I've Been Tagged: The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

I'm not usually one for internet tags (nothing against them, I just try to keep to craft-related topics on the blog), but this one has a writing angle so it seemed fitting. It's been going around for a few weeks now, so you've no doubt read some already. If not, the game is to answer ten questions about your current writing project, then tag five authors to answer the same questions on their blogs. It's a fun way to chat about our projects and share what we're working on.

I was tagged for this by science fiction author Alex Hughes, whose debut novel, Clean, came out a few months ago (and a great book to boot), by fantasy writer A.J. Bradley, and by science fiction and fantasy author Juliette Wade. When you're poked three times, you kinda have to do it (grin).

Without further ado, here are the answers for my Next Big Thing:

Ten Interview Questions for the Next Big Thing:

What is your working title of your book?

Stolen Loyalty

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I love fantasy novels and spy novels, and thought, "wouldn't it be cool to do a spy novel in a fantasy setting?" The idea came to me back in January 2008, shortly after I'd finished writing The Shifter, but it took a while to do anything with it. I'd worked on the story and a few chapters while polishing and querying. Then it kept getting pushed aside, and I didn't get a chance to go back to it until after the trilogy was done.

What genre does your book fall under?

YA fantasy, but it has spy thriller and romance elements. It's a Salt meets Romeo and Juliette thing, but without all the tech.

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

Selena Gomez - Amaru (my female protagonist)
Jake T. Austin - Jahan (my male protagonist)
Adam Irigoyen - Qinto
David Archuleta - Hinzela
Jimmy Smits - Xiomo
David Zayas - Uncle Efran
Andy Garcia - Tavaris
John Huertas - Dusi
Hector Elizondo - Isamar

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

A deep-cover spy gets caught between love and loyalty when she uncovers a plot to assassinate the boy she's spying on.

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

Represented by an agency, and hopefully purchased by the publisher of my MG fantasy trilogy (The Healing Wars, from Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins) My editor is very excited about the idea, so fingers crossed.

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

Really hard to say. I wrote huge chunks of it, then gutted it and started over, then did it again, and again. I'd say it's around 18 months since even though it's done, I still feel it's in early draft form. There's more work to do before it's ready. It's been one of those books. The final plot and story changed dramatically from those first notes back in 2008.

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

Graceling probably comes closest.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

It just popped into my head one morning while I was lying warm and comfy in bed and didn't want to get up. I was reading/watching a lot of spy stuff around then, which I'm sure had something to do with it.

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

One of the things that drew me to this story was the idea of a teen undercover spy. Part of being a teen is figuring out who you are, and spies are required to lie about who they are, so what if you had someone trying to figure out who they were but could never actually be who they were? That sense of identity and the masks we wear to survive really fascinated me. My tagline for this novel sums it up perfectly: It's hard to know who you are when your life depends on being someone else.

There's also a fun romance angle, and I love the setting. It has an Inca-inspired flavor to it with a mountaintop city that's different from the typical fantasy setting. I think the mystery within mysteries will also keep readers guessing. Nothing is what it seems.

My Five Authors to Tag:

Jami Gold, romance author who also writes a fantastic writing blog and has a very cool novel in the works.

Angela Quarles, romance author and self-proclaimed geek girl.

Elizabeth Dulemba, picture book author/illustrator off Lula's Brew (and many others) who's moving in to the MG/YA arena with some very cool stories.

Natalie Bahm, MG author of The Secret Underground, who donated the proceeds of that book to a family with a critical ill child.

Stina Lindenblatt, YA/NA author and blogger who's a lot darker and edgier than she looks.

So, what are you currently working on?

Rules for The Next Big Thing Blog Hop:

***Use this format for your post
***Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (work in progress)
***Tag five 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 your working title of your book?
Where did the idea come from for the book?
What genre does your book fall under?
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Include the link of who tagged you and this explanation for the people you have tagged.