Week 19 of the Next Big Thing Blog Hop

“The past few years have been full of high profile reads. from Twilight to 50 Shades of Gray, Love um or hate um, you have to admit you have at least heard of them.

As Independent Authors we all dare to dream we will be next runaway bestseller, and, well, let’s face it, you never know ... right?

With that thought I jumped on this Hop.  What is a blog hop? Well I didn’t know until I asked.

Basically, it’s an Independent Authors game of tag.      

One author posts, and then tags five other authors, who each link back to them. Exponentially, it is a marketing gold mine, and you my fair reader have hopefully just increased your “to read list.” Finding new and exciting authors you may never have found otherwise. Some of us are still writing, others are just being released. Either way, for Fiction Lovers, a treasure trove awaits and I’d like to thank fellow author S.R. Howen for tagging me to participate.”

Click the links to find out about S.R. Howen’s books:
Facebook
Main Blog
Author's Web Page
Purchase Page

The Next Big Thing Questionaire:

1: What is the working title of your book?
The Chosen of the Light: Spirit Summoner (Book One in a series of three)

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?
I pull my ideas from all sorts of different areas, including mythologies and religions from around the world. The four basic elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water mystified me as a child while also seeming so natural and omnipresent, so that framework can be seen in my novel.

But if I had to choose one idea, one source, I would have to attribute a lot of recognition to Terry Brooks. After reading The Sword of Shannara, I wanted to create an epic fantasy on the same level. He inspired me to create my own world with a history, races, and topography, and once I did that, the story fell into place.

3: What genre does your book fall under?
High Fantasy, without the epic length.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I've had a really hard time with this one. I've never seen an actor pop out at me and I think to myself, "That's Darr." James McAvoy seems like the right type though. His sister, Jinn, would be someone like Rebecca Breeds. For the unnamed prophet, I would need someone with the presence of Alan Rickman, but unfortunately, the red-headed, broad features of Danny Bonaduce.

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Tasked with restoring ancient magic to the world of Ictar, Darr Reintol sets off to save it, but his actions may end up destroying the world he’s trying to protect.

6: Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I have signed to publish with Wild Child Publishing, and I don’t have representation at this time.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The first draft was written back in 1997, and it took me about 6 months to write. It then took another 10 years to polish it up.

8: What other books would you compare this story to, within your genre?
The Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks, and CJ Cherryh’s Fortress in the Eye of Time. I chose Brooks’ novel because of its darker undertones, and Cherryh’s because, like her world, mine has a mysterious history set against uncertain times.

9: Who or What inspired you to write this book? 
A lot of different people and things have inspired me to write. Interesting people, fantastic stories in comic books and video games, the outdoors, and my own imagination have been sources of inspiration over the years.

But my mom was the truest source of inspiration in writing this book. All those years ago, when these ideas were first coming into being, she was the one who listened and also encouraged me to expand my imagination. Most importantly, she encouraged me to create stories and helped me put them down on paper. Seeing her pursue her own creative talents with music was inspiring as well. Without her, I don’t know that writing would have ever occurred to me as an outlet for my imagination.

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Spirit Summoner is about a young Summoner struggling to find his place in the world and the consequences this struggle has. I relate pretty heavily to him. He wants what he thinks the world has to show him, and when he gets it, he finds he is in way too deep. But he can’t give up, and he refuses to run away. Once you get what you ask for, you can’t simply send it back.

But of course, this is a high fantasy. The world of Ictar is diverse and its history is long, brutal, and even predated by an ancient civilization. Magic runs deep through this land, an integral part of its survival, even when it’s closely watched and forbidden to explore. The Spirit Summoners share a connection with this magic, but this connection is not easily tapped into and it’s dangerous to do so.

Below is a list of writers and authors who will be joining my blog. Thank you for reading, and I hope you find some interesting writing!
Matt

Shell Flower:
http://www.tangentshell.blogspot.com/

Spencer Ellsworth
http://spencerellsworth.blogspot.com

Billy Wong
[email protected]
http://www.facebook.com/billy.m.wong
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58445