THE NEXT BIG THING

Happy New Year and welcome to the January 2nd NEXT BIG THING Blog Hop. Exciting, huh? But what the heck is it?

Basically, it provides a way for readers to discover authors new to them.  

On this stop of the Blog Hop, you’ll find a bit of information about me and my latest novel, Plague, as well as links to three other authors whose works you can explore.

By the way, although this is the same day my two-month virtual author tour kicks off, the NEXT BIG THING is entirely separate from that.

My gratitude to fellow author Vicki Hinze, a fine lady and wonderful writer, for inviting me to participate in this event. You can click on the following links to learn more about Vicki and her books.  As you will discover, she’s a prolific writer who delves into many different genres.

Website:  http://vickihinze.com/blog

Buy her books: http://www.amazon.com/Vicki-Hinze/e/B000AQ48S4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

On each Blog Hop stop, authors answer ten questions about their most recent book or work-in-progress.  Since the questions are the same from blog to blog, you might have a bit of fun comparing answers and finding out what drives each of us.

So here’s the Q and A segment for my new novel, Plague, which one reviewer called—-here comes the shameless self-promotion part—-“. . . quite possibly the fastest-paced and most intriguing thriller of the twenty-first century.”

1: What is the working title of your book?

The working title of my current novel was The Koltsovo Legacy (you’ll understand why when you read the book), but it was published as Plague.

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

The inspiration for Plague sprang from, ironically, a nonfiction book: Richard Preston’s 1994 spine-tingling best seller about the Ebola virus, The Hot Zone. As I read Preston’s book, I became fascinated by Ebola and, quite frankly, scared to death by the thought there might be an airborne version of it. Thriller writers, naturally, love things that scare folks. So, I began thinking about how I could craft my fright into a terrifying novel.

3: What genre does your book come under?

Plague is a classic thriller with the good guys in a race against time (and the odds) to stop a bad guy—-in this case an intelligent but psychopathic terrorist with weaponized Ebola.

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

I’m really at a loss on this question, since I don’t watch that many movies. I’d probably sound like a doofus—-I know, I know: this is different how?—-if I tried to answer. All I know is I’d like James Horner (Braveheart, Titanic) to do the musical score.

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

In only a matter of days, 9/11 and the destruction of the Twin Towers will be rivaled by a lone-wolf terrorist attack on America with Atlanta targeted as Ground Zero.

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?

Plague was published by Bell Bridge Books, an imprint of BelleBooks. I’m represented by Jeanie Loiacano of the Sullivan Maxx Literary Agency.

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


The first draft probably took about a year, but I rewrote it four or five times and even put it in storage for awhile while I worked on Eyewall, my debut novel.

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

Again, I have to beg off on this question since I mostly read thrillers about spies and espionage, and James Lee Burke mysteries, not novels about bioterrorism. If it helps, several people have compared my writing to Michael Crichton’s. But you’ll have to judge that for yourself.

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

I refer you back to the answer to question two. The real inspiration came from Richard Preston’s The Hot Zone.

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

It’s darn scary, and there are twists and turns in it that even I didn’t see coming until, well, I got there. I really like the ending and so did my editor who called it “kick ass.” And finally, although Epilogues usually wrap up the story for readers and let them know what happened to the main characters after the dust settled, there’s a zinger in Plague’s Epilogue that most readers won’t see coming.

Below you will find authors who will be joining me by blog next Wednesday. Be sure to bookmark and add them to your calendars for updates on works-in-progress and new releases. Happy writing and reading!

K. D. McCrite’s Blog: http://kdmccrite.com/

Stu Blandford’s Blog:  http://www.daddyiwant.blogspot.com/

Emily Sue Harvey’s Blog:  http://emilysueharvey.com/

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