When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.
Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.
Open Minds was released on November 1st, and is available on Amazon and Barnes&Noble. The sequel, Closed Hearts, will be released May 23, 2012. You can find out more about Susan and her previous books from theMindjack Trilogy website.
I am looking forward to reading this book. Watch for my review on Open Minds in the near future! Now, on to the interview!
Interview
Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview.
Thank you for having me!
What is your all-time favorite book?
“All-time” is tough, because I go through phases with books. When I was a teen myself, I was a huge Isaac Asimov fan. The Foundation series completely sucked me in. When I was reading out loud to my kids (still do some), I couldn’t get enough ofHarry Potter. Lately, Hunger Games is the book to beat, although the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld is a close second.
What inspired you to want to become a writer?
I’ve always loved to write, but my writing took a hiatus while I did grown-up things like go to college and work in engineering and science. I rediscovered my love of writing when I started reading children’s lit with my kids. And the writing bug bit with a vengeance once I started writing stories for my kids and nieces. There’s been no turning back after that.
What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Write. Write A LOT. Write some more. Finish your book: until you do that, you won’t know if this is something you really want to do for the long haul.
What jobs did you have before you became a writer?
I did research for NASA on hypersonic engines. I worked for GE aircraft engines designing low emissions combustors. I did global warming research with the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Basically, I was big geek. J
Do you have any hidden talents?
My limited talents are all on display. My weaknesses are the ones that I hide. J
Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?
I’m working on the third book of the Mindjack Trilogy right now, with plans to write a few short stories between drafts. After that, I’m eyeing another science fiction trilogy that’s been wanting to be written for over a year.
Please tell us why we should read your book.
I’ll let a reviewer speak to that one: “Open Minds receives my highest award of 5 stars. It’s a Young Adult book, with an emphasis on “adult,” as in “The author treated me like an adult.” It’s fiction that doesn’t talk down to its audience, with a heroine worthy of emulation, and a story that will leave them hanging on by their fingernails.” – Jack, a book blogger at Indie Books List
I’m also rather fond of the tagline: “When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.”
How do reviews, good or bad, affect you?
I believe that reviews are for the readers, to help them find books they will enjoy, not for the writer. The book is finished, and I’m working on new projects by the time it reaches readers. Which isn’t to say that I don’t read them and appreciate them! I do. It still astounds me that people are passionate enough about the book to write paragraphs and paragraphs about it. And it fascinates me the different reactions that people have to the work. I try to keep an emotional distance from the reviews, while at the same time listening to what resonates with readers and what doesn’t.
Favorite food?
Cheese. With just about anything.
Cat or Dog?
Cats – we have two. They’re not the most intelligent of species, but they keep my toes warm.
What do you do to relax?
I have a very hard time slowing down. I usually go full tilt, then crash. “Relaxation” is usually more like “enforced recuperation time.” Which is also why I don’t do vacations very well. #notmuchfun #Iknow
What is one thing you absolutely need while writing?
Tea. Everything else is optional. J
Thank you Susan. I had so much fun reading your answers!
Susan Kaye Quinn, Author
Susan Kaye Quinn grew up in California, where she wrote snippets of stories and passed them to her friends during class. She pursued a bunch of engineering degrees and worked a lot of geeky jobs, including turns at GE Aircraft Engines, NASA, and NCAR. Now that she writes novels, her business card says "Author and Rocket Scientist" and she doesn't have to sneak her notes anymore. All that engineering comes in handy when dreaming up paranormal powers in future worlds or mixing science with fantasy to conjure slightly plausible inventions. Susan writes from the Chicago suburbs with her three boys, two cats, and one husband. Which, it turns out, is exactly as much as she can handle.
Wow, working for NASA? Loved the interview, looks like a very interesting book!
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