Author Interview - Christine Seifert

if you know me, you know i love a good dystopian read. what you also know is i love fresh takes on the genre/subgenre.

which is why i'm pretty stoked about The Predicteds by Christine Seifert.

Daphne is the new girl in town and is having trouble fitting in. At least she has Jesse... sort of. He wants to be more than "just friends," but there's something he's not telling her about his past. Something dangerous. When a female student is brutally attacked, police turn to PROFILE, a new program that can predict a student's capacity for drug use, pregnancy, and violent behavior, to solve the case. As the witch hunt ensues, Daphne is forced to question her feelings for Jesse-and what she will do if her first love turns out to be a killer. [summary from Goodreads.com]
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i'm super excited to have the author, Christine Seifert, guest starring on the blog today! she discussed her favorite dystopian novels yesterday over at The Bookish Type (which resulted in me adding more books to my 'have to read this book right stat now' list). today, she's talking about what she likes to do when she's not writing. 


Being a full-time writer and writing professor doesn't leave a lot of time for much else, but I do have a few hobbies that I try not to neglect. When I can tear myself away from the computer screen and I'm not in the classroom, here's what you'll find me doing:

1. Bowling. It's an activity that I used to mock. Until I tried it. It's the most relaxing thing I've ever done because it requires zero brain power. (Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there's strategy involved for real bowlers. But I'm not a real bowler. I'm awful. I don't need any brain power to bowl a seventy-two). Nothing beats rolling that ball and hearing the pins drop; it all clears my head, and it makes me ready to tackle tough writing problems.

2. Watching TV. I love to watch TV, and I'll admit it. But I'm not a random surfer (like my husband who would watch a cat food infomercial if that's what was on). Once I find a great show that I love, I'm there in my seat, ready to watch. Mad Men and True Blood are two of my current favorites.

3. Walking. Something about the movement, the outdoors, the visible progress, and the fresh air makes me feel invigorated. (Cold-weather walks are the best.) My perfect vacation would be a miles-long walk with a riveting audio book on my iPod. But since I have little time to travel, I settle for daily neighborhood power walk with my favorite podcasts. (I love Books on the Nightstand, Nancy Pearl Book Reviews, and Slate's Culture Gabfest). If the weather is bad, I head for the treadmill in my basement. That's where I watch Jersey Shore and American Idol. (Don't tell anyone.)

4. Talking to my mom. My mom lives in Fargo, North Dakota, a long way from me, so we only see each other two or three times a year. That's not enough to keep current, so our twice-weekly phone calls keep us updated on each other's lives. We probably log two to three hours of phone talk a week. She's the only person in the world who is truly interested in what I had for lunch. ("Turkey with provolone? Was there mayonnaise? Tell me all about it.") There was a time when I was an adolescent that we were mortal enemies. Now she's my best friend. Getting old has its privileges.

5. Hanging out with family. I have lots of nieces and nephews who are all adorable and extremely entertaining. Soon they'll be old enough that I can start pushing my books on them.

6. Reading. At the end of the day, reading is my go-to-feel-good hobby. It's the thing I most want to do every single day. There's nothing better than hanging out on my porch reading while the birds chirp all around me. I could turn pages (or flip screens) all day long if I could. In fact, if I could be a full-time reader, that's the job I'd want. Any openings?? If so, let me know immediately!

So what do you all do for fun?

HOLD THE PHONE. i called dibs on the whole "reading as my job" gig. sorry, Christine! you keep writing amazing YA books and i'll let you know if there are two openings for the dream job of reading all day, every day. :)

thanks to Christine for sharing more about who she is when she's not writing! i won't tell anyone about your Jersey Shore guilty pleasure (i watch Maury, for goodness sakes). while i'm not as interested as your mom regarding your turkey sandwich, i do find it absolutely charming that you two talk twice a week. adorable!

for more Christine Seifert goodness, check out Paperback Treasures on Monday for her author interview!

[this is part of a blog tour hosted by The {Teen} Book Scene]