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Tag...I'm it!

I've been tagged over at Brandi Boddi's blog (say that 5 times in a row fast)...
Really Lame Clip Art of Price Tags Because I Couldn't Find Any of Kids Playing Tag 
What does that mean, exactly? It means I've got 8 questions to answer here on my blog, then I need to tag 4 other authors to do the same. Apparently this is called a Blog Hop Book Tour. Whoda thunk? So, without further ado, let's get this show on the road, eh?

What is/was the working title of your book?
UNDERCURRENT is the title of my latest book, and yes, it was my working title. Usually publishers will change an author's title, but Risen Books thought it fit the story well.

Where did the idea come from for the book?
UNDERCURRENT came from an old family story my mom told me about her mom, Clara Brekke. Sometime back in the early 1900's, Clara's father took her two-year-old sister and walked out the front door. Just like that. No bags packed. Not a word about where they were going or when they'd return. Nothing. No one ever heard from them again. As a result, I've always been curious about missing people. Assuming they've not met with foul play, where exactly do they go?

What genre does your book fall under?
Time travel and/or speculative fiction.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Professor Cassie Larson leads a life her undergrad students hope to attain...until she tumbles into the North Sea and the arms of a Viking.

Will your book be self-published, published by a traditional publishing house, and/or represented by an agency?
I sold UNDERCURRENT without an agent to an independent publishing house...Risen Books.

What other books would you compare this work to within your genre?
Lisa Bergren's River of Time series or Lisa Mangum's Hourglass Door trilogy (though both are young adult).

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

I've got Viking blood in me. Or at least I like to think I have. My mom is full-blooded Norwegian so who knows...maybe.

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

Vikings often take the rap for being filthy barbarians wearing stupid horned hats (don't even get me going on that). However, a lot of that is just bad press. Many Nordic people took to the sea not necessarily in search of adventure and gold (though some did) but for land and a place to settle. Travel back in time to find out about this people group. I uncovered some great facts while researching.


Bonus ~ Here are my main characters:
CASSIE LARSON
RAGNAR
ALARIK
SIGNY
TOROLF
If you'd like to see more pictures of the settings and action in UNDERCURRENT, check out the pinterest page here.

Now then, on to naming the next 4 lucky ducks that I'm tagging. Drum roll, please.

Elizabeth Ludwig 
Ane Mulligan
MaryLu Tyndall
Jill Williamson

Not sure when they'll post their answers, but check their sites often. These are some of my favorite authors so you won't be sorry!