Laura Elliot tagged me in the Next Big Thing Author Blog Hop. Laura is the author of three novels: Stolen Child, The Prodigal Sister and Deceptions.  Her books have  been widely translated and – aka June Considine – she is also the author of twelve books for children, including the fantasy Luvender trilogy, the Beachwood series and the two teen novels View from a Blind Bridge and The Glass Triangle. She gives regular workshops on creative writing and is on the board of the Irish Writers’ Centre.

You can read Laura’s contribution to the Next Big Thing at her blog.

How the Next Big Thing blog hop works
An author answers ten questions and then tags authors to do the same thing the following week on the same day, which in this case is a Wednesday.

What is the working title of your next book?
Sour Angel Blues

Where did the idea come from for the book? 
I’m working on a series of books based on the blues songs of Fingers Flaherty, a fictional Irish blues singer. My previous book, Dimestore Avenue Blues, was a novella. I found myself drawn to two of the supporting characters (Tiffany and Bill) in that novella and decided to explore their fraught relationship further in the next book. I knew Tiffany would need some help in rebuilding her life after leaving Bill. And who better to give her advice than a cynical, agnostic guardian angel?

What genre does your book fall under?
Comic romance, with a healthy dash of surrealism.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition? 
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as Bill; Michelle Keegan as Tiffany; Brian Blessed as Judo; Tom Waits as Fingers Flaherty.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
Can an agnostic guardian angel help a cynical young woman find happiness?

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

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
This is a work in progress. Aiming to have first draft finished by end of February (2013, hopefully).

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? 
The style aims to combine the edgy surrealism of Flann O’Brien and Douglas Adams with the humour of P. G. Wodehouse.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I enjoy writing surreal comedy. The idea of an unconventional guardian angel was, in part, inspired by the film It’s A Wonderful Life.

What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
Each chapter is based on a verse of Fingers Flaherty’s blues lyrics.

The author I have tagged is:
Tom O’Neill had his book Old Friends: The Lost Tales of Fionn Mac Cumhaill published recently. He likes writing for both old adults and young adults. It allows him to spend time amongst strange characters and to add to the public body of lies. Other preoccupations: Africa, farming, and restoring castles. You can find out more at Tom’s blog.