The Next Big Thing Week 8

I would like to thank Jonathan Gould for tagging me for this wonderful author event called the Next Big Thing. Please stop by and see him 😉

Before beginning to answering the questions, I’ll tell you I was torn about what WIP to write about–I have a lot of irons in the fire so to speak, but they’re all from the same series. I have my Book #3 Black Hand Vacation that I need to edit and publish after Book#2 Escape from Ancient Egypt. Book#2 will be submitted to a publisher–just not sure which one yet. Or, I have the one I haven’t started writing yet: Book #5 Danger in Ancient Qari.

So, after much deliberation I decided to take this time to talk about Book#3 Black Hand Vacation. Makes since to talk about what comes after Book #2, right? Thought so.

Now to the questions.

The vacation part of the story comes from simply the fact that even Chosen Ones need a vacation, especially ones with hectic three sided lives. Neiko is inundated with trouble at the start of the book where she cries “I need a vacation!” However, it’s not as easy as just going on vacation when you want to when so many people are after you. Will this be a normal vacation? Not a chance.

There is talk about a dangerous Indian secret society called the Black Hand that has been starting trouble after remaining quiet for 25 years–where the “Black Hand”  comes from.

Putting them together is the “vacation” is actually a putting in hiding from Neiko’s normal enemies and the Black Hand who starts attacking the Seven Tribes as well as other tribes across the US/Hawote.

I guess the idea for the Black Hand sort of comes from learning about a similar secret society that assassinated the archduke that started WWI. “Black Hand” almost seems like a name of a Native American secret society/terrorist group in some ways.

In a nutshell fantasy, but it’s a fantasy action adventure/thriller with some mystery, paranormal, and scifi. It has the action and suspense of a thriller. Mysteries and puzzles to solve before it’s too late. The fantasy is secret lands, parallel worlds, and magic. Where’s the scifi, you ask? There is science, toxicology, and metallurgy among some other things! The paranormal–there is a trip to a paranormal dimesion as well as paranormal activity with Neiko’s former husband/lover Ramesses II she didn’t completely ditch in the past. A lot can fit into the fantasy package, but not the other way around. 😛

As far as age group it is for upper MG and YA (tweens and teens and big kids at heart). Not recommended for small kids. I would rate it at PG-PG13 range.

Let’s see…at the beginning of the story we have appearances with familiar characters, and then we get to meet some of the new ones. Some of the characters I don’t know, but I would love Native American actors for them! For the ones I can think of here goes:

Ramses the Setting Sun, the Dark Pharaoh    Vin Diesel

Osiris the Blade   Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Ramesses II   Ralph Fiennes

Akhenaten (his paranormal debut)   Jason Statham

Monganata     Steven Seagal

Nightcrawler/Quick Death Dwaybe Johnson (if not Osiris)

Monchiska  Taylor Laughtner

Neiko a green-eye Native American actress

After 25 years the Black Hand has reawakened with a new overlord and reeking havoc in Hawote, can Neiko, her mentor, and the Tribes solve the puzzle and stop them before it’s too late?

I will probably remain an indie. The most traditional I will go is with a hybrid small press ;).

It took me about a year to write the first draft after it had been bouncing around my head since my teens; I was just writing other stuff back then. That was before now with all the hard core marketing and stuff 😉

On it’s own my story is awfully unique, but the closest things I can think of are the Chronicles of Narnia, The Indian and the Cupboard, Harry Potter, The Redwall Series, and Percy Jackson. It’s kinda-sorta a splice of these, but yet it isn’t and is miles away.

I guess it’s more of the lines of “what”. My own backwood and backyard adventures and the worlds I created inspired and influenced my writing. This book is just continuation of the saga that was born from this.

This book has a very strong female lead. In the midst of all the danger and adventure there is also humor and wit. Also if you’re scared of snakes and other creepy crawlies there may be chills to go with the thrills.

Here are the lovely people I tagged. Go by and say hi and pay them a visit! 😀

Rules***Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (Work In Progress)

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing: