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!

This was cross-posted on Read This Book! Remember, all comments on Read This Book will count as entries towards the giveaway at the end of the week!