On March 31, Robin Moran tagged me in a bloghop called “The Next Big Thing.” First, I need to say THANK YOU to Robin for bestowing this honor on me. Check out her blog–>HERE!
This bloghop requires that I answer questions about my current Work in Progress. So here are the questions and my answers:
What is the working title of your book?
A TEENAGE ALIEN IN VICTORIAN LONDON. It’ll probably change.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
The collision of a couple of ideas. First, the idea of a teenage alien being stranded in Victorian London. H. G. Wells’s WAR OF THE WORLDS dealt with malicious martians invading Victorian London. What if the alien was a confused teenager? The other thought was this: why is it aliens are always technologically superior to us? What if there was a race of aliens who thought our technology was advanced?
What genre does your book fall under?
It’s a blend of YA sci-fi and YA historical, but it’s probably more on the historical side than the sci-fi.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Ummm… ones that can act and look the part? I have no idea!
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
“A teenage alien winds up stranded in steam-powered Victorian London, in need of electricity to get home.”
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
At this point in my writing career, I need the wisdom and oversight of an experienced agent to make sure my work is the best it can be, and to find the right publisher for it. I have no objection to self-publishing, but I want a few agented novels under my belt before I go there.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
A little over a year… or one month. Let me explain. I’d been toying with the first few chapters for a long time, then I re-wrote those chapters and went on to finish the first draft for NaNoWriMo last November.
What other books would you compare this story to in your genre?
The idea is a bit Douglas Adams-ish, but it’s not totally sci-fi. This is probably not very accurate, but let’s just say it’s THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY meets Downton Abbey just to make you want to read it.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I love British History, Doctor Who, and H.G. Wells. A love child was bound to happen at some point. This might be it.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
You mean the last two answers aren’t enough? How about a handsome stable boy and ABBA?
Tag!
I now have to tag a couple of people to write about their WiPs. And I choose…
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I do love this WiP. When we have many alien invasion novels where humanity is pretty much under attack this is a nice change. And I like the technology twist since more often than not we’re shown in sci-fi that we’re not that advanced or intelligent. Give humanity a break! We’re not doing too bad.
Thanks for the link! =D
Thanks, Robin. I really hope I do the idea justice in the final version. Even though the first draft is done, it still needs a lot of work.
And you are very welcome for the link. Thanks for tagging me. 🙂
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: I love this premise! You’ve taken two things that I really enjoy reading—YA historical and sci-fi—and blended them. Very, very cool. 🙂 Can’t wait to read this one day!
Thank you so much, Jaime! I’m really quite encouraged by the positive feedback I get about the premise. Of course, this puts the pressure on to make the final thing as good as it could be. I don’t want this to be a disappointment–to me or to you! 🙂
You had me at ‘A Teenaged Alien in Victorian London’. Seriously. You need a CP, SEND IT OVER. I love the sound of this, esp with the steam aspects and alien and sci fi meets historical (omg now I am just thinking of the possible historical meets sci fi possibles!)
I am too excited. Get this published or send it over STAT please 😉
C’mon, Vikki–I had you at “handsome stable boy” really, didn’t I… 😉 Seriously, though, thank you! I will be looking for CPs when I’m closer to finishing the second or third round of edits. The pressure to make this awesome mounts, but if you think you can help, I’ll certainly keep you in mind. 🙂
Ha, well that helped! Keep me mind anyways.
I love the mix of historical and sci-fi in your story and hope that someday I’ll be picking this up at my local bookstore! Thanks for tagging me in the blog hop. Looks like I have some mulling over to do before I post. 🙂
Thanks, Erin! I took a week or so to mull over my response, so take as long as you need. I look forward to reading about your WIP! 🙂
Thanks, Erin! I took a week or so to mull over my response, so take as long as you need. I look forward to reading about your WiP! 🙂
You totally sold me on HITCHHIKER’S meets DOWNTON!
😀 I don’t know if that’s a completely accurate description, but that’s about as close as I could get. I can’t think of any novels that have tried this kind of marriage–but that’s probably just my ignorance. 🙂
This is something I would definitely read when it’s finished.
Dropping by from A to Z. It’s my first year participating.
Brett Minor
Transformed Nonconformist
Thanks, Brett! I hope you’re enjoying your first year of A-to-Z. I’ll be checking in on your posts. 🙂
Love the sound of this – would you class it as steampunky (?). Like Kate I like the sound of Hitchhiker’s meets Downton.
Good luck with making this The Next Big Thing
Thanks, Kirsty! No, it’s not at all steampunky. Victorian London is truly London in 1879. Hence the comparison with WAR OF THE WORLDS and “Downton Abbey”–except the alien isn’t invading, and has high expectations about all the cool technology she’ll find on Earth (which is where I think Douglas Adams gets a toe in)… 🙂
What a great way to share info about your WIP and it sounds really cool! I love the idea and hope to see it on shelves – soon!
This was fun. Makes me look forward to doing author interviews perhaps, one day. 🙂 Thanks for the encouragement, Kimberly!
You had me hooked by the one line synopsis but THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY meets Downton Abbey? Now I’m on the edge of my seat! It sounds amazing, good luck with it. Can I get a signed copy when it’s published, please? 🙂
Thank you, Rachael! It’s in its first round of editing at the moment, and while I’ve really just started, I know it’s going to be brutal. But hopefully at the end of the process, it’ll be worth reading. Or at least worth the time and effort of my yet-to-be-asked critique partnerts. 🙂
Colin, this sounds FANTASTIC! What a brilliant twist — so excited for you, and wishing you the very best of luck!
Wow–thanks, Erica! 😀 The pressure to make this amazing is REALLY on, now…
I’m looking forward to DISSONANCE. Release date October 1st?! Sounds so far away… 🙁 And thank you so much for answering my questions too! (See Erica’s blog.) I’m intrigued by what you say about Clara–you might be onto something there. I was never a big Amy fan, so I’m enjoying Clara at the moment. Though I totally agree with you about romance between the companion and the Doctor. Call me an old stick-in-the-mud, but no. Just… no. Please. 🙂
Now that we’re playing blogtag, here’s what I’m wondering: was Clara created by a nemesis to be a perfect companion for The Doctor? And then she’ll turn against him? It’s a little bit River Redux, though, isn’t it? I am not usually smart enough to figure out the answers, so I tend to wildly speculate and be completely wrong. Here are things I find curious, though: One, the TARDIS wouldn’t let her in. Two, they haven’t mentioned the Silence at all, but aren’t they still an issue? Three, there are an awful lot of coincidences: the Amelia Williams book, the “Hungry Like the Wolf”/Bad Wolf, the fact that she keeps losing consciousness…I’m not sure how many are significant and how many are red herrings, but there are a LOT of things repeating in this way. I can’t wait to see what the answer is, regardless.
Ooo… good thoughts! Maybe I’m in the wild speculation camp too! But the more you wildly speculate, the greater chance you’re right about *something*–yes? 🙂 Did Clara have a TARDIS key before the TARDIS locked her out? I’ll have to check that. If she did, then that certainly *is* curious. I *think* from the series trailers I’ve seen that The Silence is returning, which would play into your theory. And we know Rose will be in the 50th Anniversary Special, so I don’t think the “Hungry Like the Wolf”/”Bad Wolf” connection is coincidental. Of all the Duran Duran songs they could have picked…!
It might be a good idea to keep an eye on what the BBC reveal about November’s 50th Anniversary Special, since I’m becoming more and more convinced all this is leading up to that. Interestingly, it looks as if the last episode of this series is only a single-part episode. The title has not yet been revealed, but that would be the first time since 2005 they haven’t finished with a two-parter. Unless it ends “To Be Continued November 23rd… 🙂