jacey | The Next Big Thing

I'm running out of people to tag, but I've been tagged by Anne Lyle to do this

What is the working title of your next book?
Secret Dragons - definitely only a working title

Where did the idea come from for the book?
It just popped out of my head one day when I was doing nothing in particular.

What genre does your book fall under?
Children's fantasy - what the Americans call 'middle grade' i.e. for 9 - 12 year olds (approx)

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
I haven't a clue as far as the child characters go. Young actors tend to grow up awfully fast. I think a young version of Thomas Sangster for Rupert (age 12) and (though he's already way too old) someone who looks like Joe Dempsie age 14 for Mark. I'm not sure about Ali and Linet. Any actresses I can think of (as with the boys) are already too old.
For the parents I'd like Richard Armitage for Dad (Lord Richard Marshall) with Lena Heady for Mum (Lady Cicely) and a side order of Maggie Smith as Great Aunt Beatrice, Josh Holloway as Sir Nicholas. For Old Walter, maybe Tom Wilkinson (with a white beard) and for Old Walter's Young Walter maybe Joe Dempsie at the age he is now.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Two girls accidentally bond with two newly hatched dragons and compound their folly by trying to hide the truth in a tumbledown castle brimming over with soldiers newly returned from the war.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I have a lovely agent in the USA, Beth Fleisher of Clear Sailing Creatives.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
Ask me when I've finished. I had a false start in the summer, started it again in September and I'm now up to about 32,000 words..

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I honestly don't know.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?
The characters themselves. Skipton Castle. And besides, I've always wanted to do a medievalish fantasy and dragons are good bookselling business. Seems like a good combination.

What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
Baby dragons; castles; a heroine who can't stay out of trouble; kidnapping; a fistfight; a chase across country; the clash that happens when an army arrives home only to find people have managed without them very nicely, thank you very much.

Who am I going to tag. Everyone I know has been tagged already! Feel free to tag yourselves.