The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

I recently got tagged by Alex A. Akira, author of the Dojo Boy-series to participate in The Next Big Thing blog hop.

I get to answer ten questions about my latest work or a work-in-progress and tag some authors I admire and want to share with you.

1. What is the working title of your novel?

It’s not so much the working title, as the title: Mate. Or, since this is the finale volume of the second trilogy of my series Dark Tales of Randamor the Recluse, the full title is The Invisible Hands – Part 3: Mate. The first two volumes are called respectively Gambit and Castling. I’m sure you noticed a chess theme going on.

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

This book is the logical continuation, and conclusion, of a trilogy. All intrigues, all heartaches come to an ending… sort of. Since this is the second trilogy, the story — or rather, this world and its many, many inhabitants — originated years ago. From where? I’m not sure. All I know is that both the setting and the main characters appeared as out of nowhere, the narrator, Randamor, included. But my love for history, and handsome guys — let’s not forget them — must have something to do with it.

3. What is the genre of the novel?

Again, I have no idea. For practical purposes I call it Epic Fantasy – Gay Romance, but I doubt that covers it completely. E.g. people don’t speak as you would expect them to speak in an Epic Fantasy. The series is set in a post-apocalyptic world, where humanity has crawled back to kind of a medieval stage, but — and this is important — these are not “our” Middle Ages. The books are not Historical Romances, but I suppose you could call them Pseudo-Historical Novels. There are obvious Yaoi-influences, but the uke doesn’t behave as an uke should, and neither does the seme behave at all time like a seme. That is, if ever you can decide who is the uke and who is the seme.

I’m not being very helpful, am I ?

4. Which actors would you choose to play the characters in a movie rendition of the novel?

I have a clear image of my main characters, and no actor I know of comes close. I’d have to hold auditions, which I would do gladly.

If pressed I would go for River Phoenix for Anaxantis, because of his brooding looks. Andrew Robertson, here in a still from The Cement Garden, would be a fine Ehandar. And I would absolutely insist on Lauren Bacall for Anaxantis’s mother, Queen Emelasuntha.

River Phoenix

Andrew Robertson

Lauren Bacall

Time machines would have to be involved, as they all would be far too old by now for their respective roles, not to mention that one is dead.

6. Will the novel be self-published, published by a publisher, or represented by an agency?

All my novels are self-published. I doubt a traditional publisher would touch them with a ten-foot pole. That’s why ebooks and self-publishing are so exciting. Think about it: A Confederacy of Dunces was only published eleven years after the suicide of its author, John Kennedy Toole. And only because his mother relentlessly submitted it to publishers, until a very small one took the risk and printed a few thousand copies. Even then it took years, but eventually it became a million-bestseller.
Electronic self-publishing gives a chance to books that otherwise would never see the light of day, except by pure chance.

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

Difficult to say. I “write” in my head. I see scenes, I hear dialogues while queueing at the supermarket or waiting at the doctor’s. A piece of advice for (male) authors: don’t “rehearse” racy scenes in a public place. It could get embarrassing. Learned that the hard way. And you can take that literally.

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

I’d like to think they’re unique, but they probably aren’t. While writing I stop reading fiction, especially books that are too similar to my own novels. I wrote a blog post about it.
That said, some readers compared them to Robert Jordan‘s Wheel of Time or George R.R. Martin‘s A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones). I’m sure they’re being overly flattering, and besides, other readers vehemently disagree.

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

Randamor. I can distinctly remember him leaning over my shoulder. “I have a story for you. It will be difficult to write. It will make you cry and it will tear your heart apart. It is beautiful. It will be worth it.”
In my humble opinion he was right. Your mileage may vary, though.

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

Guys. Sexy guys. Sexy guys making love to each other.

Thanks for reading, and please, feel free to browse the rest of the site.

You’ll find more info about Dark Tales of Randamor the Recluse on this page. You can read the first twelve chapters here, where you’ll also find links to download them as an ebook (mobi, azw, epub) for your ereader.

Look for The Next Best Thing blog post from Caddy Rowland, author of the Gastien-series on Wednesday, March 6th, 2013.