The Next Big Thing Blog Hop
For the past several months, this meme has been circulating amongst my writer friends, where they get to talk about their upcoming and in-progress projects. Last week, my friend Dayton Ward tagged me, so now, my Next Big Thing:
1) What’s the title of your forthcoming book?
Star Trek: The Shocks of Adversity
2) Where did the idea come from for the book?
The idea for this book came in a bit of a roundabout way: while Voyager was still on the air and I was occasionally pitching to them, I came up with the idea of a multi-episode arc in which Janeway and Company, needing to cross a large expanse of occupied space, struck up a partnership with the local government to help them deal with some of their hostiles in return for the right of passage. Janeway initially agrees, but over the course of several weeks, realizes these are not especially nice people. This idea obviously went nowhere, but when the opportunity to do an Original Series story came along, I dug this seed of an idea out of my files, broke it down, tossed out the extra pieces, applied duct tape, and rebuilt it into the story it is today.
3) What genre does your book fall under?
Science fiction. Space opera.
4) Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie version?
William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, et.al., circa 1968. (If you're under age 30 and insist on casting Chris Pine, etc., I guess I can't stop you.) As for the guest performers... I normally prefer to let the reader do their own mental casting, but as these actors would be under significant alien makeup, I'll go ahead and cast Nathan Fillion as Commander Laspas, Dennis Franz as Second Commander Satrav, and Ileana Douglas as Chief N'Mi.
5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
When the Enterprise is attacked and takes heavy damage in a remote and unknown region of space, Kirk accepts the help of a friendly local alien power, but eventually comes to realize they may not be quite as friendly as he first thought.
6) Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?
The book will be published by Pocket Books in May of this year.
7) How long did it take to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Approximately four months.
8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I'd compare it to some of the classic old-school Star Trek novels of the late 1970s and 1980s, or rather, to late second season TOS.
9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
The editors at Pocket Books came to me last spring asking if I would like to write a new Star Trek novel -- in particular, one set during the original five year mission of the original series. Also, they also offered to pay me, which was a huge inspiration.
10) What else about your book might pique a reader’s interest?
The novel also contains numerous Easter eggs relating to another long-time favorite TV series of mine, and I intend to give those readers who find them fabulous prizes, or very hearty congratulations, whichever is easier.
For the next round of this meme, I'm going to tag my friends Sandra McDonald and Vicki Profitt. Have at it!
1) What’s the title of your forthcoming book?
Star Trek: The Shocks of Adversity
2) Where did the idea come from for the book?
The idea for this book came in a bit of a roundabout way: while Voyager was still on the air and I was occasionally pitching to them, I came up with the idea of a multi-episode arc in which Janeway and Company, needing to cross a large expanse of occupied space, struck up a partnership with the local government to help them deal with some of their hostiles in return for the right of passage. Janeway initially agrees, but over the course of several weeks, realizes these are not especially nice people. This idea obviously went nowhere, but when the opportunity to do an Original Series story came along, I dug this seed of an idea out of my files, broke it down, tossed out the extra pieces, applied duct tape, and rebuilt it into the story it is today.
3) What genre does your book fall under?
Science fiction. Space opera.
4) Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie version?
William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, et.al., circa 1968. (If you're under age 30 and insist on casting Chris Pine, etc., I guess I can't stop you.) As for the guest performers... I normally prefer to let the reader do their own mental casting, but as these actors would be under significant alien makeup, I'll go ahead and cast Nathan Fillion as Commander Laspas, Dennis Franz as Second Commander Satrav, and Ileana Douglas as Chief N'Mi.
5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
When the Enterprise is attacked and takes heavy damage in a remote and unknown region of space, Kirk accepts the help of a friendly local alien power, but eventually comes to realize they may not be quite as friendly as he first thought.
6) Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?
The book will be published by Pocket Books in May of this year.
7) How long did it take to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Approximately four months.
8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I'd compare it to some of the classic old-school Star Trek novels of the late 1970s and 1980s, or rather, to late second season TOS.
9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
The editors at Pocket Books came to me last spring asking if I would like to write a new Star Trek novel -- in particular, one set during the original five year mission of the original series. Also, they also offered to pay me, which was a huge inspiration.
10) What else about your book might pique a reader’s interest?
The novel also contains numerous Easter eggs relating to another long-time favorite TV series of mine, and I intend to give those readers who find them fabulous prizes, or very hearty congratulations, whichever is easier.
For the next round of this meme, I'm going to tag my friends Sandra McDonald and Vicki Profitt. Have at it!