MY Next BIG Thing (W.I.P. [Work In Progress] Edition)

Hi All,

Still working on the WordPress move, but will be dishing out some posts in the meantime, and today’s post is partly thanks to Kelly Hashway’s Blog. She tagged me for “The Next Big Thing.” 

As on Kelly’s blog, I’ll share a few choice tidbits about my current WIP (Work-in-Progress) novel. It’s been an off and on project that ‘ve just started really kicking into high gear.

Here goes-

What is the working title of your next book?

The Baroque Weasel


Where did the idea come from for the book?

After reading some of the original Grimm’s fairy tales, I got inspired to write my own style of fairy tale, though mine isn’t as dark, and the female characters are more modern and proactive.

I also wanted to write a story about a weasel, an underused creature BEYOND the picture book world, and novels outside the confines

of Redwall (We’re they’re typically the villains), but in this story, the weasel’s the hero. I LOVE to make misunderstood animals the heroes.

What genre does your book fall under?

A Fantasy/Adventure. It’s either going to be Upper MG (10+), or straight YA (13+), but I’m not yet sure at it’s current stage.

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

First, I really hope it will be animated, since some live-action movie adaptations of books are REALLY meant to be animated, and in this case, not CGI, but 2D with some CGI effects if needed. Okay, that out of the way-

NOTE: My animal characters have full names like humans, just mentioning the animals they are for the purpoes of this blog post to avoid confusion.

Frankie Muniz (Or someone similarly pitched) As Aurel the Weasel (Gentle yet not too naïve)

Rachel Hirschfield As Henrietta Caulfield 
(Spunky but sincere is key for 16 year old human girl, Henrietta)

Christopher Plummer As Stragglefur the warm yet wicked fox (He can be menacing yet endearing, the latter is KEY for the antagonist’s layered personality)

Antonio Bandaras As Vélasco the persnicketty crow (If he can affect a Sharp, fairly natural Spanish accent)

Stephanie Young As Chandra the warrior wolf (She can sound serious yet convey strong emotion, very KEY for Chandra)

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
(NOT FINAL): A lonely weasel who can turn into a human, helps down on her luck teenage girl save her father from a deadly curse, and fall in love on the way.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I might go the self-published route, but that depends on being able to afford outsourcing the cover art and illustrations (I sadly don’t illustrate), freelance editor, etc. That’s assuming I don’t get an agent with this or another book. (Cross your fingers, or tails, for me)

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
Not done yet! (It will be eventually…)

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I don’t like to play the comparison game outside market purposes. But if it helps, but partly a semi-modern fairy tale, not too scarry or sappy, but not afraid to “Get Happy!”


Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Grimm’s Fairy Tales and researching weasels and my desire to bring them together. It would also be my first book with a true villain, as opposed to a antagonistic rival character, who wasn’t “Evil” to start with, and weren’t trying to inflict his nastiness with (Intended) malicious intent.

What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
You’ve GOT to love talking animals, which if you’re reading this blog, you’ve got the fantastical fauna fancier in you, right?

Also, you’ll have to accept not everything about my animal characters will be “National Geographic” accurate, but they retain much of their real life apperence, natural behaviors and instincts, etc. Think Half Beatrix Potter/Richard Scarry (Anthropomorhpic), and half E.B. White and Tor Seidler (More naturalistic, but might wear some clothes, and have human-like autnomy and self-awareness).

That’s all for today.
Until Next Week, 
May the fantastical fauna be with you.
Taurean

 

 

Anniversary and a BIG Announcement!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Talking Animal Addicts

3 YEARS AND STILL SQUEAKING!

 

Cupcakes for me!
Photo Courtesy of Kupcake_Killer

It was 3 years ago today I began Talking Animal Addicts, and like my haphazard attempts in NaNoWriMo, I jumped into the world of blogging blind, but unlike NaNo, I’ve made better strides on the blogging, infrequent and wishy-washy as my blogging’s been this year. Thanks to those of you who took the time to comment and spread the word.

While I’m still on hiatus, there are some big things happening at T.A.A. for 2013, and today I’m announcing the first big step.

After much thought, I’ve decided to move T.A.A. from Blogger, to a self-hosted WordPress platform, so I can better customize the experience with the loyal supporters of this blog, and attract a wider audience and while I tried to have the relaunch done by today, it’s taking more time than I hoped, so bare with me if the blog has some serious downtime. I’ll announce the stable re-launch on the
T.A.A. Twitter Feed so please follow it to know when the re-launch hits.

I’ll have more to report in January. 
Have a safe and joyous holiday.

Until Next Year,
May The Fantastical Fauna Be With You
Taurean (Your Frazzled yet Unflappable Literary Rat)