than a "working" title. The book just went to galley, which means a proof copy is being created to send to review sites. It means, I'll soon have a release date. It means, I already have a fabulous cover by the wonderful and talented Angela Anderson.

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

Embrace the Darkness is the sequel to my 2010 paranormal vampire romance, Out of the Darkness. As soon as I introduced Gerard Delaroche in OTD, I knew he'd have to have his own book. So, this is his story. There also some new characters as well as several "appearances" from old characters.

3. What is the genre of the book?

Both ETD and OTD are paranormal romances.

4.Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Easy. Wrestler/actor, John Cena would be perfect for Gerard Delaroche. I even mention his name in my book. And Jessica Biel could play former MP turned detective Amber Buckley. Yea, having even one of my books turned into a movie would definitely be a dream come true!

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

 To find their way into the light, Amber and Gerard must first EMBRACE THE DARKNESS.

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

It's being published by The Wild Rose Press.

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

 It took a little over three years from start to finish. I received the offer to publish Out of The Darkness on Mother's Day 2009. The book came out almost exactly a year to the date in May 2010. I started writing Embrace the Darkness (which was originally called Into the Light--thanks Andris Bear for suggesting the new title!) as soon as I completed the galleys for OTD. It was the first book in which I used a plot chart. But, when I got to chapter 10, I realized the story wasn't going to work. There were major plot holes and I had a problem with the heroine. So, I gave Gerard a different love interest and started over. From scratch. But I couldn't give the manuscript the attention it needed because between OTD and ETD, I published 3 other books. So, it's taken a bit longer than I'd planned.

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

I'd like to think I have an original voice and there's no comparison. lol! To be honest, the last vampire series I read was Jenna Black's Guardians of the Night series. Jenna was my critique partner for Out of the Darkness, but we have different styles/voices. But being compared to her would totally make my day.

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

I thought about doing a sequel to Out of the Darkness while writing it. But family, friends, and my co-workers at Granville Medical Center kept after me to "just do it." So, I did. And while researching ancient vampire legends, I came up with a working plot for Embrace the Darkness.

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

Vampirsm is a virus--a possibly curable virus. But will a cure for the condition lead to a war between mortals and immortals? I guess I'll have to write book three in the series to find out. lol!

Next author up? None other than Brenda Gayle. And no, we're not related, but don't you just love her last name? lol! Check back to see when Brenda's blog goes live and follow the tour!

10 comments:

  1. Did I really come up with your title?! I don't remember that far back. Lol. I'm happy to take the credit though. ;] Congrats on this finally coming to fruition! You know how much I love Frenchie! ;}

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  2. Pulled "Out of the Darkness" to the top of the pile, so I can be ready for this one. Keep an eye on that snar-uh partner of yours - between the two of you, I need a bigger library! Congrats!!

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  3. Andris, you suggested that if I were writing a series, I'd should have a cool series name. Two of your suggestions for the sequel were Embraced by Darkness and Embrace the Darkness. A google search showed no books entitled Embrace the Darkness. And so, that's the name I chose. My editor loved it. Donna, I've been lucky enough to see first drafts of Andris' stuff, but she owes me a read. lol!I'm still waiting for her latest. And I still have your books on my ereader. I have got to find more time for reading!

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    1. That's right-I had forgotten about that! Good Lord, thirty-five years old and I'm losing my mind. *shrug* It wasn't much use anyway. Lol!

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  4. I love the idea you have about a vampire virus. Good luck with your book. And you have a great book cover, btw. :):)

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    1. Thanks Christine. And I look forward to having you on my blog on the 18th. You have a new release. Don't you?

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  5. I'm so excited to learn how far along this book is now to a reality! Can't wait to get my copy! I hearing about the journey to publication - and can't wait for book three! Actually - the series could go longer than three books, couldn't it?...pretty please... ;)

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  6. LaVerne, you could be my publicist. Or trainer. Do they "make" author trainers? lol! Yes, I have plans for 3 more books. Reid & Sonia's story, Nicholas' story, and Axle's story. But seeing as I write so slowly, it may be a new millennium before I complete the series. And my editor, Lill Farrell might get tired of waiting on the next book. lol!

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  7. I love Lilly Gayle's books and OUT OF THE DARKNESS was the first one I read! I hadn't read any vampire books before, but I surely was hooked from the first page to the last. Now, before long, I will be able to read EMBRACE THE DARKNESS. The anticipation is astounding.

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  8. Thanks Becky. I hope you're not disappointed.

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