The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

I was nominated by a fellow writer, Alison Strachan, to participate in The Next Big Thing Blog Hop. Alison is currently working on a novel with a really cool premise. The setting is a world where men and women have been separated from one another.

Hey Alison!

Here’s how the blog hop works. A writer/blogger gets tagged, they write an intro where they shout out & link back to their tagger, and then answer the 10 questions listed  below about current work in progress. At the end, they tag five other writer/bloggers.

10 Questions About My Current Work in Progress:

1. What is the title of your book?

I’m currently working on The Last Charge of the Kalbarai, Book 3 of the Triumvirate Trilogy

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?

It’s an idea that’s been kicking around my head for a while. The universe the story takes place in is one where humanity has been scattered across numerous star systems though what are called seedships. These seedships were launched from Earth, but for reasons unknown, why the seedships were launched as well as the path back to Earth was never revealed to these new civilizations. So, they’ve all developed knowing they have a common origin, though no one knows why they’re there, and how to find their homeland again.

The trilogy takes place near the tail end of a devastating war between the three major powers of this universe – the so-called Triumvirate. My inspiration was this: I’m a bit of an amateur history buff, and a couple of years ago I began studying World War I, and I was absolutely stunned at just how horrible it was, and surprised to learn of the impacts it had on our civilization that have rippled down through time to this very day. I look at it this way to put it in context – at the start of World War I, there were six European empires dominating the globe (Britain, Germany, France, Russia, Austro-Hungary, and the Ottomans). At the end of it, only two remained (Britian & France) – the rest had collapsed in revolution and chaos. I mean … holy crap, the entire world order fell apart at the end of that war. Can you imagine living through those times? I’m trying to capture the spirit of what that must have been like.

Check out the first two books here.

3. What genre does your book fall under?

A science fiction space opera.

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

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

In a galaxy ravaged by war, a small band of soldiers, spies and smugglers make a discovery that will alter the course of humanity.

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

Self-published

7. How long did it take you to write your first draft?

Well, still working my way through the first draft of book 3. Book 2 took about 8 months to crank out a first draft. This one may take longer as my time’s tighter these days – I’m working full time and am currently doing doctorate studies … and I have a puppy that demands several games of tug-of-war a day.

8. What other books would you compare yours to within your genre?

Well, these aren’t books, but I’ve tried to capture the epic scope of the original Star Wars trilogy as well as the beaten down/determined-to-press-on grittiness of Battlestar Galactica.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to create the type of riveting, seat of your pants adventure that I’d want to read.

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

People have told me it’s a page-turner, and that it’s epic in scale. It’s a grand tale of adventure in a dark time, taking place in a uniquely imagined universe.

If this does pique your interest, check out book 1 & 2 here.

All Right, Who’s Next in the Next Big Thing Blog Hop?

Perry Wilson is a fellow Vancouverite. She’s a diverse author who writes mysteries, fantasies and urban fantasies. She has a crisp and clear writing style and has a great ability to tell a story that moves along at an exciting clip.

I know Bard Constantine through Facebook. I don’t know him that well, but he’s got a cool sense of style that I like. I’m looking forward to learning more about him through the Blog Hop.

When I made my first forays into internet marketing as an author, Susy Egneus was one of the first people to befriend me. She always struck me as being a very intelligent and engaging person. That said, I haven’t actually heard from her for about 8 months or so. Let’s hope this nomination will crack the silence!

I just met Joshua Lisec recently on Facebook. He has a great, positive energy. His book, The Phoenix Reich, is coming out this March. I’m looking forward to learning more about it.

R. J. Spindle are a writing duo and, well, heck, they’re a lot of fun. They write fantasy with a dash of whatever else catches their fancy.