THE BATON GAME

I was officially passed the baton by Author C.Michaels to answer a few questions about my current work in progress and my writing. The questions were fun and you can read my answers below. If you’re interested in participating let me know – I’d love to add you.

What is the working title of your book?
INZARED, The Fortune Teller. It’s the second in the INZARED series.

Where did the idea come from for this book?
I wish I had an answer for this question. I sat down at the computer one night about four years ago and this woman popped into my consciousness. She was loud, didn’t have perfect grammar, and I liked her immediately. She said she had a tale to tell that I would want to write down because it was too incredulous to believe. I actually tried to quiet her but she refused until I began typing. I have never had such a heady feeling – she dictated and I input the information every night into my computer until the rough draft was done. Then came the names – we had a few major disagreements over that!

What genre does your book fall under?
YA Historical Fiction. Although I am marketing to Young Adult readers, I find most of my readers are adult women.

How long did it take to write the first draft?
Approximately six weeks. The working title was Wildwood. It evolved into a very different story by the time it was done and I revised for a year or so, took some time off, and came back with some minor details and research to make the book even better. It has been in the works for three-plus years because the first draft was so long that I kept trying to cut it. With some help from my local writer’s group I realized I had written two books, not one. When I cut the manuscript in half it read much better and allowed me to tell the story properly. INZARED, The Fortune Teller is the second half of the original manuscript.

What actors would you use for a movie rendition of your book?
I think an unknown would best play my protagonist. Inzared is a product of the Appalachian Mountains in the early 1800s. She grows up poor, on a hardscrabble farm. She’s not beautiful, but she is full of spunk and independence. She has such a sense of innocence that my only worry is that a seasoned actress wouldn’t be able to capture the feeling. However, I would be open to suggestions – movies are not my areas of expertise, writing is. To that end, I may be short-changing actors with my perceptions.

What is a one-sentence synopsis of your book?
A circus star returns home, mends family rifts, practices her healing arts and fortune-telling, falls in love, cares for her family and wrestles with decisions she must make to survive as she travels alone to provide for her children.

Will it be self-published or represented by an agency?
The first book in the series, INZARED, Queen of the Elephant Riders, is currently available on Amazon in the Kindle Format. I plan to issue a paperback later this year. INZARED, The Fortune Teller will follow the same format – I am very happy with my place in Amazon and find it very easy to navigate the self-publishing maze.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?
As I said above, an uneducated girl from the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina in 1843 nagged me until I listened and wrote her story. She is still in my head; at times I ask her politely to refrain from talking but when we work together magic happens!

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
The minute I mention my book I get “Oh, it’s like that Water for Elephants book?” While Water for Elephants was one of my favorite books, mine isn’t similar, except that it’s about the circus and has an elephant in it. There are bound to be some similarities because both books are about circus history, however, mine is about a Gypsy circus in the early 1800’s and Ms. Gruen’s was set in the 1900’s and I don’t remember any Gypsies.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
INZARED, The Fortune Teller is about learning to live with the decisions you make. Mending fences and maturing are part of that process. To that end, Inzared returns home to make amends with the family she left years ago. She meets someone who makes her happy but must wrestle with her demons, even as she reaches for happiness. She tells fortunes to other people but tries to ignore the warning voice in her own head. She is a healer and can make everyone well except the person she cares about most. She is a good person and helps many people in need. She learns to become self-sufficient and independent as she raises her family alone.

I currently have another novel in the works – a thriller called Only No One Knows. It’s about the serial killer you’d least suspect and I am enjoying the different writing genre. I’m also planning a third book in the Inzared series and have written a short non-fiction book on writing.

This has been fun and I will now pass the baton to Shilo Downie, an experienced blogger who is authoring her first book. She’s a very talented writer and I think you’ll find her delightful. She also lives in Mazatlan and it is my privilege to be involved in many activities with her. So, stay tuned!
Check out INZARED, Queen of the Elephant Riders by L.Leander here:

Amazon Link