Which is true.
But here's the thing... I'm terrible at and terrified of talking about my book. If you know me outside of this blog, you know just how bad it is. Stammering and hand wringing and the setting of small fires in order to direct people's attention elsewhere. And if you only know me though this blog you still probably know how bad it is.
But I think maybe I can handle the question format so let's just take this one question at a time and see what happens, shall we?
1. What is the name of your book?
Oh, wait! I know this one! The novel is called Effigy.
2. Where did the idea for your book come from?
Back in middle school maybe, my mother found for me a series of mid grade fantasy novels where an ordinary girl is accidentally transported into a parallel universe filled with magic and sword fighting and unicorns. The series was called "The Secret of the Unicorn Queen" and it inspired me to write my own fantasy stories. Combine that with my love of King Arthur, Robin Hood and double bladed battle axes, and I guess me writing this book was kind of inevitable.
3. In what genre would you classify your book?
Epic fantasy, I guess. Though I'm uncomfortable with the 'epic' part.
4. Who would you pick to play your characters in a movie adaptation?
That question was answered in a blog post I did a while back where I cast most of the novel's most important characters. You can check it out here.
5. Give us a one sentence synopsis of your book.
One sentence? But it took me eight months to write a four and a half page synopsis. Oh well. Here goes...
Queen of a land succumbing to a once dormant darkness, Haleine Coileáin aligns herself with her husband's enemy to bring an end to the evil, regardless of the cost— even if that cost is her life.
6. Is your book already published?
No.
7. How long did it take you to write this book?
I decline to respond to this question on the grounds that the answer is incredibly depressing and little embarrassing. Let's just say I make George R.R. Martin look like Speedy Gonzalez.
8. What other books in your genre would you compare it to?
Me? None. However, there are a few people out there who are not me nor related to me who have likened my book to George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. Which worries me. A lot.
9. Which authors inspired you to write this book?
I don't know that any authors really inspired me to write this book but I think some have helped shape certain aspects of it. For example, I really admire the way Philippa Gregory writes her novels (Seriously, you should read The Boleyn Inheritance) and Ellen Emerson White had a huge impact on how I construct characters.
10. Tell us anything that might pique our interest in your book.
Uh... Yeah, this is going to be the hardest one for me.
Back when I was teaching English, my students always asked if the book contained swearing, sex and violence. And the answer was always Yes, yes and yes. (There's also sarcasm. And talking unicorns. Who are (occasionally) sarcastic.) Interestingly enough, The Man's boss also asked the same questions.
This is also a fantasy novel that has appealed to people who normally do not read fantasy or do not like fantasy. (And again, none of these people are related to me.)
Is that it? Did I make it?
Well, there's the part where I'm supposed to tag five other people but I never do that part. However, if you'd like an opportunity to talk about your book— or, if you're like me and desperately need the practice— please consider yourselves tagged.
Thanks again to Michael Offutt for including me in this meme and forcing me to stop ignoring my blog. Be sure to check out his blog as well as his debut novel, Slipstream. I'm about 60% of the way through it myself and I'm enjoying it. Even if there are an awful lot of spiders to be found. (And just so you know... one spider is one too many for my tastes.)
Have a great Labor Day weekend, everyone.