The Next Big Thing (Tuesday Talk)

I've been tagged. 

So what does that mean - and what's this "Next Big Thing" thingy all about?

The nitty gritty of The Next Big Thing Blog Hop is that I do a blog post answering the questions below and mentioning the person who tagged me, and at the end of it I mention the authors I’ve tagged in the chain.

I was tagged by fellow writer Isabelle Goddard who writes Regency Romances.  She has published three novels and a fourth is in the pipeline. Recently, she’s moved on to Victorian England with Walking Through Glass which tells the story of a forgotten tragedy and the way echoes from the past can powerfully influence the life of a modern day heroine. (Which is a very similar theme to my next novel ... read on...)

I'm instructed by Isabelle to tell you all about my next book by answering these ten set questions, so here I go!

What is the working title of your next book?

My next book due out is called Ripples In The Sand – the Fourth Sea Witch Voyage.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

As it is the fourth in a series I have a rough idea for the first six  – basically for Ripples, my Pirate, Jesamiah Acorne, sails to England with a cargo of tobacco which he wants to sell. Needless to say,  things don’t go as planned….

What genre does your book fall under?

Historical Adventure with a touch of fantasy.

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

Someone new and unknown for my pirate please, and I’d rather have the Sea Witch Voyages as a TV drama series, not a movie. 
The nautical equivalent of Bernard Cornwell/Sean Bean’s Sharpe.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

All Captain Jesamiah Acorne wants to do is sell his (legal) cargo of tobacco, but being captured by the Spanish, meeting with an old flame, and (illegally) breaking his wife’s brother out of jail – aided by the remnants of the notorious Doones of Exmoor – is not part of his plan. 
 (LOL - I cheated with a long sentence!)

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

Self-published with an assisted publishing company www.silverwoodbooks.co.uk

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

I had several unavoidable hold-ups from that annoying thing called Life, one of them being my previous UK publisher went bankrupt. This proved a good thing in the end, however, as the MD was, I discovered, not entirely reliable financially (that's being tactful), so I moved to the fabulous Indie company SilverWood Books UK. Best decision I’ve made in a long while.
This meant having to re-edit all my files as the finals were not returned to me by said bankrupt scoundrel – editing seven manuscripts in less than four months and writing a new novel were not compatible tasks, so Ripples In The Sand took a lot longer than I intended - my deepest apologies to all Jesamiah’s patient fans!

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

The Sea Witch Voyages are a blend of Hornblower, Sharpe, Flashman, Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones (OK I cheated on the last two as they are movies!)

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Jack Sparrow. I loved the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, a Good Fun Yarn, not meant to be taken seriously, just enjoyed. To follow the fun I  looked for novels that were similar – nautical tales with a twist of fantasy and a dashing rogue of a pirate captain – but I could only find straight nautical fiction – C.S. Forrester, Patrick O’Brian, Alexander Kent, Julian Stockwin etc, all very good novels, but not remotely akin to  Jack Sparrow.
So I wrote my own. And fell n love with my character Jesamiah in the process.

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

I have added a touch of fantasy to the  Sea Witch stories: Jesamiah's girlfriend/wife, Tiola (pronounce it as tee-o-la, short and quick,  not a long middle vowel: Tee-oh-la)  She is a healer. midwife - and a white witch. I wanted to create her to be believable, though. She can only use her Craft for good, and not in every circumstance. No waving magic wands to get Jesamiah out of trouble! I think of her ability as like the Force in Star Wars, not as in the magic of Harry Potter.

For more about the Sea Witch Voyages - excerpts, book trailers - a few fun pirate quizzes - and lots more!  http://seawitchvoyages.blogspot.co.uk/  

For my other novles please visit my Main Website

Here are the authors I've tagged who 
will tell you about their 

Next Big Thing! 

Suzanne McLeod : www.spellcrackers.com/ Brilliant fantasy author for adults - Murder and Mayhem at Spellcrackers.com!

Debbie Young : Off The Shelf and her website Her new book Sell Your Book - hints and tips for new writers on how to get your book noticed

David Ebsworth : website His novel Jacobites' Apprentice was nominated UK Indie Editor's Choice for the Historical Novel Society Indie Review 

Richard Denning : website Historical Adventure and Fantasy writer for young adults

Beachy Books : website excellent interactive books for young children - ideal Christmas Gifts!

Ripples In The Sand - publication date 

early December 

(in time to celebrate my pirate's birthday!

subscribe to additional content on my website for up to date information!

My thanks to  Isabelle for tagging me! 

For those of us who are cat lovers...

Why do we put up with the apparent casual demands of Puss? (Rhetorical question. I don't think there's a sane answer.)

(not my cat - but a cute pic!)

Sitting watching TV: made myself comfy in the chair - within two minutes a series of "meows" and here is Sybil on my lap yamming away demanding attention. That's fine, I love her on my lap (better than any hot water bottle) but she doesn't seem to understand that I'm engrossed in Downton Abbey and really don't want half the screen obscured by her bum. As lovely as it is.

Sybil watching TV

Mab thinks I need  company. Well yes, I enjoy having her around - but does she really have to sleep on the mouse mat where I want to use the mouse? Or beneath the desk lamp where, of course, it is lovely and warm but which totally obscures the light from falling on my keyboard.

Does your cat bop you with his/her paw of a morning to wake you up? Light dabs on the tip of my nose. Open my sleepy eyes to stare straight into Sybil's, followed by an enthusiastic meow, which can only translate as, "Oh Good! You are awake!"

Sybil on my bed

Running the vacuum cleaner round the house this morning, twice I had to unblock the hose because furry cat toys had been sucked up - and a bit of a fright in the middle of the night. That mangled catnip mouse in the middle of the bathroom floor looked so real....

Mab as a kitten

And I must ask this: does anyone else have a puss who is addicted to the toilet roll? Sybil loves unrolling it. Once or twice a day we have loo roll all over the floor. If we're lucky its just unrolled,but on a "I've had a good time"day it is also shredded. Have you tried picking up shredded loo roll?

Sigh.

Windowsill Mab

I wonder also, am I the only one who sits at my desk, writing, with a blanket around my shoulders because my cat insists on having the window open?

Both Mab and Sybil are not too amused that the days are turning colder, though they are pleased that the central heating is on. Mab stretches out along the radiator in my bedroom and Sybil enjoys the window sill. I've given up putting the ornaments and picture frames straight; such unnecessary items are now removed so that Madam can stretch out.

Fat Cat Sybil

I wonder how they are going to enjoy the new house we have (hopefully) bought in Devon? Deep window recesses (a foot wide window sills) acres of pasture filled with creatures far more interesting than mere Town Mice. A choice of stretching out before the real log fire or the kitchen range; more bedrooms (and consequently, more beds).

Not surprising there are few bees and butterflies in my garden

The two of them are curled apparently asleep on the settee in my office - though I have a suspicion they have one eye open, watching me. It's tea-time .... I guess I'd better feed the two starving moggies before they waste away....