"The Next Big Thing"

I was lucky enough to host author Maria DeVivo's interview for the blog tour called "The Next Big Thing."  This is when authors take part in a round-robin interview, talk about their work, upcoming stuff, and give shout-outs to other authors!  Here's Maria's post.  Enjoy!


I was recently tagged as part of The Next Big Thing, a writers' blog journey, by Stephanie Osborn. Her blog can be found at http://stephanie-osborn.blogspot.com/

 

 

As per Stephanie, who gave it to me:

Hey there! Here are the questions for The Next Big Thing...your post will go up not this Monday, but next Monday. :)

Rules of the Next Big Thing

***Use this format for your post

***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.

 

 

 

Ten Interview Questions for the Next Big Thing:

1) What is the working title of your book? 

 

I don't currently have a WIP.  My debut novel, The Coal Elf, was released on November 15th, 2012, and I'm in the process of doing promotion for that novel.

 

 

 

 

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

 

I was teaching at a Catholic school in NY and it was our 7th grade holiday party. I wore a black Santa hat and my students said "You look like a bad elf!" And the idea just clicked. What do we know about the elves that mine coal for the bad kids? NOTHING! It just made sense that their story needed to be told!

 

 

3) What genre does your book fall under?

 

Young Adult Dark Fantasy

 

 

4) Which actors would you chose to play characters in a movie rendition?

 

That's a hard question.  When I "see" the movie version in my head, I see it as a CG-type of film only because the world of the North Pole is so whimsical, that I'm not so sure real-life sets/actors could carry it over.  But not animated like "Brave", but more along the style of the recent "Beowulf" movie a few years back.  I think Emma Stone LOOKS exactly like how I envisioned Ember.  If Reese Witherspoon's daughter, Ava, ever gets into acting, she's also be a good look-a-like for Ember.  Sturd is different, altogether!  He's definitely a character that would be solely in the hands of CGI!

 

 

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

Yes... Santa is real... but this isn't your childhood Christmas tale!

 

 

 

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

I'm represented by The Carolyn Jenks Agency, and the novel was published by Twilight Times Books.

 

 

 

 

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

 

From start to finish... 8 weeks.

 

 

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

Not much. It's very dark and twisted. Loosely resembling The Lightning Thief where Riordan morphs classic mythology. The Coal Elf is very Tim Burton-ish.

 

 

 

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

My husband and my brother Justin. They were my driving forces from start to completion.

 

 

 

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

Santa is not who you think he is, and life at the North Pole isn't always gumdrops and puppy dogs!

 

 

I'm tagging:  Scott Eder, Dan Springer, and Jake Bonsignore.

 

~Maria DeVivo

www.mariadevivo.com