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*On this day in 2012, I was asked to participate in something called "The Next Big Thing" about my novel The Living Wills. Ten years later it's interesting to read this again...
Authors are being asked to answer ten simple questions (and no more than ten...we can get a little wordy), and then tag five other authors to do the same. I've chosen to accept this assignment to promote "The Living Wills" (co-written with Brendan Sullivan), which is still available in the Eckhartz Press store, the amazon Kindle store, Barnes & Noble, Apple iBookstore, and the Sony Reader store. You know what? Now that you mention it, it would make an excellent stocking stuffer for Christmas.
Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:
1. What is the (working) title of your book?
“The Living Wills”
2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
It was created in a very unusual way. My co-author Brendan Sullivan and I wrote individual chapters with no idea where the story would take us. After creating a few memorable characters using that technique, we met and improvised a story line featuring those characters. It was a really interesting experiment in creativity that worked out much better than we ever thought it would.
3. What genre does your book fall under?
It’s not a genre book, really. More of a standard commercial novel.
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
We’ve actually gotten a few nibbles from film directors and producers, but I'm guessing my dream cast for the five main characters of the book might be a bit out of any movie studio's price range...
Henry—Henry’s a bigger than life kind of figure, in his 60s. I can see Brian Dennehy playing that role very convincingly. Or CSI’s William Petersen (who actually endorsed our book on the back cover).
Reed—Reed is in his 50s, and just going through the motions in life. How about Tom Hanks? (It’s a dream cast, right?)
Gina—She has a sassy attitude, and is young and tall. I’m thinking Maggie Gyllenhaal
Delmar—Late 30s/early 40s lovable nerd. How about Jack Black?
Peter—I like Jason Segel in this role, but it may be a little too serious for him.
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
The Living Wills is about a split second decision made thirty years ago and the ripple effects it has caused.
6. Was (Will) your book (be) self-published or represented by an agency?
Trick question. The book was published by Eckhartz Press, but I’m one of the co-publishers of Eckhartz Press. (We’ve since published four other books by other authors). I've been previously published and represented by an agency, and to be honest, I didn't like the experience. I much prefer doing it this way.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I think it took us about a year to write the first draft. Working on that first draft was pure joy. Polishing subsequent drafts, on the other hand, was a little more challenging. It took us another two years to do that.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I can’t really compare it to another book because it is a little unusual. I guess it's a bit similar to a movie like The Royal Tenenbaums. It has quirky intersecting story lines, and beneath the humor, the reader will unexpectedly encounter real human drama.
9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
It's hard to explain where ideas come from when you're improvising, but I think it's safe to say that the emotional parts of the book were inspired by the deaths of our parents (Brendan’s mom, and my dad).
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
The Living Wills connects the worlds of baristas and Army veterans, bowling teams and exploding port-a-potties, cartoon pirates and young love. Find me another novel that does that!
