What would Heidi do if the world ending tomorrow?

What would I do if the world is ending tomorrow?

Well that would depend.

Is it ending due to a) zombie apocalypse? b) 2012? Because on our way to the beach this past weekend we were driving on a windy, coastal mountain road and bicycles kept shooting us strange signals with their hands like “Something is ahead,” and since we are a bit of a zany family, we were like, “What if that something is ZOMBIES?” and we imagined them walking slowly up this winding road and were running ideas–like, “We could run them over? We can try and knock their brains out with our bow staffs?” etc., so it turned out to be not zombies, but what were they warning us about? I guessed a tsunami, since there are tsunami warning signs with arrows in Half Moon Bay–like in case of tsunami this is a safe spot–but I figured we’d know about that, and that the bicyclists wouldn’t be so calm—so who knows what it was?

We never found out.

This is so ramblingly, but I guess if the world ending tomorrow I’d just do what I was doing. Surround myself with people I loved, and pray. Pray that our world wasn’t ending due to slow-walking zombies rambling up a mountain road or a devastating tsunami that washed over the entire earth. o_O

Thanks for having me!

–
Thanks Heidi! Just a gentle reminder, Sea releases tomorrow, June 10th! You can buy Sea at Book Depository or Barnes & Noble or Amazon.

Interview with Sienna ‘Sea’ Jones

Hi Sienna, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you! To tell you the truth, I am very curious, why does Spider call you ‘Sea’?
Oh, because that was my nickname when I was a kid. I guess because I liked the ocean so much.

Could you share with us about what life was like before your mom’s airplane disappeared? What were some of the activities you did together with her?
She was just awesome. We did the usual stuff, hung out. It wasn’t so much what we did together, but more like how we were together. Does that make sense? She just got me.

Since going to Indonesia, how has it changed your life?
Oh, man. You’ll have to read the story. I can’t spoil you like that.

Oops! Looks like you, dear reader, will have to buy Sea to find out! As you can see on the image on the right, the coconut drink is one of the exotic food (in this case, drink) Sienna tries while in Indonesia.

The Indonesian culture is very different compared to the American culture. Which ascept do you find the most fascinating?
How it is so different. How the kids were so unified, and treated each other like family even though they weren’t always related by blood. They have such a strong sense of faith too, and coming from a pretty non-religious family that was really neat and curious. How much they trusted in something they couldn’t see, but could feel. You know?

I completely understand.

Deni has been a great companion since you came arrived in Indonesia, what was your first impression of him?
His intensity. The hurt behind his eyes. I just wanted to stare at him, to be near him every second. It was magnetic right from the first moment I saw him.

What are two tourist attractions I should visit if I ever get the chance to travel to Indonesia?
Borobudur is really the only one I saw. I hear the beaches in Bali are awesome but I’ve never been there.

Wow, look at the time! It’s getting late and you have to get back to the children. Thanks for stopping by Sienna! Have a nice day!
You’re welcome. Thanks for having me!

Tomorrow Heidi will be guest blogging and the day after a huge giveaway for Sea and Sea tank top!

Interview with Heidi Kling

Hi Heidi! I’m pleased to host your release week for SEA right here at Read This Book! Could you please share with us a little bit about yourself? We would love to learn more about you!
Born and raised in California, I grew up all over the Golden State, changing schools every few years as my parents moved searching for the ‘ideal’ spot to raise their family. From very early on, I discovered a love of writing and creating—whether my words were in the forms of songs or poems or neighborhood plays. Even if I was at a brand new school, I always felt at home putting pen or marker or crayon to paper.

What was the inspiration behind Sea?
SEA was inspired by my husband’s real life volunteer work in Indonesia. The story can be found at Heidi’s website.

If you were spending the day with Sienna, where and what would you do?
Hanging out on the beach probably.

Have you done any volunteer work? If yes, where and what was it for?
Yes. I was a Candy Striper in high school at a local hospital, I volunteered at a nursing home later on–and a bunch of other things along the way. I’ve never volunteered abroad but I’d like to once my kids are grown.

If you had a time machine and can travel to Indonesia in any year, which year would you travel to and what will you do there?
I think I’d go now so I could meet the boys I’ve grown to care about who live there.

If you could meet one author, living or dead, who would it be?
Shakespeare.

If you could go back in time and tell your 16-year-old self a piece of advice, what would it be?
Hang in there. You’re life will be awesome one day. Then I’d show her a picture of her two beautiful kids and her book cover for SEA. She would never believe me, but like Shrek in the movie I saw today I hope she would come to in time.

If someone told you 20 years ago that you would be a published author, what would your reaction be?
See above.

L.K. Madigan said “From the first page of SEA, the reader is plunged into a world of love, loss, and hope. The heat between Sienna and Deni is mirrored in the steamy exotic setting of Indonesia.” Ultimately, what would you like people to take away from your book?
The idea that hope, that love, that family is real. That bad things happen, but good ones do too. I love L.K.’s blurb so much. Also Jennifer Hubbard said, “Miracles and tragedies co-exist” and I think that is dead-on. Everything in life is a mix of both and when you’re a teenager is so hard to remember that. This too shall pass.

Is there anything else you would like to add before we go?
Keep checking my website for updates on my signings and projects. And the SEA tank-tops should be available SOON on my website SEA STORE. Can you tell I’m very excited about those tanks? Thanks for having me Kate!

Come back this week for more awesome posts related to SEA!

Sea week!

Hi everyone, this week Heidi R. Kling will be at Read This Book! for some fun interviews and hilarious guest blog. At the end of the week, a signed copy of Sea will be given away together with a Sea tank top! Awesome, no?

Here is the schedule:
Monday: Author interview
Tuesday: Character interview with Sienna ‘Sea’ Jones
Wednesday: Guest blog on if the world ended tomorrow..
Thursday: Character interview with Deni (Release day!)
Friday: Giveaway!

Right now, the date has not been confirmed but Heidi will be having a chat sometime this month!

Haunted by recurring nightmares since her mother’s disappearance over the Indian ocean three years before, fifteen-year old California girl Sienna Jones reluctantly travels with her psychiatrist father’s volunteer team to six-months post-tsunami Indonesia where she meets the scarred and soulful orphaned boy, Deni, who is more like Sea than anyone she has ever met.

She knows they can’t be together, so why can’t she stay away from him? And what about her old best friend-turned-suddenly-hot Spider who may or may not be waiting for her back home? And why won’t her dad tell her the truth about her mother’s plane crash? The farther she gets from home, the closer she comes to finding answers.

And Sea’s real adventure begins.

Sea releases on June 10th! You can buy Sea at Book Depository or Barnes & Noble or Amazon.

The Tension of Opposites big giveaway!

Hi everyone! We have been celebrating the release of The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride all week. Now’s your chance to win a signed copy of The Tension of Opposites, a framed photo from the trailer (with relation to the book), and 10 bookmarks! There will be two winners.

For extra entries:
+2 if you’re an old follower
+1 new Google reader/email follower/subscriber
+1 if you already follow or start following me on Twitter (@readingthisbook)
+1 if you already follow or start following Kristina on Twitter (@McbrideKristina)
+1 if you tweet about this giveaway and mention me (@readingthisbook)
+1 if you link to this giveaway on your sidebar/Facebook, etc.
+1 for every comment made on the posts related to Tension of Opposites’ week.
+2 if you ‘like’ the Facebook fan page.
+2 if you ‘like’ the Youtube trailer.
+3 if you blog about this giveaway (must link back to this page).

This giveaway is opened only to people in US and Canada. If you’ve a US mailing address, you can enter. Contest ends 20th June!

FILL UP THE FORM HERE TO ENTER THE CONTEST!

Interview with Tessa from Tension of Opposites

Hi Tessa! It is a pleasure to have you at Read This Book today! It has been quite a year hasn’t it? First off, could you describe yourself in three words?
Thanks for having me! It has been an interesting year. Difficult, but amazingly perfect all at the same time. If I had to describe myself in three words, I’d say: Quiet – Shy – and Photographer.

Could you share with us about what life was like before Noelle was kidnapped? What were some of the activities you did together?
Noelle was the best. Always laughing and trying to make me laugh. She could memorize a song the first time she heard it. That drove me crazy; I’d love to have that kind of memory. She liked attention, and never had trouble getting it. We were the cliché of what it means to be best friends: slumber parties, talking about boys, sneaking out of the house late at night . . . you know? Typical stuff.

Slumber parties are fun!

If you could capture one of your favorite moments on camera, which would it be?
Well, it hasn’t happened yet, but if I could dream my favorite moment it would be this: Me and Elle together now that she’s home, hanging out and laughing. It might sound simple, but it’d be this amazing thing if we could let every bad thing drop away and just laugh like we used to.

What is the best thing that happened since Noelle returned home?
It hasn’t been one major thing, not since that first day I learned she was alive. It’s all about these little steps we’re taking toward a new friendship. At least, I hope that’s where we’re headed. Sometimes, I’m not so sure she wants to be my friend anymore. But I’m not going to give up.

I heard from one of your classmates that you have been very close with a certain guy… do you think you can share with us your first impression of him?
*blush* Is he going to read this? Because it might make him mad to know how much he freaked me out the day we met. My very first impression of him was that he could be some kind of psychopathic killer. Not that he was coming after me with a butcher knife or anything. Back then, that’s just how my brain was wired when I met some one new, especially alone, out in the woods. Killer or not, I can say I thought he was pretty hot.

Max is hot, indeed!

What are three things that remind you of Max? And why?
Sunflowers, snow, and trees. Some of my favorite moments with him happened while we were out taking pictures. If it wasn’t for photography, I’m not sure I would have opened up and allowed for us to become so close.

Speaking of Max, here he comes now. I don’t want to hold both of you up any longer from taking pictures of those gorgeous sunflowers before the sun sets. Thanks for stopping by Tessa! Have a nice day!

Come back tomorrow and two lucky people can win this: