The Next Big Thing

Fellow author Sarah Mussi www.sarahmussi.com  tagged me in her post The Next Big Thing and now it's my turn to answer ten questions about my work in progress. I have then to tag some fellow writers who will then tell you about their work in progress.

Result - you will be desperately waiting for a whole host of new work to be published!

What is the working title of your book?
Dragon Racer -  Book 3: The Silver Flame

Where did the idea come from for the book?

This is the third and final book in the Dragon Racer series and I wanted to tie things up with a spectacular end. The idea for a fight club came from various films (Fight Club/ AI). I also love thrillers like Spooks and the Bourne films.   

What genre does your book fall under? 

Adventure/Fantasy

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Joanna Morris -  young unknown unknown waiting to be discovered

Isaac Ankama - young unknown unknown waiting to be discovered

Amber Penhaligon -young unknown unknown waiting to be discovered

Dominic Pieterson -  young unknown unknown waiting to be discovered

Excelsior- I have always imagined him voiced by Graham Norton

Spiky Mike  -Jonas Armstrong 

Afra          - Naomi Harris or Cush Jumbo

Hannibal     - Jadon Smith ( in a few years time)

Marius King  - Daniel Craig
Jamie Penhaligon-  Robert Pattinson

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Marius King is intent on wreaking his revenge on Joanna and the Brixton Caves by destroying Excelsior in a dragon fight club. 
( Not too many spoilers there.)

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

The book will be published November 2013  by Catnip Publishing

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

Still not finished -  2years plus (must get quicker)

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

Quick Silver by Sam Osman 

Secret Breakers series by HL Dennis 

I have deliberately not read the other dragon books out there at the moment to keep my ideas all my own.

Who or What inspired you to write this book? 

The first book in the series Dragon Racer: Book 1 First Flight was inspired by a the question, ’What is your secret self’ My answer was that I wanted to fly racing dragons.

Fans have kept asking for another book. 

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

The love interest between Joanna and Isaac

Next Big Thing Authors 

www.paulbryers.com

www.annamcquinn.com
www.sara-grant.com

Vale by Ellen May Power

Vale
Death into life: transmutation
Of sorrow into splendour:
This is the joy of the song of saints,
Fulfilment of surrender.

But I know only the poet's song
For lost loves crying:
The pain of all transcience burns to a point
For one thing's dying.

Written by my great aunt, Ellen May Power and published in  her anthology, Seasons of Life

New Library for Clapham

I was invited to tell stories at another new library, this time the new library in Clapham. Fantastic that amidst all the cutbacks and closures that these new spaces are opening and that books are still the central focus! Yes there are computers, reading spaces, meeting rooms but books still dominate. HURRAH

I have been very fortunate this year in being asked to storytell in yet another new building, this time the new Garden Pavilion at the Horniman Museum. It's light, spacious, with exceptional views of London. I was also given a tour of their new themed gardens, medicinal, food, dye, materials and a wonderful musical garden. I so love working there!

Author event at Sipson Fair

Just got back from a CWISL event at Sipson Fair. The best thing about events such as these are the people you meet. I ran a story session, met members of the WI and librarians from Hillingdon Libraries and of course met children, signed their books, talked books and stories and  gave away stickers!

Wonderful new library at Canada Water

On Friday 2nd December I visited the new Southwark library at Canada Water.
First impressions: Looks like a huge wooden ark just ready to float away ...
Inside - smells new. I love that smell.Then there is the centre piece of the library the wooden spiral staircase that is a work of art in its own right. It's really an enormous wide spiral that you can also use to to climb up to the library. And the place sings with colour - ochres and crimsons and lime greens - a wonderful piece of imagination. There is a performance space, a learning space,  a cafe, windows that open to an outside space and at the heart of it all the library itself with BOOKS! Bravo Southwark in this time of cut backs and austerity you have had the courage to open a place that gladdens the imagination. I had a great time telling my book Lao Lao of Dragon Mountain to two visiting schools. I look forward to visiting again

Barefoot in Oxford

Last Saturday I was invited to storytell at the launch of Barefoot Books new  shop/studio/ offices.
Do go and pay them a visit. It is a feast for the eyes. There are storytelling booths all in fabrics from Barefoot Books as well as a huge purple throne- which I got to sit on!  It is very user friendly and they will be running all sorts of fantastic story sessions, craft activities, as well as yoga  and drumming sessions. Oh yes and by the way, the icing on their carrot cake is to die for... mmm.
Check out their new place http://www.barefootbooks.com/uk/story/our_studio/