Blog Tour: Ten Questions

This writers' blog hop simply asks ten questions about your current story, and then you tag five other writer-blogger friends to participate next week. Emily over at Emily Rachelle Writes tagged me. Thanks Emily! I was stumbling a bit over which story I should use today. I've done something like this before with The Girl Who Couldn't Cry. So I was stuck between using Changing Time, which I hope to have the first draft completed before April, and Battle Scars, a story I'm starting in April. I've decided I'll go ahead and just use Battle Scars.


1: What is the working title of your book?
Battle Scars, as of right now.


2: Where did the idea come from for the book?
Well, there was a lot of stuff about cutting and bullying going around on the internet around that time, and I realized there was a lot of need for people to understand what words and actions can do to other people, even if they're harmless to you.


3: What genre does your book come under?
Contemporary young adult, but I also plan on having a guardian angel who comes around regularly. So that may add a different genre to it, too.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I hadn't really thought about it much, yet. I've barely started any writing. After searching for a bit, I think Anna Sophia Robb would be perfect for Brittany. She's the closest to my imagination's picture of Brittany.

 

Emma Roberts, who will be playing on the new TV show Delirium (based off the book), would be semi-perfect for Maryann, Brittany's best friend. She's a bit too pretty, but maybe if they would tone down the airbrush and makeup, she's be better.

 

 Aaron Johnson would be perfect for my guardian angel, Skylar. His eyes are perfect, really. He looks pretty normal, until you meet his eyes, and then you know there's just something different about him. He's an angel.

Hayley Erin would be a good match for Meghan, the school outcast that Brittany tries to befriend. Her hair would have to be died either a bright, punk red or pink for most of the movie. Later on it could be returned to Meghan's natural color, which is either blonde or brown, I haven't figured it out yet.

These are all the characters I have so far. Not many, but I'm sure there will be plenty that will find a way to sneak in. 

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

 I have two different ones. "A regretful high school senior attempts to right a wrong she made by befriending the school outcast, with a little help from her guardian angel." or "A history-crazy student befriends a bullied classmate and learns that not all wars take place on battlegrounds, but sometimes in our hearts and minds." Neither are very good. 

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

It's not even written yet . . . . But I hope it'll be represented by an agency, once I do finish it. 

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

I start writing in April. I'm hoping I can finish the first draft in a month, and then leave it be for a couple weeks before coming back to revise and edit. 

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

I don't really know . . . I suppose you could look at Sarah Dessen, take away the romance . . . and maybe it'd be similar.  I haven't read anything too much like this, though. 

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

 A lot of different things. People who are bullied and self-harm because they think it'll ease the pain, and my own experience with bullies. The internet's misunderstanding of the whole thing, and the way they joke about it. Just . . . a lot of things. I felt like I needed to put it into words to help people understand that bullying and self-harming and all of that isn't a joke. And that things you say can hurt people.

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

Mmm, well there's a guardian angel, who happens to be very funny (at least, in my head, he is). There's my "almost-perfect" Brittany, whose life needs to be shaken up a little. We have Meghan, who has red/pink hair and over-sized earphones, with sarcasm as her first language. And it's just going to be a lot of fun, with its . . . depressing moments. 

If you'd like to see more about Battle Scars, check out my pinterest board HERE. 

Now I need to tag someone. Rikki, from Writer Mom. Bethany from My Savior My King. Pastor George from George's Shorts. Kendra from Writers and Readers Alike. I don't have anyone else to tag, though. :/ Anyway, hope you enjoyed!