THE NEXT BIG THING: Global Blog Tour 2013

The Next Big Thing is a global blog tour to showcase authors and illustrators and their current work. I was tagged by the very talented Marcy Collier

I’ll answer the interview questions based on my current work in progress.

1. What is the working title of your next book?

Flesh and Bone

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

Society. 

I want to know how far we will go to stay young, to look good. We already wear fur on our bodies, and feathers in our hair, inject our lips, poison our nerves to fade lines on our faces, and implant plastics where needed. 

Will we graft animal parts to ourselves next? If shark skin never gets cancer, should we use it to cover our human skin? If fur is beautiful as a coat, will it look sexier attached to our necks? No more rape, or abuse if you have poisonous cobra fangs graft to the roof of your mouth, or sharp eagle claws to your fingertips. Will society be less brutal? Or more so? If we become more animal, will it affect our personalities? Will we lose our humanity?

3. In what genre does your book fall?

YA (young adult)  light sic-fi based in reality - but it's a survival story at heart.

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

Jennifer Lawrence as Payton

Amandla Stenberg as Tay-Tay

Meryl Streep as Bunny

Santiago Cabrera as Jimmy

Kevin Kline as Doctor

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

Payton is questioning her animalia, the leopard skin on her neck and the two peacock feathers growing from behind her ears, she's questioning society and the evils surrounding her, but can she take a stand without becoming what she truly despises?

6. Who is publishing your book?

I hope Simon & Schuster - if you're going to dream, dream big!

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

5 Months - it's my fastest novel ever!

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

Think Hunger Games meets Daughter of Smoke and Bone.

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

I've always wanted to fly like an eagle or swim like a shark. What if I really could? What if I could get eagle wings, or shark skin graft to my body? Would I? What are the moral ramifications? 

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

The love-hate story between Payton and Jimmy. Can two people from such different status in life ever trust each other? Ever see eye to eye? Or will they slowly tear each other apart limb from limb?

Thanks for stopping in and sharing my “Next Big Thing.” I’ll tag two bloggers in the comment section once they confirm they are in. Check out their blog entries after Monday, August 14th to hear their answers about the Next Big Thing!