We are now more than halfway through April, which means summer is lurking just around the corner, teasing us with those extra sunny, warm spring days!
Our fifth summertime interview is with another new Glass House author, Kimberly Mitchell, who says that if it is between the hours of 2pm and 4pm during the summer, you can bet that she has found her way to a local Sonic for Happy Hour half-price drinks and slushes.
Kimberly is looking forward to the long evenings and swimming this summer, but also admits that fall is her favorite season. The hot, humid days in Arkansas can certainly put a damper on a lot of outdoor summer activities.
“August used to be my least favorite month of the year, but my daughter was born in August so it's moved up on the list!” she says. With the birth of her daughter, perhaps summer is now a close second to fall?
What is the THE event of this summer that you’re most looking forward to?
We're heading to Colorado at the end of the summer for a little Yemen reunion--friends we knew when we lived in Yemen for three years. It's been over ten years since we've seen them, so yes, we're excited!
FOLLOW UP Q: Why were you in Yemen?!
I spent three years in Yemen teaching English and studying Arabic. It was probably the most pivotal experience of my life, at least up to that point, and it also got me started writing. I had a lot of free time in the evenings and finally started writing the book I'd always wanted to try to write. It was also the inspiration for Traders of Incense, a middle grade series to be published by Glass House Press.
Where do you live? Describe this winter in your area in three words.
I live in Northwest Arkansas and this winter was warm, dry, and disappointing!
What do you hope to accomplish in your writing over the long summer days?
By summer I should have the second book in the #Dreamers series finished, so I'll be outlining the third book in that series, as well as looking over the #Traders series! A writer's work is NEVER done.
FOLLOW UP Q: Tell us more about Dreamers.
Seven years ago, the Nas attacked my people, the Abed. Water is scarce in my land. The Nas mostly live in the City and leave us alone, but when the Abed refused to allow them access to the wells that have been in our villages for centuries, the Nas firebombed our villages. My brother and I, along with the other children, fled into the desert. My parents and the other Abed were either killed or rounded up and taken to the City to live in refugee camps … but we survived in the desert. After the war, the giftings came. I'm a Dreamer. I dream of the water hidden in the desert that helps us stay alive another day--and I’m wanted by the people hunting us for that very reason.
What trend or catch-phrase are you going to start this summer?
I don't know. But I do usually know when it's Sonic Happy Hour and where the closest Sonic is.
What is the BEST summer story from when you were a kid?
My best summer memories are of things we did all the time. Swam all summer. Stayed up late playing outside with the neighbor kids. Listening to the frogs and whippoorwills sing. Visiting grandparents in southern Arkansas. We took vacations every year with the family, and some of the most memorable are the marathon driving trips to Washington, D.C. and Yellowstone.
What is the WORST summer story from when you were a kid?
Probably getting stuck on Lake Ft. Gibson in a two-man sailboat with my twin at sailing camp. The wind died and we spent nearly all day on the lake, until the ski camp finished their day of waterskiing and came to tow us in. Stupid water skiers. Also, sunburn. Ouch.
Summer blockbuster you are most looking forward to watching and why:
I'm so busy with the baby/writing/farm I don't even know what's coming out this summer!
Rapid Fire Questions:
The All-Time Best Song of Summer is: Here Comes the Sun b/c The Beatles ALWAYS wins best song.
Your Summer Guilty Pleasure: Happy Hour cherry Cokes from Sonic or Coke slushies from the gas station. Oh. Man.
Daylight Savings Time for Summer: yes or no? YES. All that light!
Beach or Mountains? Mountains (and we're going this year, so I'm excited!)
Swimsuits: yes or no? Yes, please, yes.
Sandals or Bare Feet? Sandals. I used to love being barefooted as a kid. But gravel. And rocks. And dirt. And BUGS.
Ice Cream or Popsicles? Ice Cream. I mean, who would choose popsicles?
Memorial Day or Independence Day? Independence Day has the fireworks so...
Put these words in order: Swimming, Baseball, Hot Dogs, Ice Cream, Air Conditioning, Vacation
Swimming, Vacation, Ice Cream, Air Conditioning, Hot Dogs, Baseball
Sum up Summer 2017 in five words:
Hot, Humid, Head for Mountains!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberlymitchellauthor/
Twitter: @KSMitch17
Instagram: @KSMitch17
Website: http://www.kimberlymitchell.us/
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