Today I host the Next Big Thing blog campaign—an
opportunity to talk about my own YA book, but also help promote the work of
other authors and illustrators who create neat books for kids and young adults.
The campaign began in Australia, but became international. Authors answer the
same ten questions about their upcoming or recent book title, than “tag” two
other authors to carry the baton in succeeding weeks. Today I will be talking
about my science fiction adventure, A
Singular Prophecy, and then giving the nod to two other authors I admire:
Nancy Oswald and Libby James. I hope you enjoy these insights into the process
of creating children’s literature!
What is the working title of your next book?
I
am working on a collection of some of my published nature essays for adults
called Confessions of a Time Traveller,
but the book I would like to discuss today is A Singular Prophecy—a labor of love for young adults that also
involves time travelling and first contact with an alien species.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
A Singular Prophecy developed from my passion for
collecting fossils and from a childhood incident that helped to give my life
direction.
Fossil collectors are always looking for that find
of a lifetime that will make a career and reveal something new about the
history of life. My protagonist, Ryan Thompson makes such a find, but discovers
that the history of life on Earth is intimately tied to life that evolved
elsewhere.
The childhood incident was a story told to my mother
by a fortuneteller: The fortuneteller said my mother wouldn’t be famous but one
of her children would. I decided that child should be me. The same kind of
prediction motivates Ryan in the book.
What genre does your book fall under?
A Singular Prophecy is YA science fiction, although
many adults have enjoyed it.
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters
in a movie rendition?
Yikes! I watch few movies and many of those I’m
familiar with date me. That said, I see Ryan as kind of a young Harrison Ford
with a pragmatic sort of heroism that might not surface without the help of a
strong woman, like his girlfriend, Skeets. A young Sigourney Weaver might play
Skeets.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Two aliens attempt to subjugate two Earthlings and
take over the world, but in the process have to cooperate to save the entire
universe from disaster!
Who is publishing your book?
This book was a self-publishing venture. It’s
available in soft cover through CreateSpace and is also a Kindle book on
Amazon. Several conventional publishers nibbled on the book, but didn’t bite. I
decided to jump into the world of self-publishing and test the waters.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of the
manuscript?
I worked on this book, off and on, for well over a
decade. Several groups critiqued it in various forms. I feel it became richer
for the extended effort (though not a cost-effective process!)
What other books would you compare this story to within your
genre?
I find that many of the early books by Robert
Sawyer, a Canadian SF author resonate with me. He also likes to write about
paleontologists and their obsessions.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I wanted to make a fortuneteller’s prophecy come
true and spend time in a universe of wonder and possibilities.
What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?
Can the universe be considered a work of art molded
by the life that evolves within it?
Next in line...
So now I would like to introduce you to Nancy
Oswald, a writer who will whisk you back to 1896 Colorado in her award-winning
book, Rescue in Poverty Gulch. You
will meet and thoroughly enjoy Ruby and her donkey Maude as they make their way
to Cripple Creek, Colorado. Nancy will post her blog on May 23. Check her website
at www.nancyoswald.com. Rumor has it
that Maude has a blog there.
Next, on May 30, Libby James will reveal her Muffin
Magic—a picture book about a boy, his dad, and some muffins that help make a
dream come true! Don’t miss her entry at libjames.blogspot.com.
Hope you enjoy this fun game of author tag!
