This is part of a series of interviews with authors about their upcoming work.
What is the working title of your book? I’m working on a series of horror novels called FROST HARROW. The first book is SCREAM LOVER, and there are at least five more to follow it. I have drafts of the first six done, and I’m coming back and rewriting the whole set and probably continuing beyond that, too. I hope to have the first one out by the end of 2012.
Where did the idea come from for the book? I came up with the idea for an ongoing series of horror books at the dawn of the internet. Frost Harrow was really an e-book idea ahead of its time: a series of short novels that people would be able to read over the course of a week or so: commuter books, basically. I felt a real need for fun, fast-reading books, and novels that weren’t the thickness of a dictionary.
What genre does your book fall under? Frost Harrow is a modern, adult, Gothic horror series. I guess that’s a mouthful!
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? I’d say Zooey Deschanel as Ivy and Josh Holloway as Grant, but, actually, they’re both too old. Mary Elizabeth Winstead would be good for Ivy, but by the time the movie started production, it might be tough for her to play a 20-year-old, too. I’ve always insisted, though, that I’d rather have good actors than go with my preconceptions. Zoe Saldana? But, darn, she’s not 20 either. I’ll take suggestions, but maybe we’ll have to cast unknowns.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? When Ivy Frost is nearly killed in a car accident, all hell breaks loose in Frosthaven, because something has followed the young heiress back from beyond the grave.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? I’ve grown tired of the New York Publisher game of trying to cash in on current trends, so at the moment, the plan is to bring out the series from Walkabout Publishing, my own micro-publishing house. I’m open to offers, though.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? First draft took me less than a month for each of the first six books. I was originally thinking it would be a monthly series, so, I had to be quick. It took more than fifteen years for the marketplace to catch up to me, though. E-books are a prime platform for a series like this; I just had to wait for portable e-readers to be invented.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? The Frost Harrow stories are like Stephen King for people who don’t want to read incredibly long books.
Who or What inspired you to write this book? I’m a huge fan of Dark Shadows and the Universal and Hammer horror/monster series. You’ll see the fingerprints of those classics all over these books — along with a little bit of The Night Stalker thrown in.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? If you’re a fan of monsters, Frost Harrow is a great place to be. In the first half dozen we’ve got demons, vampires, ghouls, chupacabra, and more. If you like romance and sex, this is also a good place to be. I’ve got great ongoing characters and storylines for you to follow. If you like a good, quick read that’ll satisfy you but also leave you wanting more, Frost Harrow is for you. Try it!
Thanks to David Annandale for tagging me! Check out his answers, too!
TAG! The next authors in this series are: Wolfgang Baur, Dave Gross, Paul McComas, Steve Rouse, Christine Verstraete.
Rules: *** Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (Work In Progress) *** Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them. It’s that simple.
Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:
What is the working title of your book?
Where did the idea come from for the book?
What genre does your book fall under?
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Who or What inspired you to write this book?
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
