The Next Big Thing

I want to thank a fellow Ireland lover and great storyteller, Marlene Dotterer for tagging me in this blog-go-round. I’m supposed to answer ten questions about my work-in-progress. I just completed a draft of my first novel in a planned series.

When you have finished reading this blog, check out Marlene’s Next Big Thing here.

THE NEXT BIG THING Q&A

What is the working title of your book?

The Keepers of Éire

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The germ to write a fantasy started with my love for all things Dragon. I have been fascinated with dragons since I was quite young. About five years ago I wanted to learn more about my own heritage. I discovered Irish, Scottish, and Spanish from my father’s side and a bit of Irish, Scottish, and German from my mother’s. I chose Ireland because the plethora of myths about faeries and heroes lent itself more to the possibilities of actual dragons and magic existing in modern times.

What genre does your book fall under?

The Keepers of Éire is a modern day fantasy  (dragons) that incorporates some mystery (solving murders) with romance.

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

Oh, the ultimate writer’s dream, movie options.

Christian: Colin Farrell with blue eyes.     Devan: I’m not sure. An American, possibly Kiera Knightly.     Robert: Jude Law.     Sean: An aged Sean Bean.     Padrick: Pierce Brosnan.     Kiely: Helen Mirren.     Ronan: Richard Harris    Logan: Jonathan Ryse Meyers.     Kelly: Michael Fassbender    Dragon Voices: Fionn: Liam Neeson.     Roarke: Chris Hemsworth.     Dochas: Saoirse Ronan     Grayson: Gabriel Byrne

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

In early 21st Century Ireland, a thief and an American woman discover a shared destiny and team up to stop a dragon killer.

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

I’d like to send The Keepers of Éire to agents and see what type of response I get. I’ll give it 3-6 months, then I’ll self-publish. I don’t want to wait forever to get my story our to readers, especially since this is the first book in a planned series.

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

About 3 1/2 years, but I edited as I received feedback from my critique group and others.

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

I’d like to think that if Anne McCaffrey ever had her dragons from The Dragonriders of Pern series ‘Go Between’ back to Earth, they would be the forefathers of my dragons. I also am inspired by authors who write interesting Irish characters, such as: Maeve Binchy, Frank Delaney, Patrick Taylor, and Nora Roberts.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Since I love fantasy, I’d like to say the following authors: JRR Tolkien, Terry Brooks, Robin Hobbs, and Mercedes Lackey. These are just a few fantasy writers that I admire and tried to write up to. I also wanted to write a fantasy that was more geared toward adults than YA.

I’m stealing a line from Marlene Dotterer when I say: “Ireland is always an inspiration!” I had never traveled across the pond, but I had always had a burning desire to see the places of my ancestors. I researched locations for The Keepers of Éire by reading stories set in Ireland and pouring over Coffee Table Books of this wondrous isle. When I finally visited and traveled to many of the locations in my story, I fell in love.

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

I was informed I needed to say: THE SEX SCENES. In all seriousness; I hope I captured different facets of the human condition and wove their stories into a fantasy setting  I wish was real. I so want to be a Dragonrider. In writing The Keepers of Éire, my wish comes true.

Thanks for reading this blog and I hope you enjoyed getting to know more about my NEXT BIG THING.    Jordan Bernal

NEXT WEEK, VISIT THESE AUTHORS TO READ ABOUT THEIR NEXT BIG THINGS!

Julaina Kleist-Corwin writes women’s fiction and teaches writers how to Polish Their Fiction in a series of classes held in Dublin, CA. I have learned how to make my characters more real and how to keep my readers turning the pages.

W. Blake Heitzman has a dry sense of humor and incorporates that in his Science Fiction stories. Blake’s love of science shows through in his writing.

Shannon Brown has self-published her first YA novel Rock ‘n’ Roll in Locker Seventeen and is currently working on the prequel. She knows the lingo and has her reading audience pegged to a T.