Wednesday, December 12, 2012

WIP Wednesday and The Next Big Thing

Special thanks to Sandra Balzo for including me in The Next Big Thing blog hop! The rules for her accepting me in this great event are to answer the interview questions below and pass the torch on to other deserving authors. So here goes:

What is the working title of your Work in Progress?

Dylan's Song. It's the fourth book in the Black Swamp Mysteries series.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

There are two plots in the book which come together at the end. One plot involves finding and extracting a missing CIA operative. I got the idea from combing through declassified information about real operatives who were rescued. The second plot is more personal and involves Dylan's past, which he thought he left behind in Ireland. I love that country and knew I had to write at least one book that takes place there. So this was the perfect opportunity to intertwine two stories into one adventure.

What genre does your book fall under?

It is a suspense/thriller with a touch of the paranormal, thanks to psychic spy Vicki Boyd and her propensity for seeing ghosts.

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

Do you think Eduardo Verastegui (shown at right) could do an Irish accent?

I can definitely see Amy Adams as Vicki Boyd.

And Lindsay Lohan would be a shoe-in for bad girl Brenda Carnegie!

Sam was modeled after Robert DeNiro so there is no one else who could come close. :)

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Dylan Maguire returns to Ireland with Vicki Boyd to find and rescue a missing CIA operative, and while there he must confront a past he thought he'd left behind forever.

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

Drake Valley Press, who published the previous books in the Black Swamp Mysteries series, is scheduled to release the book in the spring of 2013.

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

About three months. I was under contract to write three books in 2012 so there was no time to waste!

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

I really can't think of any with a similar plot though there are some great ones that take place in Ireland.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to write a book set in Ireland and I wanted to show the readers the past that Dylan Maguire thought he'd left behind. Since he made his first appearance in Vicki's Key, there have been bits and pieces of his life before he came to America - but this book will pull it all together. Readers will see a part of him they've never seen before.

What else about your book might pique the readers interest?

If you like ghost stories and stories set in the moors of England, you'll enjoy Dylan's Song. It also has international intrigue, suspense and adventure so it would be of interest to those who enjoy reading about the CIA and their missions. It also sets up the next book in the series, which deals with American politics.

Now to pass on the torch so others can tell of their Work In Progress:

Pamela June Kimmell

Ginger King

Bonnie Watson