There are always lots of things for an independent author to do and we are always looking for ways to connect with other writers and, of course, readers. So when Steven Montano contacted me to be part of the Next Big Thing Blog Hop, how could I say no? I’ve heard that the hop originated on She Writes and has just kept going and going. It’s a great opportunity and Steven is a great guy, so here I am.
Here’s how it works: you’re reading the introduction, which included a link to the fine gentleman who tagged me (see above), then I’ll answer 10 questions about my current work in progress (Spirit of the King – Khirro’s Journey Book 2) and tag five more writers at the end to do the same thing next week. If you’re one of them, just follow this format.
I hate instructions, so on with the fun.
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1. What is the working title of your book?
Spirit of the King (Khirro’s Journey Book 2)
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2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
That’s a tough one for me to recall because it is the second part of a two-part series. The start of the whole thing goes back about 8 years. I think I had just started reading George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series (see? I’m not just a TV series bandwagoner) and was inspired to write an epic fantasy. All I knew at the start of it was that I didn’t want my protagonist to be some super-heroic type and that it would be a quest story, like most epic fantasy. After some brain storming, the idea that Khirro would actually be cursed to carry out his quest rather than doing so of his own accord generated the rest of the story.
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3. What genre does your book fall under?
Epic fantasy. Heroic fantasy. High fantasy. Take your pick.
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4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
It’s funny that I never have a ready answer to this question, because I think my books would make great movies. Khirro is a simple farmer, not a true warrior, and in his early 20s, not the big, heroic type…maybe Joseph Gordon Levitt. My wife loves him (that’s for you, honey). For his companion, Athryn, probably Garrett Hedlund. Elyea would be an older version of the girl from the movie Brave. Therrador? How about Leo DiCaprio. And the Archon has to be drop dead gorgeous with a touch of nasty…Raquel Welch in her heyday. Now I’m tired, the casting director is going to have to choose the rest.
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5. What is the one sentence synopsis for your book?
With the spirit of the king living inside him, Khirro is the last hope to save the kingdom.
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6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Self-published, unless something unforeseen happens in the near future.
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7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
For this one, I think about 4 years. That’s a very long time for me, but I wrote two other novels in the time I was writing it.
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8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Probably George Martin for the grittiness and Tolkien for the quest element, though I tend to be less wordy than both. The one thing that makes my epic fantasy different from many others is that I don’t get into as many of the tiny detail. I don’t care what they ate for dinner; I like to give the reader hints and let them fill in the nitty-gritty.
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9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I think reading so much great fantasy through the years inspired me to write it. Building an entire world from scratch is so liberating and so much fun. Everyone should try it at least once!
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10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Anything goes in this book, and no one is safe. Athryn, the Archon, and the Necromancer all pull out the magical stops in the fight for Erechania, while Khirro has a few tricks up his own sleeve, whether he wants them or not. Throw in a crap load of soldiers raised from the dead, a boy separated from his father, and a pissed-off ex-girlfriend and you’ve got a book brimming with action and surprises. If you liked Blood of the King, you’ll love Spirit of the King.
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Just a few more rules and then we’re done. If I’ve tagged you below, you should have your post up on Nov. 7, or as close to as you can. Tag me at the beginning, tag your five friends at the end, and make sure you title the whole thing “The Next Big Thing Blog Hop”.
Here’s who’s coming up next week, so make sure you check in on them and see what they’re up to. You all rock.
Bruce Blake 
Thanks for the tag Bruce. It has been fun seeing what everyone is working on! Sounds like you are well underway in Book 2. Which is good, since then I won’t have to wait long once I finish Book 1! 🙂