Blog Chain--Favorite Tropes

It's blog chain time again. Once again I'm a day late. I fully intended to blog yesterday but I was really down in the dumps. Sounds lame, I know, but I'm really bad at the social media stuff when I'm feeling down. Depression makes me antisocial. Luckily, the sun is out today and I'm feeling a lot better.

So now on with the chain. This week's blog chain was started by Kate who asks:

As a reader and/or a writer what are some of your favorite fiction tropes? Are you sucker for secretly in love with best friend type stories, stories set in mysterious boarding school stories, stories that contain time travel, or something else entirely? As a writer how do you try to give the tropes you tackle in your own books a fresh spin?

Hmmm...

My tastes are pretty across the board. But if I were forced to choose, I think my favorite story is the superhero's journey. (I know. I've shocked you all, right? *grin*) I love a good "someone discovers they have superpowers and now they must figure out how to control them and if they're going to use them for good or evil" story.

As an avid reader of comic books I love how this has been handled in a hundred different ways from Captain America (It is my duty to serve) to Spider Man (Um, I'm just a teen trying to survive high school) to the Phoenix (I think I'm good, yet there's a part of me that wants to engulf the world in flames. So, yeah...) to Storm (You want to worship me as a God? I suppose that won't hurt.)

As Uncle Ben once said, "With great power comes great responsibility." But what if those with the power think it's a curse? The entire situation spins on its head. And that is why the super hero trope is my favorite.

So what about you? What's your favorite fiction trope?

For more links along the chain, check out Alyson's post before mine and Amparo's post today!

And now, because it's almost Friday, I will leave you with the best video ever created.



As Stan the man would say, "Excelsior!"

Interview at Manga Maniac!

Today I'm being interviewed over at Manga Maniac! You can check it out here if you feel so inclined. Happy Tuesday!

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

I'm so excited to be a part of this! I was tagged by the amazing Jacqueline West who writes the super fun (and deliciously dark) MG series The Books of Elsewhere. Did I mention there were talking cats?!?

If you don't already know, the Next Big Thing Blog Hop gives authors the chance to discuss their works in progress. What I'm currently working on is SHINOBI--book three of my KATANA series. 

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



SHINOBI--which means shadow warrior. It was used as another name to describe ninja.
 
Where did the idea come from for the book? 

For as long as I can remember, I've been fascinated with Japanese history and samurai in particular. I guess you could say the character Senshi was directly inspired by a real-life samurai Tome Gozen. 



According to the Tale of the Heike:

Tomoe was especially beautiful, with white skin, long hair, and charming features. She was also a remarkably strong archer, and as a swordswoman she was a warrior worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a god, mounted or on foot. She handled unbroken horses with superb skill; she rode unscathed down perilous descents. Whenever a battle was imminent, Yoshinaka sent her out as his first captain, equipped with strong armor, an oversized sword, and a mighty bow; and she performed more deeds of valor than any of his other warriors^.

What genre does your book fall under? 


I think my publisher has it listed as a supernatural action-adventure.

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


That's a really good question. I go back and forth all the time on who I'd want to play my main character Rileigh. But there is no question in my mind who would play Gimhae Kim. 

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? 


Hmm...since it's book three of a series, it might be easier to start with book one. After being attacked in a parking lot, seventeen year-old Rileigh Martin is possessed by the spirit of a fifteenth-century samurai. 

Are you signed with an agent or publisher, or are you planning to self-publish?  

This book will be published March 2014 through Flux.  

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



I'm three-fourths of the way done and hoping to be completely finished in the next couple of weeks, so that would be two months of writing and I'll need another month to edit. 

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


Another tough question. The School Library Journal compared recommended KATANA for fans of SAMURAI GIRL.

Who or what inspired you to write this book? 


When I was seventeen I found myself living out of my car for a couple of weeks with books my only source of comfort and entertainment. If my own books can help a suffering teen forget about their problems even for a little while, then I accomplished what I set out to do. 

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

How about some reviews? 

Praise for KATANA:
"This action-packed novel has a unique and compelling plot...even readers who dislike supernatural story lines will enjoy this tale of modern samurais." ~ School Library Journal

"An action packed page-turner tempered with slow-burning romance." ~ Booklist

Praise for SENSHI:
"...with a twisty plot and death-defying action, this romance delivers teen yearning with martial arts kicks." ~ Kirkus 

Now it's my turn to add to the chain. Next week make sure to check out Brad R. Cook's blog. Brad is a good friend of mine as well as a critique partner and president of the St. Louis Writer's Guild.