The Next Big Thing

"The Next Big Thing, authors tagged, questions answered..."

My lovely twin sister Margot McCuaig tagged me for The Next Big Thing so it's my turn to have a go at answering some questions and tag some of my favourite authors. 

And of course my sister might have been a bit biased but if family can't sing your praises then who can.

Here goes!

What is the working title of your next book?

I'm working on a couple at the moment but I'll say Rise of the Valkyrie

Where did the idea come from for the book?

This is actually a follow up to Fallen Angel which will be released by Post Mortem Press in January. Although I usually write post apocalyptic horror I've always wanted to do a supernatural thriller.

I've often wondered if evil could somehow travel through time and take advantage during times of war and conflict, hopefully this book will show that and the reasons how and why.

What genre does your book fall under?

Supernatural Thriller

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

For the hero Maggie Maguire then that would have to be Helen Mirren, you wouldn't want to mess with her. For Lucas, her partner, then I'd go for Viggo Mortensen, he always looks like he's got a hidden past that he wants to keep secret.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

Throughout history tales have been told of mysterious warriors coming to collect the dead. Now that history is here, and it's not just the dead they seek this time.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

It will be published by the fantastic folks over at Post Mortem Press

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

The first draft is not quite finished and I've been a bit delayed with the planning of my wedding but my novels seem to take anywhere between 6 and 12 months.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Nothing springs to mind but the first book has been described by my publisher as a mix of The Da Vinci Code, The Exorcist and Law & Order. No pressure then!

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

It was not only my pretty long term desire to write this type of book I also think I needed a wee break from horror. I love horror, and will always go back to it, but I needed something fresh to get my teeth into.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

I like strong female characters, far too many are there just as victims or for a touch of romance, Maggie is not a Hollywood style, ass-kicking kung-fu expert but deep down she shows real steel. I have lots of strong willed women in my life, my mother, sisters, partner and step-daughter and to be honest, I nick a bit from all of them for some of my characters.

Here are some writers that are dedicated to their craft and embrace the joy of storytelling.

I was a big fan of Sean Page even before we got together to co-write a novel and now I hope I can also call him a friend. His zombie books are the best you can get from the British market. Please have a look at his mad-cap site- Ministry of Zombies

Emma Ennis is a prolific writer of short stories who runs a great little blog. Originally from Ireland she now lives in Norway. Samples of her work are available here- Emma Ennis Blog

Rebecca Besser writes about my favourite beasties- Zombies. Her novella Undead Drive-Thru is one of the best stories of it's kind. I'm sure she has a big future- Rebecca Besser

Another great zombie writer is Vincenzo Bilof- His novel Nightmare of the Dead is without doubt one of the best novels from the other side of the pond and he has also got over twenty short stories published. Catch up on his work here- Vincenzo Bilof

And last but definitely not least is Rad Lewandowski, he helps run the fantastic Scares that Care site which raises fantastic money through horror related products. My hat goes off to this man. Please pop over to this site- Scares That Care