Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.
Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.
But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….
As a fellow blogger, you focus a lot of the interviews on Writer, Writer Pants on Fire, on the publishing process. Do you have any tips for the aspiring writers out there?
I think my biggest tip is to be realistic, and I don't mean that to sound haughty. Quite the opposite. It took me ten years of writing, improving, learning, revising, etc., to get an agent. The overnight success stories are the ones that make headlines, but Aesop didn't write about the tortoise winning the race because it's sexy.
Name three things you loved about writing Not a Drop to Drink
The research - it was life-changing. The story itself - It wanted to be told. Writing Stebbs - he took charge of every scene. He didn't need me at all.
What's your best advice for someone that wants to be a writer?
Be diligent and realistic. I love being a librarian and will never give it up. I made sure I had a day job that I could conceivably perform for the rest of my life and be happy if the writing gig didn't pan out. If I'd said, "I'll settle for McDonald's until I hit the writing jackpot," I'd be overweight and disillusioned.
Your debut novel is coming out soon, how does it feel? What was your favorite part of this whole process?
I had the kick in the chest when I held my ARC in my hands, the "real" feeling, but it wasn't until the other day when DRINK was on the Indie Next List (sandwiched between Patrick Ness and Elizabeth Wein) that I went - "@#$*@(#@#!!"
My favorite part was totally getting my cover. Just flat out awesome.
You recently signed a two-book contract with Katherine Tegen Books of Harper Collins which are scheduled for 2015 and 2016....any hints or teasers you want to give your readers on what to expect and look forward to?
I honestly can't because I have no idea what those books are about.
You not only write, you're a YA librarian, maintain your own personal blog as well as contribute to at least five others on a regular basis. How do you juggle and manage it all?Well, obviously I'm completely insane. No, the truth is that I don't sleep much. When I do sleep it's one of those disorienting, drool-on-yourself things and then I'm good for like, 18 hours.
What's in your reading pile right now? Any recent favorites you'd recommend or tell us to steer clear of?
I'm actually ripping through the titles of my fellow Dark Days tour authors - Rae Carson, Michelle Gagnon, Sherry Thomas, Madeleine Roux and Amelia Kahaney. By the looks of it I'll be finishing up Sherry's book - THE BURNING SKY - and jumping into Madeleine's - ASYLUM - tonight!
If you could travel anywhere you wanted, where would you go and why? If you could only take three things with you, what would they be and why?
Ireland. But I don't want to go until I've traced my ancestry back to when they came over (looks like early 1700's) then traced that line *forward* to find living Irish relatives.
Um three things I'd take with me - clean underwear, tampons and more tampons. Just because I'm practical.
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog Mindy, and if any of you readers out there are looking for more information on Mindy and her book, check out the links below.
Not a Drop to Drink hits stores today....I'm on my way to the store now to pick up my own copy!
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