Author Interview: Nina Malkin

A Q&A with the extremely talented Nina Malkin!

Can I just say this is one of the most attention-grabbing covers I've seen in a while? You know the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover". . .Well, I do. All the time. My favorite books have some of the most intriguing covers, and Swoon is a perfect example. So, I suggest buying this book if you haven't already.

I know, I know. You want to know what the novel is about, right?

"Swoon, Connecticut, stands proudly on its heritage and the good behavior of its Lilly Pulitzer-clad inhabitants, so semi-psychic New York transplant Candace (Dice) sticks out like a sore thumb. On the autumnal equinox, Dice's sweet and gentle cousin Penelope suddenly changes into a dangerous vixen, and only Dice is able to see that she has been possessed. Dice knows she must exorcise Sinclair, the ghost of a handsome young man from the colonial era, but she has fallen deeply in love with the appropriately nicknamed Sin. Finally, Dice follows Sin's directions for an exorcism, which frees Penelope from his hold and releases Sin into his own physical form. The golem-like Sin finally reveals his goal: to exact revenge on the descendants of those who unjustly hung him for the murder of his fiancee. Since Sin awakens the quaint town's denizens to all of their suppressed urges, this steamy and suspenseful romance with a psychic slant and time-travel twist will pull mature teens. . ." --Booklist

Rambling and Interviews: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Nina Malkin: When my poetry was published in third grade. Well, not published. Mimeographed. I can still smell the mimeograph chemicals. Mmmm…

RI: What inspired you to write Swoon?

NM: Betrayal. The idea about the spirit of a boy from the past who possesses a contemporary girl had been kicking around awhile, yet I didn’t do anything with it till I’d gotten seriously screwed over by someone I trusted. This wasn’t in a personal relationship, but it was really rough on me. Betrayal became an obsession, and it’s helpful to write out your obsessions. The day I hired a lawyer was the day I started SWOON.

RI: Will there be future books involving Sin and Dice?

NM: Series are compelling to a lot of readers, and I understand why—you get invested with a set of characters and you want to continue the relationship. Yet much as I love Sin and Dice, I’m not that motivated towards series as a writer. The characters in SWOON are free to do what they want without me now, and I’m more drawn toward the embryonic story ideas and fledgling protagonists clamoring for my attention.

RI: Is there a message in Swoon that you want your readers to grasp?

NM: Oh, just the obvious: Love conquers…not everything, but a lot. Nobody’s perfect. Forgiveness is healing. Hypocrisy sucks.

RI: Do you have anything specific you want to say to your loyal readers?

NM: Thank you very much. Writing is a lonely craft—well, not lonely, because you have all your imaginary friends. But you sit there in your sweats battering at a keyboard and you never know if anyone is “getting” it. So if someone does get it, and they write to  tell you so, it’s  fulfilling. Because that’s why you write—to reach people, for them to go, “Yeah, I feel that way too.” 

RI: Do you have any advice for unpublished writers?

NM: I’ve heard some writers don’t love to write—that floors me. Then why do it? For most of us, it’s not glamorous or lucrative. So my advice, if it can be considered advice, is love writing. Love the process, have fun, amuse yourself. I wrote fiction for many years before I had the privilege of publishing, and I had a blast. Plus, for every book I’ve had published there are plenty that never saw print—I loved working on them, too. 

RI: What's the one question people never ask, but you wish they would? (And, answer please!)

NM: I wish people would ask me if they could come over and clean my house. The answer would be yes.

3 Quick Questions:

Favorite Desert—

Ice cream, because it is so easy to procure…

Favorite Book—

The Dictionary

Favorite Quote—

“I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.” Not because I prescribe heavy drinking or have no faith in primeval brain surgery, but because I think it’s the cleverest thing ever expressed. If I ever came up with anything nearly that smart I’d have to retire, since I’d never be able to better it.

RI: Again, I can't thank you enough for answering these! Tons of my fellow writers love your work and will appreciate the interview.

NM: You’re welcome, Ash. I love that you’re nurturing a community of writers. I hope to be seeing your stuff soon!