The Next Big Thing Author Interview

By Michelle DePaepe: This is THE NEXT BIG THING, an interview meme that's being passed around the world among authors. The deal is, each author who participates answers the questions below, then spurs five of his or her fellow authors to do the same on the following Wednesday. (At this busy time of year, I did not come up with five more authors, but I've tagged two.)

1. What is the working title of your next book?

Eaters: The Resistance (sequel to Eaters)

 

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?

The original Eaters story came from a nightmare that I had. In the frightening dream, I was holed up in a building with some other people because there were infected people with bizarre and violent behavior roaming around outside and digging through garbage cans. At that point, they hadn't started attacking anyone, so we were staying indoors just as a precaution. My companion told me, "Don't worry. Get some sleep. We’ll be safe in here." I thought, no…no…we're not safe at all. This is just the beginning…

Because there is still an incredible amount to tell about this story, including explaining the origins of the virus and revealing the perpetrators of the apocalypse, it continues in Eaters: The Resistance.

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Horror/Action/Suspense

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

For the first book, I didn't have actors in mind, but for this one, I found it necessary to put an actual face to the number of characters in it. I've got a notebook of little cutouts of people that I've randomly cherry picked from the Internet. Most of them aren't famous, but George Clooney fits the image of the Black Hawk helicopter pilot, Jake Murtz. I would have a lot of fun casting some of the others, including a macho camacho and a prim philosopher with a fake British accent. Who could be the perfect Cheryl, beautiful but tough? In her younger days, Ellen Barkin would have fit the bill. (She is one kickass chick!) Cherlize Theron is definitely in the running now.

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

When Cheryl Malone discovers that the epidemic that turns people into flesh-eating EATERS was caused by an organized group bent on world domination, she teams up with a group to infiltrate them.

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

TBD. Permuted Press has the first right of refusal, but it's not under contract yet.

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

 Still in the works. ETA for final draft is March 31st.

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

If you're a fan of The Walking Dead or action stories with a strong female protagonist, and aren't squeamish about blood and violence, you will like Eaters.  

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I've always been a horror fan with a leaning towards the supernatural. I've done ghosts. I've done vampires…but my zombie nightmare steered me down a different undead road. I was encouraged to continue the story and turn it into a series of novels after the success of its initial release as a self-published novella.

10. What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?

I try to make the characters in my story as real as possible. In a post-apocalyptic situation, you're going to have some people freaking out and others who can remain calm and in control. The emotions and personalities run the gamut, and it's important to distinguish between them to give each one a voice. When I hear from readers that they felt so sad about so-and-so dying or disappearing, I know that I've made the characters real for them, and got them emotionally involved in the story. If you read Eaters, I hope that the characters will stick with you long after you've put it down.

 

I'm tagging Lauralynn Elliott, paranormal romance and horror author and Rachel Fisher, young adult fiction author and 2012 winner of NaNoWriMo. I thank Ryan C. Thomas, horror author, for the tag!