The Next Big Thing

You may have noticed a literary blog meme going around the Web recently. It's titled "The Next Big Thing: Discover New Authors & Books" and is basically an author round-robin game of "tag," with each taggee offering up answers to ten questions about an upcoming or recent book project or story collection, whether it's scheduled for publication or a work in progress.

I was tagged by Colleen Collins, a private eye and author, whose next book, The Next Right Thing, a romance novel featuring a private eye heroine, will be published by Harlequin Super Romance in March 2013. Colleen also operates the informative blog Guns, Gams and Gumshoes, along with her partner Shaun Kaufman, and last year the duo released the informative book How to Write a Dick: A Guide for Writing Fictional Sleuths from a Couple of Real-Life Sleuths. You can read Colleen's own responses to the ten questions via this link.

And now without further ado, here are my answers to The Big Ten:

1) What is the working title of your next book? (or it can be your latest release)

The working title is Dies Irae (of the English equivalent, Day of Wrath).

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

The idea for my ex-FBI protagonist, Scott Drayco, comes from my music background, and the plot of this particular book evolves out of Drayco's own music background, which is why he's called in to consult on the case. The other link Drayco has to the case and the victim—synesthesia—was inspired by my husband, who is a sound/color/texture synesthete.

3) What genre does your book fall under?

I recently came across the term "literary suspense." I rather like that. But the general catch-categories "crime fiction" or "detective fiction" will do just fine.

4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Scott Drayco is tough to cast. The actor needs to be tall, have striking blue-violet eyes and be able to play the piano (or fake it very well!). There's a photo of the Greek singer Sakis Rouvas from early in his career has the look down, provided I change the color of his eyes courtesy of digital manipulation. French actor Alain Delon from the 70s would have been an interesting choice. Of today's actors—possibly Joe Manganiello, Michael Fassbender, Alexander Skarsgård (with dark hair).



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

A detective teams up with his estranged ex-FBI partner to solve a puzzling music code sent to a murdered coed - before the partner's daughter becomes the next victim.   

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

Times are a-changing so fast, it's making the heads of most authors do an Exorcist head-spin. Let's just say I'm keeping all options open.

7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

I write the novels in two stages; the research and outlining phase lasts a few months, and then the first draft stage usually only takes one to two months. But ah, the editing. That could go on forever, if I let it.

8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Possibly John Verdon's Think of a Number, Elizabeth George's Well-Schooled in Murder, Alexandra Sokoloff's Book of Shadows, or Karin Slaughter's Fractured.

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

This is the third book in this series I've written (three time's the charm?), and the theme and plot are natural progressions from hints laid in the first two books. That being said, it's a work that can stand on its own, even if the earlier efforts aren't published. The genesis of the series itself comes out of my own classical music background and desire to create literary mysteries with a music component, or as my husband says, crime fiction for the PBS crowd. Drayco has been called "Ellery Queen meets Van Cliburn," but in today's terms, I guess that would be "Ellery Queen meets Lang Lang."

10) What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?

I've already published several Scott Drayco stories in various 'zines, and one, "FM is for Murder," was a finalist in the American Independent Writers short story competition. In fact, eight Drayco stores were published in one volume, False Shadows, which is available via Amazon (and soon to be all other eBook stores come January).

As far as Dies Irae is concerned, it delves more deeply into Drayco's relationships: his symbiotic relationship with his estranged former partner, and also Drayco's complicated feelings toward a married deputy who becomes tangled up in the case. And lying just underneath are the feelings of loss Drayco tries to hide from, whether it's old friends, lovers or his music career that was cut short by violence.


I tagged five other authors in return, but due to the hectic holidays, most are unable to participate at this time. However, I hope you will check out their websites, blogs and writing:

• Patti Abbott is a writer extraordinaire of crime short stories, and has been published in practically every major anthology over the past several years. She also recently had a collection of her stories, Monkey Justice, published by Snubnose Press, and supports crime fiction and authors via her popular blog.

• Leslie Budewitz is a lawyer who helps authors via her website Law & Fiction and her new nonfiction resource, the book Books, Crooks, and Counselors. Her stories have appeared in several publications including Best American Mystery Stories of 2009, and the first of her cozy series, The Food Lovers Village Mysteries set in Jewel Bay, Montana, will debut from Berkley Prime Crime in 2013.

• David Cranmer writes the Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles western noir stories under the pen name Edward A. Grainger. He's also the editor of the online 'zine Beat to a Pulp and the BTAP anthologies (and I'm honored to be included in the upcoming Beat to a Pulp Hardboiled 2), and has several crime fiction stories online and in print.

• Hilary Davidson is a travel writer and journalist whose career has taken her around the globe. Her debut novel, The Damage Done, won the 2011 Anthony Award for Best First Novel and the Crimespree Award for Best First Novel. The book was also a finalist for the Macavity Award for Best First Mystery, and the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Crime Novel. Hilary also published a sequel, The Next One to Fall, and is hard at work on a third installment.

• Terrie Farley Moran is another author of some terrific short stories published in various 'zines such as Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, and in 2009, one of her stories earned a place on the Best American Mystery Stories Distinguished Mysteries list. She co-edited the anthology Murder New York Style: Fresh Slices, is a regular contributor to The Criminal Element and blogs over at Women of Mystery. A collection of Terrie's stories, The Awareness (and Other Deadly Tales) was recently published by Little Mysteries Press.

Comments

[Terrie Farley Moran]

Interesting post. thanks so much for the mention.