1. Did you put parts of yourself or people you know into Nina and the other characters?
Answer: I think all characters have bits and pieces of their creators in them. Perhaps some more so than others. In XVI, some of the characters are related to people I’ve known, but only in my head. I might give a feel of the actual person in the way I write a phrase or envision an action - but, for the most part - my characters are pure imagination!
2. What’s your biggest memory from the year you were 16?
Wow. So many huge things happened to me when I was sixteen. Probably the biggest was (actually I was 15-1/2) I moved from a small town in Indiana to the city of Chicago to live with my mother. I’d been living with my older sister and my grandmother - so, it was a major life-change. As anyone who has moved from a small town to a big city can attest - the learning curve is steep! I have to say, I took to big city living like the proverbial duck-to-water and, although I don’t live in Chicago at the present - I still have a deep and abiding love for it!
3. What is your favorite YA dystopian novel? (Other than XVI of course!)
This is hard, because I’m not currently reading any dystopian novels - since I do not want my brain covertly influenced by other dystopian writers. I did, however, read The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson and loved it.
4. If you could go back in time to witness any historical event what would you want to see?
Ancient history - Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount
More recent history - The inauguration of Abraham Lincoln
5. What’s next for you writing wise?
Currently I am working on the sequel to XVI. After that, I have several partial books that are clamoring to be completed. I’m not sure which one will win!
Great interview!
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