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The Blog Hop
Dec. 12th, 2012 01:51 amToday is Blog Hop Day! A whole bunch of writers have created a chain of blogs to follow. We're all answering the same set of questions (more or less) in our own indubitable ways and providing links that let you hop to the next set of blogs. So without further ado, here's mine!
What is the title of your book?
The Dragon Men, and it's the third novel in the Clockwork Empire series. It just came out last month!
Where did the idea come from for the book?
The basic premise for the Clockwork Empire revolves around the conflict between the English and Chinese empires in the 1860s. The first book, The Doomsday Vault, is set in England. For the second book, The Impossible Cube, the main characters are fleeing toward China. And in The Dragon Men, they arrive and are immediately sucked into the deadly intrigue of the Chinese court. With steampunk inventions mixing everything up.
What genre does your book fall under?
Steampunk. We're definitely steampunk. (Steampunk is science fiction set in the 1800s.) And we have zombies and mad scientists. You have to have zombies and mad scientists.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Oh wow. You know, I think this is the first novel for which I haven't given that idea much thought. Reese Witherspoon would make a good Alice. I can't think of any blond handsome nineteen-year-old actors to play Gavin. Any ideas out there, in case Hollywood calls?
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Gavin and Alice rush to China, hoping to find a cure for the plague which is driving Gavin mad, only to discover a despot has taken over the Chinese throne, while the true heirs hope to use Gavin and Alice to further their own ends.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Two months. Seriously. I initially had a six month deadline for the book, but my family life took a very bad turn, and I wasn't able to work on the manuscript at all for weeks and weeks. My editor wasn't able to give an extension, either--The Dragon Men was already listed in catalogs. So I ended up writing the first draft in two months and finishing the rewrites in one. You can probably spot my state of mind in the book's climax. I don't recommend this method!
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
So many things! I wanted to explore a romantic relationship between a younger man and an older woman, and I wanted to explore the nature of insanity. I also wanted to challenge myself, see if I could write a book set in a culture I previously knew very little about. (So much research followed!) What I learned about palace eunuchs alone had a major impact on the plot.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
The empress Cixi plays a central role in the book. Historically, she ruled China in all but name for decades, a sort of opposite to Queen Victoria. I found her both horrifying and fascinating. I had to use her, see what happened if she met up with Gavin and Alice. The results were pretty incredible. It was also great fun to write about Susan Phipps, who is an antagonist in The Impossible Cube but switches sides for The Dragon Men.
Where should we go from here?
Try these blogs in the Blog Hop:
Pati Nagle http://patinagle.livejournal.com/
Patricia Burroughs http://planetpooks.
Jeffrey A. Carver http://starrigger.
Katharine Eliska "Cat" Kimbriel https://www.
Deborah J. Ross http://www.deborahj
Sherwood Smith http://sartorias.
Laura J. Underwood http://laurajunderwood.livejournal.com
What is the title of your book?
The Dragon Men, and it's the third novel in the Clockwork Empire series. It just came out last month!
Where did the idea come from for the book?
The basic premise for the Clockwork Empire revolves around the conflict between the English and Chinese empires in the 1860s. The first book, The Doomsday Vault, is set in England. For the second book, The Impossible Cube, the main characters are fleeing toward China. And in The Dragon Men, they arrive and are immediately sucked into the deadly intrigue of the Chinese court. With steampunk inventions mixing everything up.
What genre does your book fall under?
Steampunk. We're definitely steampunk. (Steampunk is science fiction set in the 1800s.) And we have zombies and mad scientists. You have to have zombies and mad scientists.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Oh wow. You know, I think this is the first novel for which I haven't given that idea much thought. Reese Witherspoon would make a good Alice. I can't think of any blond handsome nineteen-year-old actors to play Gavin. Any ideas out there, in case Hollywood calls?
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Gavin and Alice rush to China, hoping to find a cure for the plague which is driving Gavin mad, only to discover a despot has taken over the Chinese throne, while the true heirs hope to use Gavin and Alice to further their own ends.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Two months. Seriously. I initially had a six month deadline for the book, but my family life took a very bad turn, and I wasn't able to work on the manuscript at all for weeks and weeks. My editor wasn't able to give an extension, either--The Dragon Men was already listed in catalogs. So I ended up writing the first draft in two months and finishing the rewrites in one. You can probably spot my state of mind in the book's climax. I don't recommend this method!
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
So many things! I wanted to explore a romantic relationship between a younger man and an older woman, and I wanted to explore the nature of insanity. I also wanted to challenge myself, see if I could write a book set in a culture I previously knew very little about. (So much research followed!) What I learned about palace eunuchs alone had a major impact on the plot.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
The empress Cixi plays a central role in the book. Historically, she ruled China in all but name for decades, a sort of opposite to Queen Victoria. I found her both horrifying and fascinating. I had to use her, see what happened if she met up with Gavin and Alice. The results were pretty incredible. It was also great fun to write about Susan Phipps, who is an antagonist in The Impossible Cube but switches sides for The Dragon Men.
Where should we go from here?
Try these blogs in the Blog Hop:
Pati Nagle http://patinagle.livejournal.com/
Patricia Burroughs http://planetpooks.
Jeffrey A. Carver http://starrigger.
Katharine Eliska "Cat" Kimbriel https://www.
Deborah J. Ross http://www.deborahj
Sherwood Smith http://sartorias.
Laura J. Underwood http://laurajunderwood.livejournal.com
