The Next Big Thing is a series of blog posts where authors talk about their work using the same ten questions. At the end of the blog we tag other authors who will do the same thing a week later. So not only do you get to find out more about my book but you also will discover some other interesting writers. The wonderful Taylor Fulks tagged me. Taylor’s first book, My Prison Without Bars, was just released on December 17, 2012.

“Taylor Evan Fulks is a talented wordsmith, able to conjure up the hideous experiences with remarkable clarity and emotion. She writes from the heart, and the agony of real experience lends authenticity to her riveting descriptions.”
– Reviewed by Fiona I. for Readers Favorite. Awarded 5 stars.

Thank you, Taylor, for giving me the opportunity to introduce my latest book, which is currently available at Tate Publishing and will be officially released on January 22, 2013.

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

While there are actually two other books in progress, catnip of life and Reminiscent of Chocolate, I would like to introduce Awakenings from Then ’til Now. It is in its final stages awaiting official release in January, 2013.

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

There is a need for everyone to make connections within whisperings of the past to the present day on into the future. Each of us is not an isolated individual but a thread binding together with countless other threads to create a rich and colorful tapestry of life. From the far reaches of America’s past, we can all, in some way or another, connect to someone who set foot upon America’s soil looking for a land of promise. It is through laughter and tears that the yesterdays of centuries past paved the way for today’s future.

There is also an important need for us to support our military. Since history is plagued with war after war after war it is only befitting that this book be dedicated to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Therefore, this book is dedicated to those who laid the foundation and established the platform for our American freedom: those who have served in the past, presently serve, or will serve our military forces in the future. A profound appreciation is extended for the sacrifice of these brave men and women who left or will leave their homes and family to ensure America’s freedom endures.

A contribution from each book sale goes to benefit the Wounded Warrior Program and/or Veterans of Foreign Wars. Its purpose is not for advertisement or to gain endorsement but solely in support of our military forces.

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Historical poetry

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

This book is poetically written so the book itself would not lend itself to movie production. However, there are many parts of the book that have already been successfully produced as movies or television documentaries.

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

Embrace the past, Empower the present, Enrich the future (Not a sentence but definitely highlights the purpose for the writing)

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

My publisher is Tate Publishing. The book is due to be released in January 2013.

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

That is truly hard to pinpoint. The idea initially came when writing my first book, Echoes, in 2004. I actually outlined five books for the volume. After Echoes, Remembering was published in 2009. The third was to be Step Back in Time, which later became Awakenings. I would venture to say from the time the first outline was drafted for Awakenings to its final manuscript would be approximately a year and a half to two years. Don’t hold me to that explicitly! All writers know of the interruption after interruption that sometimes delays a project’s completion.

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

Janice Richards recently published A Tribute to Those Serving the Red, White and Blue. It is also a book written in poetic verse targeting our military.

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

My love for America and the sadness in seeing her become less than she is meant to be, the lack of knowledge of her citizens concerning her establishment, the historical events that helped shape our nation

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

If you want to know more about the hardships endured in the founding of America and establishing her freedom but do not want to resort to the informational text of a history book, then this is the book for you.

If you want to know more about ‘from whence you came’ with a better understanding of your ancestry, then this is definitely the book to read.

If you want to experience the sacrifices, feel the emotion, relish in the joys and sorrows from the past in order for you to enjoy the freedoms America has to offer today, then do not miss reading this book.

If you want to make a personal connection to past events, then not only read this book but engage in the opportunities within the text for personal journal reflections.

After all, America is your country, this is her story!

So that’s it for me. If you want to discover some other great writers, check these out:

Carole McKee – Writing from the Heart that Cleanses the Tear Ducts

Christine Hannon –Trading Scissors for Other God-given Talents Just to Survive

Claire Cappetta – A Woman’s Journey from Abuse to Empowerment

Jeanette Andersen – Treasure Valley Mysteries: Dreams, Ghosts & Coffins

Rosemary Adkins – Life on its Own as Memories

Stuart Carruthers – Exploration of the Hidden Depths of Asia