Fresh New Voice of YA- Interview with Mindi Scott

1) How did you get the idea for Freefall?

The initial idea was that I wanted to write a story about a kind of messed up girl who falls in love with a social reject sort of guy who wants to "save" her. I found my way to the real story--and decided to write the boy's point of view instead of the girl's--while I was developing these two characters. It was important to me that they each have something to overcome that paralleled that of the other, and it all eventually came together from there.


2) What book(s) are you working on now, or are about to start?

I'm working on a few, but I'm putting most of my emphasis on one in particular. I'm not giving many details because I don't know for sure if it will be my next published novel. But I will say that it's told from a girl's point of view. It includes a sweet love story amidst some really dark content, and it's the book that I needed to read when I was fifteen.


3) Tell us all about The Call/The Email! Where were you when you got it? How did you celebrate?

The Call for representation from my agent was the most exciting of my Calls (even more than the book deal) because it was completely unexpected. I was at my desk at home wearing my Hello Kitty pajamas, working on a revision, when my phone rang. Briefly, the idea flashed in my mind that it could be an agent, but that was the thought that had occurred to me every time I received a call from an unknown number, so it seemed pretty unlikely. I don't remember much about our call, except that he did offer representation and used words like "marketable" and "love" when discussing my book. Afterward, I celebrated by making many phone calls, which was cool, but not much of a celebration at all thinking back on it.


4) You mention loving many TV shows on your website. What are some of your favorite shows this season?

The only shows I've been watching this season are CASTLE, THE CLONE WARS, and GLEE. Of those, I think THE CLONE WARS has been my favorite. I'm really looking forward to FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS when it comes to NBC next spring/summer.


5) What's your favorite Jelly Belly jelly bean flavor?

This is too hard, so I'm going to cheat and tell you a few. I love buttered popcorn. I love chocolate covered cherry (two cherry eaten with one chocolate pudding). I love, love, love the entire soda flavor collection.


6) What book(s) are you reading, or are about to read?

I have a huge pile of books that I'm excited to read! TAKE ME THERE by Carolee Dean is next up. After that, THE RISE OF RENEGADE X by Chelsea Campbell, I think.


7) You've held several jobs over the years. What was your favorite and your least favorite?

My Least Favorite: Eleven years ago, I was a receptionist for a law firm in downtown Seattle. The legal assistants in that place were horrible people. Just awful. I would page them with phone calls and they would yell at me to shut up. After having been brought to tears twice in three days, I ended up quitting. The office manager told me he was disappointed that I was "giving up," but I never once regretted walking away from all-day-long verbal abuse.

My Favorite: Despite having to work evenings and weekends for terrible pay, the bookstore was pretty cool, I have to say. At the time that I was first hired (age 18 going on 19), our crew of booksellers was mostly between the ages of 16 and 26. We had a very EMPIRE RECORDS vibe going on and it was a fun atmosphere. It's also where I met my husband!