Ninfa Hayes's Blog: Dreams and other viruses...

So, my good friend and writer extraordinaire, Mr D. A. Lascelles, has tagged me in this fun meme for writers, so here it goes :)

What is the working title of your Book?

The title of my upcoming ebook is "Nannies, Inc" and it will be a free short story to say Happy Holidays to my readers :)

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It actually came from a very silly conversation with R.A.Smith during one of our Italian classes. I thought it would be fun to have a serious conversation about Mary Poppins (don't ask, you'll find out when you read the short story ;p)and from that silliness was born "Nannies, Inc".

What genre does your book fall under?

Oh that's a difficult question,lol. I'm rubbish at writing specific genres, I like to experiment! i think "Nannies, Inc" is a "Light Steampunk with a touch of Fantasy"...that's the best I can do I'm afraid...

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

I love this question :D Okay, so here's my main cast:

Miss Elizabeth Watson: Anne Hathaway
Mrs Redwood: Julie Walters
Ms Victoria Nobles:Susan Sarandon
Ruth Hodgins:Kathy Najimi
Emma Lawrence:Alyssa Milano
Iris Bishop:Linda Hunt
Susan Winterborough:Katherine Heigl

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

Not very long since it's only around 5500 words. About two weeks I think. i'm currently doing the first round of edits on it with my publisher, Dianna Hardy at Bitten Fruit Books and those shouldn't take very long either. Publication date is 7th of December 2012 so not long to go :)

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

I don't really know as it's a bit of a different endevour for me. I think there might be a very, very, very light Terry Pratchett vibe, in that it doesn't take itself very seriously and it's kinda silly in places. Perhaps fans of Doctor Who might enjoy it though, that's the best I can do at a comparison :p

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Childhood memories and the desire to write something light and fun, without too much pretention. This is a short story that is simple and sweet, and a little crazy ;)

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

Okay here it goes, although this is not the final edit so please keep that in mind ;)

"Elizabeth looked at her watch and sighed. It was only 9 a.m, but apart from the door in front of her, there were no visible shops or houses around; just a gorgeous winter garden stretching as far as she could see, all around the building.
“How peculiar,” she whispered. “It surely doesn't seem like the London I know; at least not the modern London… What a lovely area though” she added, admiring the rows of evergreen trees that dotted the winter garden.
Undecided on what to do, she put away the clipping and opted for knocking on the door, hoping they had a waiting room where she could perhaps relax and prepare for her interview.
She had barely touched the doorknob when the door swung open, revealing a large, marbled entrance with a huge staircase. The walls were bare, expect for two, big, still life tapestries on each side of the hall, representing ripe fruits and flowers in bloom. The colours were somewhat subdued, hinting at the tapestries old age, but they were embroidered with golden threads that sparkled, giving it a sense of movement, as if the design was constantly changing in front of your eyes."
-Copyright Ninfa Hayes 2012, all rights reserved-

Hope you've enjoyed my little preview of "Nannies, Inc".
Why not head over to D.A. Lascelles Blog and find out what his new project is? You will also find links to the other authors that have participated in this meme hop!
Ninfa x

D.A.Lascelles Blog:
http://lurkingmusings.wordpress.com/2...

As a new author, there is nothing more nerve-wracking then receiving your first reviews. Nothing compares to the awefully intense feeling that someone, out there, took the time to read your book, and most of all, felt compelled to share an opinion on it.
As a reviewer myself, I know it's just not possible to love everything you read, and sometimes is difficult to keep those reviews professional and not let your emotions run wild with your writing (something I prefer to do in my stories :p), so to me, being on the other side of the fence, looking out to a world that is just starting to acknowledge me as a writer, it's simply overwhelming.
Every time a new review comes up a part of me prepares itself to the inevitable "bad review", because let's face it, eventually it will come.
So far I have been blessed to receive some incredible comments, both from friends and collegues, but also from complete strangers that took a chance on "Bites" and discovered a new love. How long will it last? The Gods know! But it's funny how easy it is to get overconfident. I hope I never make that error in judgement, and that I'll always be able to keep an open mind, especially towards criticism.
Big breath, big girl panties on.

I never thought I'd be here, with a book on sale, and reviews coming out, and all that jazz.
It's a strange time in my life, where dreams are coming true and life seems to have taken a turn I did not expect.
Let's face it, I never really believed I could write, let alone become published. It seems life knew better.
This is my first Blog post and it's just to say WOW.
"Surprises in Life" 1- "Ninfa" 0
I've never been happier to have lost a match ;)