Website: www.kristinamcbride.com

Blog: http://kristinamcbride.livejournal.com/

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1. How did you come up with the idea for The Tension of Opposites? One day while my daughter was napping, I caught an episode of Oprah as she interviewed a young man named Shawn Hornbeck. Shawn was kidnapped at the age of eleven, and lived with his kidnapper for over four years before being found and returned to his family. The entire time he was gone, he was less than an hour from his home. I was in awe of his strength and fortitude to have survived such an ordeal. His story kick started the idea behind The Tension of Opposites. Soon after, the characters started talking to me and I just had to write.

2. I always ask about authors’ writing processes. Please share yours. I go back and forth between winging it and outlining. Since landing my agent, Alyssa Eisner Henkin, in 2008, I’ve begun to outline more. I actually plan out my story on note cards (one note card per chapter), which I keep in my purse so I can add details of dialogue or setting whenever inspiration strikes. It helps me to plan the story better, and will hopefully result in less time needed for revision on my next books. Dirty little secret: I spent eleven months revising The Tension of Opposites.

3. Were you one of those kids that always wanted to be a writer, or was this career something you discovered later? I lived across the street from a library growing up, and have always had an insatiable love for books and words. I honestly cannot remember a time when I didn’t dream of seeing my name on the cover of a book.

4. What are your ultimate writing/career goals? Oh, this is hard. I’d love to win some awards or hit a bestseller list, of course. As a former high school English teacher, it would be awesome to learn that my book has been added to some school’s curriculum. But really, most importantly, I’d like for my readers to connect with my book, to love the characters, and think about the story after they finish the read.

5. What has been the most/least surprising aspects of the writing journey? Landing my amazing agent was a dream come true – and a total shock. I couldn’t believe Alyssa actually wanted to work with me! Another shock came after spending nearly a year on revisions. Three weeks after Alyssa pitched the manuscript to editors, I had offers on the table from three publishing houses. I’ve always dreamed of a book of mine going to auction, so the mini-auction between the three houses was one of the happiest surprises of all.

I don’t think there is one least surprising moment. Every step of this journey has taken my breath away!

6. Your book is officially out. How do you feel? Tired! It’s been a crazy week and I’m hardly sleeping as I try to keep up with real life stuff, internet stuff, and writing my next book. But it’s a good, hazy kind of tired as I realize the truth of my longest lived dream actually coming true.

7. What advice do you have for aspiring authors and debut authors? Never give up. No matter what. Read tons of stuff in the genre you write. Research how to land an agent and query tirelessly. Try not to let the two dirty R’s get you down (rejection & revision). And keep writing!

8. Please fill this in: “I could never write without my Samsung N120 netbook.”

9. What do you love to do besides write? Guilty pleasures? Hang out with family and friends, hike in the woods, watch TV. My guiltiest pleasure of all, however, is chocolate. In any form, as long as nuts are not involved.

10. Who was your favorite character to write in The Tension of Opposites? I think my answer to this question would vary from day to day. Today, I’d have to say Coop, Noelle’s younger brother. He was a smart aleck, and I enjoyed writing the scenes with him.

11. Can you share what you’re working on now or what’s next for you? I am currently working on book two of my two-book deal with Egmont USA. It is totally unrelated to The Tension of Opposites. That’s about all I can say for now.