A big thanks to author, speaker, and world traveler  Kelsey Timmerman for tagging me in The Next Big Thing blog hop. Kelsey’s first book is fantastic: WHERE AM I WEARING? A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People That Make Our Clothes. His next installment, WHERE AM I EATING, will be released on April 22, 2013 (Earth Day). His list of credentials is fast growing. His articles have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, Condé Nast Portfolio, and The Huffington Post and he has been interviewed on NPR’s Talk of The Nation among other media outlets.

And he is hilarious!

Without further ado, here is The Next Big Thing.

What is your working title of your book (or story)?

My novel is titled Treasure Hunter Tales: The Family Legend.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

My inspiration for this story began with the setting, a place similar to the 150-year-old farm that I grew up on. From there, the first idea I had for a middle grade novel was treasure hunting. As a child, I was constantly hunting for treasures. I even followed my dad as he plowed the fields hoping an arrow head or something would turn up.

What genre does your book fall under?

The story is a middle grade fantasy in a contemporary setting.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

The main character would be tough for me to assign as actors playing thirteen-year-olds are often unknowns. I would hope for another Daniel Radcliff type to star in the series. Ian McKellen would be great for my character, Eldorian, one of the old races.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Thirteen-year-old Ethan Morus has no idea that he’s inherited treasure hunter instincts, but agents of the Dark are aware and will destroy Ethan and his family to get their quarry.

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

I’m currently seeking representation for this novel. Self-publishing is not for me at this point, but I’m not ruling it out completely. I see writing as a craft that requires time and experience before one is ready to create their brand, and I wouldn’t want to self-publish this story without 100% confidence in myself (or a comprehensive edit, an excellent cover, and a marketing plan).

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

The first draft (which was terrible) took me six months to complete. Since then the novel has undergone major changes. Most of my characters still have their original names, but that’s about it.

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

I think this story is a little darker than Over Sea Under Stone by Susan Cooper, but has the same treasure hunting aspect along with the battle between Light and Dark. It’s like a young Indiana Jones with magic as the basis for his ability and the hidden world of magical beings trying to lure him to their side.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I loved Harry Potter, and the summer it ended I began plotting this story. My younger sister encouraged me and my wife supported me. Since I began, I’ve fallen in love with writing and am working on my third novel and a handful of short stories.

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

The Family Legend is accessible to middle grade readers who dislike the complexity and sometimes difficulty involved with reading high fantasy. If it’s a spy, I call it a spy, not a Level Twelve Nocturnal Sight Mage. While I do work in created worlds and old races, I always write in plain English. The Family Legend is also the beginning of a series (although it does wrap-up like a standalone) so the reader can expect more stories to come. Treasure Hunter Tales: The Steel Spirit is the second story and ready to go once book one is published.

Thanks again to Kelsey Timmerman for tagging me on the blog hop!

Next on the hop we have:

Jacqueline West is the author of the award-winning middle grade series The Books of Elsewhere. Her short fiction for adults and children has appeared in a variety of publications, and her poetry has received many honors, including two Pushcart nominations, a Rhysling Award nomination, and a Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg prize. Cherma, her series of poems about Wisconsin’s Bohemian immigrants, was published in March 2010 by the University of Wisconsin’s Parallel Press chapbook series. Her character, Olive, in The Books of Elsewhere, is one of my favorites!

Terri Devries is a novelist, poet, and short fiction writer. Her poems have appeared in Four and Twenty online magazine. She has won multiple Hertel Poetry awards, and one Hertel Short Story award at the Maranatha Christian Writer’s Conference. Terri is currently working on her third novel.

Irene Fridsma is a poet, short fiction, and novel writer. Irene’s poems have appeared in Four and Twenty online magazine, The Banner,  several chapbooks, and CRC publications. Irene has won the Hertel Poetry Award at the Maranatha Christian Writer’s Conference. She has enough poems to equal the page count of an epic fantasy and is currently working on her first novel.

Timothy C. Ward is a speculative fiction writer and soon to be short story author. Tim has an awesome podcast, AudioTim, where he interviews authors, editors, and publishing professionals. He reviews books for SF signal and recently won Honorable Mention in the Writers of the Future contest. Tim is working on several novels.