"Two wrongs may not make a right but a thousand wrongs make a writer.”

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Next Big Thing

Tricia O'Brien, who blogs at Talespinning has tagged me for the Next Big Thing blog hop. Tricia is currently working on a dark fairy tale, PRINCESS CHARMING: A DIFFERENT KNIGHT’S TALE and shares a snippet of the story in her interview. I was delighted she asked me to share some details of what I’m currently working on, so without further ado,  here are my answers to the Next Big Thing.
What is your working title of your next novel? BLACK RIVER

Where did the idea come from for this novel? I can’t answer that question, because I’m not sure. I was sitting on the couch one night with my laptop and started writing about this guy who sets out across a wintering field to see what the vultures circling overhead are after. And then...things started happening. I think it came to fruition partly because of a secret desire I had to write a loose sequel to my first novel.
What genre does it fall under? I see it as a crossover between literary, commercial and contemporary NA.

Which actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition? I hate to hitch up the horse when I don’t have a cart to sit in, but that said….my female protagonist should be played by a gutsy Girl-With-The-Dragon-Tattoo type, (minus the tattoos and the piercings) and the male protagonist would best be portrayed by Ben Affleck with Argo hair or someone like that guy who led his gang safely back to Coney Island in The Warriors.  
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your novel? The comfortable life of the son of a landed fourth-generation farmer collides with that of the daughter of an itinerant migrant worker with a troubled past.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? I hope to be represented but I have not yet queried. This has actually been a good exercise for me in preparing to do so.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript? The first draft took me five months to write.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? That’s hard since this novel is a crossover. I’ve been told by some that my writing reminds them of Jodi Picoult. Personally (don’t think me pretentious), I see this novel as a blend of Picoult, Scott Spencer, and Andre DuBus with a bit of the grit in All The Pretty Horses, and I hope it appeals to those readers who like those books.
Who or what inspired you to write this book? The earth under my feet, the world around me, and the climate change that threatens to overtake us and bury us.

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest? The characters wrestle with some of the most contentious social issues of our day while dealing with a small matter of murder, cover-up, and police malfeasance and then there is the forbidden love that the main character treks through the Canadian woods across thin ice in a warming world to claim.
And since Tricia shared a snippet, here’s one from BLACK RIVER: He’d never been cut with a knife before, and he wondered why his father hadn’t warned him about the aftermath of that, the crushing humiliation of having one’s mortality laid open for all to see.

As per the rules of being tagged, I hereby tag the following authors to share their next big thing.  J.B. Chicoine, Anne Gallagher, Deborah LawrensonStina Lindenblatt, and Liza Salerno.  Deborah has already done this here  but has agreed to post an update.

I can’t wait to see what these talented writers are currently working on.

17 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

You need to query!
And which version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? Both girls had a strong presence.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Alex,
Oh, thank you! It's scary. So scary. I only saw the American version of Tattoo and loved the actress who played Lisbeth Salander. I can't remember her name.

Liza said...

Oh wow! This sounds amazing! Swallowing hard here, you have me in some pretty great company. Yikes!

Yvonne Osborne said...

Liza,
Thanks. I think I placed you in perfect company, and I can't wait to see what you're cooking up!

J.B. Chicoine said...

This is a good exercise--not only does it a provide a nice overview of your project, but it does force one to think concisely abut one's own work.

I love the idea it sprung from--circling vultures--so intriguing! I'm really looking forward to hearing more about your progress.

Frances Garrood said...

Interesting post, Yvonne. I'm most impressed that you managed a first draft in just five months!

Anne Gallagher said...

Excellent company indeed!

And your book sounds gorgeous! Hurry up and get a publisher so I can read it.

I'll be posting my tag in a couple of weeks. Thanks.

Optimistic Existentialist said...

A first draft in five months?? Wowzers!

Yvonne Osborne said...

Bridget,
Thank you so much. I sure hope to continue making some progress, and I'm looking forward to reading about your big thing!

Ethan,
I will, I will. I need to stop procrastinating. Thanks for all of your encouragement.

Frances,
Thanks. That was pretty much doing nothing else for five months. Or maybe it was six... When I get in the mindset I can't stop.

Anne,
Thank you so much! I'll be looking for that post.

Optimist,
Well, as I said to Frances, it was a focused, yet exhilirating time, thinking of nothing else. Doing nothing else. Thanks. I like your handle.

TALON said...

Querying is the worst part of writing (for me), Yvonne. It sounds like an intriguing read! I wish you nothing but success and can't wait until Black River is available for sale.

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Wow, between murder, cover-up, global warming, vultures and that snippet, I'm excited to read this. Great job on the Q&A, Yvonne.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Talon,
Tahnk you so much. I agree. It's the very worst part. It think if it ever comes true, I'll faint.

Tricia,
Hi! Thank you. And thanks for tagging me. It was a worthwhile exercise.

Vanessa Victoria Kilmer said...

Your book sounds interesting. I like these questions. I'm going to steal them for a post.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Nessa,
Thanks! Please do. I'll look for it.

g-man said...

Yvonne....
Of course I miss you!
But I know I have to share ....:-)
Have a Kick Ass Week-End
G

Jemi Fraser said...

You write with such passion and beauty - can't wait for this to be published :)

Yvonne Osborne said...

Jemi,
Oh...thank you, Jemi. You make me want to try harder.