I’ve been toying with the idea of posting author interviews on my blog for a while. As luck would have it, I’ve been tagged on Marie Fostino’s blog to take part in the Next Big Thing. This book promotion idea originates from the SheWrites website, but one does not need to be a member to participate.
What follows are my answers to ten interview questions about my forthcoming novel. At the end, you’ll find links to other authors I’ve invited to take part. Have fun going down the rabbit-hole of clicking through the tagged blogs!
Book Tunnel by Petr Kratochvil
What is the working title of your book? My novel will definitely be called Lost Girl Road.
Where did the idea come from for the book? Lost Girl Road takes place in northwest Montana’s Bull River Valley. I grew up spending summers there at my grandpa’s rustic cabin. Years ago, a random image of a lost child wandering the desolate wilderness got stuck in my head. Plus there really is a Lost Girl Road, and such a name seemed destined to become literature.
What genre does your book fall under? Lost Girl Road is shaping-up to be psychological suspense, but I want to stay true to my literary roots.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? The plot of my book alternates back and forth between 1959 and 1987, so the chosen actors would need to be aged accordingly. Addie, the anxiety-ridden grandmother, could be played by Chloe Sevigny. Ned, her alcoholic husband, would be a good fit for Christian Bale. For the part of Vera, the ghost girl, Elle Fanning comes to mind (but only because I am not too familiar with many young actors).
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? A July 4th prank leads to a series of shocking and regrettable events when a 13-year-old girl goes missing and her remains are never found.
Fireworks by Anna Langova
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? I am going to self-publish Lost Girl Road and simultaneously submit the manuscript to agents. The publishing world is rapidly changing and I intend to find my place in it.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? I began the drafting process in January 2012. It’s taken a while to get a handle on the story that wants to be told and I’ve done two fairly substantial re-writes of my material so far. If all goes well, I will have a finished rough draft by the New Year. After that, I can foresee another 3-6 months for further revisions and editing.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? The most readily available comparison with aspects of Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones and Stephen King’s The Shining.
Who or What inspired you to write this book? My maternal grandma and grandpa bickered perpetually, especially about his drinking. I’ve often wondered what forces held them together, so this story tests the boundaries of such a relationship. Drafting Lost Girl Road is allowing me to explore how self-destructive tendencies ruin lives and leave people feeling trapped in situations of their own making.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? Loss and loneliness are themes that drive my writing and I like to delve into the mindsets of my characters. The creepiness of the setting will certainly appeal to anyone who has been afraid of walking any distance through the woods at night. The ghost story aspect raises questions regarding how we often let fear control our lives.
Now it’s my turn to tag some fellow authors. So hop on over to their blogs to learn more about their works in progress.
Please visit their blogs. They will be publishing their answers to the questions next week.
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What a fantastic post Jeri – I must have missed that in She Writes, but will check it out to see if it is too late. It was really interesting for me to read your process, as I am in a very similar place myself (except for the fact you already have published work -small detail!!). But I’m just starting in on my second edit, so the questions certainly all apply.
Thanks so much for sharing this. I really enjoyed reading it. :-
A.K.Andrew recently posted..5 Reasons to Focus on the Visual Content of Pinterest
I’ll be looking for your post next week. I think it’s a great way to get to know about authors and their works. Plus, I really like to keep clicking on all those links!
Your novel sounds like it will be a good one. I will be waiting for it.
Geek Girl recently posted..Living In A One-Dimensional World
I’ve definitely decided that writing a novel is like doing a home improvement project. Everything takes twice as long as your original estimate. At least I think I have the gumption to see this baby through to the end…
Only twice as long…?!
Laura Zera recently posted..Travel: An Introvert’s Weekend Getaway
That was awesome. I learned so much about the story and can’t wait for the finished product.
. I applaud you for taking this project on. It makes my short life lesson stories pail in comparison. I hope to take a compilation of those to an eBook soon. 
Susan Cooper recently posted..A Bloggers Meet-Up: Story
Yet your little stories are so clever and take great skill. I’ll be looking forward to your eBook and know a few people I will definintiely recommend it to.
I love mysteries and this one sounds like a good one. Can’t wait to read it!
Jeannette Paladino recently posted..Are You Targeting the Right Blogs for Your Guest Posts?
I can’t wait to finish it! The plots finally coming into focus and I’m getting ideas for the next book as well.
The book sounds like a great read….keep us posted on your progress.
I loved the tunnel picture you chose to illustrate your post too.
Becc recently posted..My very first Girl Crush
This is a nice interview about the Lost Girl Road novel. Thanks for the write-up!
Jessica Johnson recently posted..How to get Approved for a Bad Credit Home Loan
Great post, Jeri!
Sorry I’m a bit late to the party. I haven’t been networking much this week.
Your book sounds great and I will be following its progression. Take care.
Denise Baer recently posted..Featured Celebrity Author – Gary Markwick
Hey, Jeri! If your book turns into a movie like “The Shining” … I’m first in line! That was one of my all-time fav movies.
Interesting reading about your motivation as an author and intricacies of the project. Good luck with it!
Doreen Pendgracs recently posted..travel writing tips
Sometimes I surprise even myself with how dark my story ideas can be since in life I’m pretty laid back and happy go lucky. I guess I’ll blame my childhood for inspiring such disturbing scenarios…
Great to read about your progress and process, Jeri. It’s funny, we don’t seem to talk about our WIPs that much, do we? But months and years go by, and they grow up and move out and then we wait for grandchildren… or something like that… . Thanks for tagging me, too.
Laura Zera recently posted..Travel: An Introvert’s Weekend Getaway
Looking forward to reading your post on your WIP.
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Talk to me about simultaneous self pub and querying. Not sure that’s the way you should go. Perhaps Wednesday?
I’ve heard stories supporting and abhoring the practice, so I’m definitely conflicted. My sister is here visiting for the next two Wednesdays, but maybe I could go to the Wednesday gathering after that.
Keep going on the daily writing contributions to Lost Girl Road, Jeri.
Larry Crane recently posted..Character From the Novel Interview – Sidney
The novel sounds great and I’m sure you’ll have success with it, but are you sure you want to self-publish if you’re also going to submit it to agents? From what I’ve heard (from a representative of a publishing house giving a talk I attended last fall), no traditional publisher will go near a self-published book, EL James notwithstanding. If it’s been published once, it’s not going to be published again. Perhaps you should wait to hear what the agents say. And sorry, I know this is none of my business, but it sounds like a great story and you wouldn’t want to waste it.
Janet, I still go back and forth on which course to take. I’ve read a lot of articles that encourage authors to try both self-publishing and querying agents at the same time, but the writer in me knows that submitting to agents first is the way to go. It’s still hard to resist the allure of getting my book out there though, whenever I have a draft I’m happy with… I just have to remind myself that Rome wasn’t built in a day.
I know the urge to get some kind of reader reaction after labouring on this project for years can be almost overwhelming, but I’d still go with a WWYD approach (What Would Yoda Do?) and stay patient. When I’d finished my book I sent to as many friends as I could for ‘feedback’, but really I just wanted someone, anyone, to read it. Eventually I found a publisher, but while I was waiting, I edited, cut, made several additional drafts. I think it paid off. Hope so, anyway.