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Favorite Genres is hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh.
Movies: old science fiction and Jane Austen type films [British historical], anything to do with Jane Austen
Music: I’m an alternative gal
Books: Jane Austen, classic literature, literature, historically based fiction, and sci-fi/fantasy
Television: Science Fiction, historically based [ie, Rome, Spartacus]
Guilty pleasure: a good rom com and silly comedies
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Around the Blogosphere
Julie Flanders signed a contract last week for her novel, Polar Night. Congrats Julie on that awesome news!
Holly Sinclair, better known as Southpaw, has published a cookbook. World Cuisine at Home : International Family Menus & Recipes From Around the World. Congrats Holly!
Tim Brannon is hosting the Monstrous Monday bloghop on Monday, October 29th.
Next Big Thing
I was tagged by Paty Jager and Libby Heily for the Next Big Thing. The rules are, answer a few questions about your book and tag five people.
What is the working title of your book? The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear is now in final edits, and I set the official launch date for November 12th.
Graduation from community college isn’t the magic elixir Hetty Locklear counts on for becoming an adult. Her parents, who work the Renaissance fair circuit, insist she spend part of the summer with them. Hetty doubts pretending to live in the Middle Ages will help her find her way.
To make it worse, an entity haunts her at her dead-end job, warning her of a dangerous man she doesn’t know. The ghost leads her to a lover who has a lot of secrets. He pulls her farther into peril and into a strange, hidden world of genetic experimentation.
Where did the idea come from for the book? The Hetty Locklear series was born from a speech by George W. Bush. Something about animal-human hybrids. For a moment, I laughed. Then I thought, what if it’s true … Recently we had a chat about Area 52 up at the observatory to explain some lights in the distance. Oregon often inspires me.
What genre does your book fall under? Hetty is speculative fiction, but will be sold under urban fantasy. Lots of contemporary sci-fi in it, too. Humor. Romance. A bit like a Bridget Jones sort of thing. It’s a big mishmash. After book one, it goes deeper into fantasy.What actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? I actually tend to go find photos in stock images for covers and trailers. Pay me enough for the movie rights, and I’m happy with whoever is selected.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Foibles of a young gal trying to grow up, who is so blinded by her goals she gets pulled into a perilous hidden world of genetic experimentation.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? Indie all the way
How long did it take you to write the first draft of this manuscript? I think I started the first draft around February. Maybe. Polished draft was sent to my editor mid-August. Release date is November 12th. It’ll be sitting around a few weeks.
Who or what inspired you to write this book? Plantgirl and the speech mentioned inspired the Hetty Locklear series.
What else about your book might pique readers’ interests? Hetty’s parents left her to run off and work at Renaissance fairs. They’re trying to reconnect with her in this book. Hetty is stalked by a possible ghost. She runs an online RPG and works part-time at a convenience store. She’s detained as a possible terrorist, and meets a knightly man who claims he can solve all her problems. Yeah, be very afraid if something comes along and sounds too good to be true. At least if you’re a character in one of my books. Whereas the other series mentions chocolate a lot, this one has a thing for donuts.
Tagging five people [I'm probably one of the last to do this, so you've all probably been tagged already]: Jay Noel, Jon Mac, Tania Walsh, DG Hudson, and Laura Eno. Yeah, what are you all working on?
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Great picks! Your guilty pleasures are on my favourites list LOL!
I was going to read it anyway, but then you mentioned donuts. Mary, you speak my language.
Can’t wait for you next book, Mary.
And we share the same guilty pleasure!
Thanks for participating in my blogfest.
*tries to peel the tag off her forehead – nice aim, Mary*
Hetty sounds AWESOME! I can’t wait to read it!
Woo hoo!!!! Rock on, Hetty! Love love LOVE that story. And hey, enjoying the fest by Alex, too! I also love old scifi and Jane Austin brit films. In music, I’m just all over the place. But for books it’s romance-any sub-genre. :D Yay! <3
I really like the premise of the Locklear series and I absolutely love where you got the inspiration! :) If is a nicely done as your Backworlds series (which I love) it will be a winner.
Thanks for the shoutout.
Great picks! Science fiction was a given.
I believe, Kyra, comedy should be silly. The sillier, the more I like it.
My crit group is miffed I made them eat donuts several times in the course of reading the draft version, Libby.
Great minds guilt alike, Alex. :)
I don’t think I saw you tagged yet, Laura. I might be wrong. My memory isn’t always great.
I look forward to reading your new book, Leigh.
Thank you, Holly. That makes me feel warm and fuzzy. A great way to start the day.
Yeah, it is a given with me.
Love your list! YOUR book sounds fab…!
Love Jane Austen :D
Looks like a book full of surprises! Congrats!
I love Pride and Prejudice.
Your next book sounds great!
It’s fun to see how the genre favs, but I REALLY liked reading all the answers to the questions about your new book.
Great choices and congrats to the announcees! Having your character run an online RPG is a unique motivation. I like it.
Hetty sounds great! And, gee, we seem to be treading the same ground with the genetic hybrid theme. As far as your genre faves, I have trouble getting into Austen, but hopefully one of these days… But I love alt rock, and scifi, even the corny stuff.
Inspired by George W? Oh man….that’s so funny.
Is there anything NU-Q-LER in your book?
I didn’t expect you’d list Jane Auster *before* sci-fi! :D
Yes. That would be Jane AusteN.
We share the same taste in music and guilty pleasures!
I read almost exclusively sci-fi and fantasy books for fun, but Jane Austen is the exception to that. I love her books.
Comedies are a guilty pleasure for me as well. I love Bill Murray.
Hetty sounds like a delicious combination, fellow alternative gal. ;)
All great picks! I love Jane Austen, too.
Thanks, Ella.
None of it surprises me at this point, Paty … but I’ve read it a few hundred times.
I love P&P, too, Kathy. Altho S&S is my ultimate fav.
Thanks, Brinda. I hope to be done with it soon. Seems I want to make a new cover for it …
Some of that comes from experience, Maurice. :) Altho, I’ve never run one.
Genetics seems to be my theme this year, Catherine. And for the next several years until both series are done.
I hate to admit it, Jay, but it’s true. Hard to believe, but … yeah, he inspired stuff.
Jane is always first, Suze.
Perhaps that could be your next thriller, Nancy. :D Just kidding.
She is awesome, Allison.
He’s funny, Melissa. I like Will Ferrill at the moment. Chris Farley and John Candy always crack me up though.
She’s great, Miranda.
I noticed how Jane Austen and historical kept creeping in to your answers.
I like historical fiction along the lines of Dorothy Dunnett or Diana Gabaldon (hers may be a blend).
Visiting to check out your faves in the contest!
Gotta’ love a comedy. Sometimes I’m in the mood for silly, while sometimes I’m in the mood for horror and then I NEED something silly afterward. Hetty sounds great! Good luck on the upcoming release.
Shannon at The Warrior Muse
I don’t know why it takes me forever to find your comment button. Well, I love pretty much the same as you. Nice choices.
Ooh, I love anything Jane Austen and rom coms as well :).
I just have to say that I LOVE that you named Spartacus as a fave. That show gets a lot of flack and I know so many people who are down on it, but it’s absolutely amazing. The writing, the characters, the setting…every bit about it. Even the new Spartacus is really good…although Andy Whitfield will always have my heart!
Great genre picks! And I love your answers for the tag. I’m really excited for that book.
scifi and Jane Austen is an interesting mix!
Good luck with finalising your edits for The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear.
I’m like you, I love science fiction and classics. Funny how we can enjoy such differing genres.
I love Jane Austen too. That’s funny about getting inspired from a Bush speech. Did he mispronounce anything in the speech? I heard one speech where he said “nucular weapons” instead of “nuclear weapons” repeatedly. Ugh.
This looks so fun and easy I should have probably jumped in but I barely have time to write these days, let along be a full participant in a blogfest. The one I am doing next month, well, I’ll confess: I probably won’t do much blog hopping. Cheers!
Rom Coms were my favorite movie genre. I really need to read Jane Austen. I feel like the only female on the planet *over a certain age* who hasn’t, although I’m sure that’s not true. I’ve seen the movies and loved them, but I don’t think that really counts.
Although Romantic comedies are not my favorite, I like all your choices.. For many years I lived in a house with my wife, my MIL and our four daughters. So you KNOW, I’ve seen more than my share of them. Loved your interview about the book. You are very interesting and have a great attitude about things.
We all love a good laugh when we’re in a silly mood. Adam Sandler and Jack Black comedies are my favourites.
My best friend lived in Seattle during the rise of alternative and grunge, and the music scene was really wild. So many great bands that never made it out of Seattle.
hey hey, sci fi!! and alternative!
and love those brit films, especially w/colin firth!
sounds like a great character & story! foibles!
Outlander is a good book, DG. I was listening to it on CD. I need to finish it at some point.
I need silly at times, too, Shannon.
At the side, Clarissa, or just click on the post title.
Jane is wonderful, Isis.
I hear you on Andy, Tamara. I agree. Spartacus is amazing. The first season ender had to be about the most exciting hour of television I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t watch anything else for weeks. Everything else was so boring compared to that.
Thanks, Christine.
It’s all about leaving the present I think, Lynda. Whether forward or back, it’s an escape.
I think both speak volumes to things we don’t have access to in the present, Ciara. At least, that’s what I see as the similarity.
He probably did, Tonja. I only remember the animal-human hybrid part. I thought it silly, but it did make me think.
Great to hear you’re writing, Danette. Keep on with it.
You do need to read her, Kari. All romances come from Jane’s stories. You’ll start to recognize the similarities in newer stories.
You must have seen them all, Pat.
Jack Black is enjoyable, JC. I enjoy Will Ferill, too.
I used to go out and listen to bands sometimes in NYC, Diane. A lot of those bands weren’t heard of beyond it’s city limits. I remember seeing Soul Asylum and Camper Van Beethoven.
I just rewatched the Firth P&P, Tara. It’s great.
I’m sure you told me not to feel guilty about rom coms on my blog, and yet you’ve listed them as your guilty pleasure too! lol
Your book has certainly piqued my interest!
Interesting picks!
And The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear sounds awesome! I look forward to reading it.
Rom Coms are showing up on a lot of lists, so I guess no one needs to feel guilty any more! :-)
My wife has me watching more than my fair share of romantic comedies. Haha. Your next book sounds really interesting! :)
Hello, Mary. Long time, no see. :) Thanks for participating in the hop. I’m a sucker for Rom Coms, too. You wouldn’t think so being the horror guy, but it’s true.
-Jimmy
I loved Rome.