Interview with Flash Point author Nancy Kress

Hey book lovers! Today I have an interview with Nancy Kresss, author of Flash Point, a post-apocalyptic novel that includes the protagonist participating in a dangerous and scary as hell reality t.v. show. This novel doesn't seem to get as much exposure as I hope so be sure to check out my review here as well as spread the love for this interview and novel!          

 

Nancy Kress is an American science fiction writer. She began writing in 1976 but has achieved her greatest notice since the publication of her Hugo and Nebula-winning 1991 novella Beggars in Spain which was later expanded into a novel with the same title. In addition to her novels, Kress has written numerous short stories and is a regular columnist for Writer's Digest. She is a regular at Clarion writing workshops and at The Writers Center in Bethesda, Maryland. During the Winter of 2008/09, Nancy Kress is the Picador Guest Professor for Literature at the University of Leipzig's Institute for American Studies in Leipzig, Germany.  

Follow Nancy Kress on her: Website || Goodreads

Reality TV meets a chillingly realistic version of America—and the fame game is on!

Amy had dreams of going to college, until the Collapse destroyed the economy and her future. Now she is desperate for any job that will help support her terminally ill grandmother and rebellious younger sister. When she finds herself in the running for a slot on a new reality TV show, she signs on the dotted line, despite her misgivings. And she’s right to have them. TLN’s Who Knows People, Baby—You? has an irresistible premise: correctly predict what the teenage cast will do in a crisis and win millions. But the network has pulled strings to make it work, using everything from 24/7 hidden cameras to life-threatening technology to flat-out rigging. Worse, every time the ratings slip, TLN ups the ante. Soon Amy is fighting for her life—on and off camera.

Describe yourself in a tweet (140 characters)

Writer, mother of two sons, wife, chess player, person who does not fit into 140 characters

Describe your YA novel Flash Point in three words 

Future reality TV

I know that you are a very accomplished author. You have written and published numerous books. What made you decide to finally publish a young adult novel? 
The character and the story occurred to me. I have always written whatever excites me at the time, which is how I've ended up with science fiction, fantasy, thrillers, and some non-classifiable.

What is the one thing you always need or do when you are writing? 

Coffee! There is no writing without coffee. Also no teaching, reading, or breathing.

What is your favorite book, show, movie, and song?

My favorite book is Jane Austen's SENSE AND SENSIBILITY. Favorite show right now: Downton Abbey (like much of the rest of the country). Favorite movie is hard; there are many. Of the recent ones, I liked LINCOLN, ARGO, and BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD. I dislike most SF movies because they're dumb. No favorite song, although I'm a big Springsteen fan.

Where do you usually like to write or read? (pro dive pictures if possible)

This is where I read. It is blurry not because the sofa is dissolving but because I'm a lousy photographer.

What is your favorite genre to read? to write?

I read in many genres: a lot of non-fiction, a lot of mainstream, some SF, the occasional mystery. I like to write SF because I like to think about the future. Much of my SF (although not FLASH POINT) concerns genetic engineering.

What inspired you to write about a cross between a reality tv. show and a futuristic world?

I never actually know what inspires me to write anything. A character and setting will occur to me -- in this case, Amy, desperate for a job in areally bad near-future economy -- and then I go with it to see where it will lead me.

To end this interview, will you be writing any more young adult novels? if yes, any hints?

Yes, I'm working on a YA right now. It's much different from FLASH POINT. My character gets caught in a portal to a very disturbing alternate universe. She's desperate to get home, but there are complications, and people to rescue, and a boy...