I really enjoyed reading Sea by Heidi Kling. I contacted Heidi on her Facebook page and asked if she was willing to do an interview. I am very grateful that she said yes, despite her busy schedule. Heidi was born and raised in California. She studied and majored in English lit and creative writing at University of California at Santa Cruz. Heidi is not new to the YA genre. In fact her YA short story “Dear Mr. Moon” was published in a college anthology the year she graduated. Sea is her debut book. I asked Heidi about her writing, how it feels like to be a debut author, and our favorite show: The Vampire Diaries.

Rummanah: Heidi, welcome and thank you for stopping by. Sea is inspired by your husband’s experiences at volunteering trip to Indonesia after the tsunami disaster of 2004. Besides chatting with him, did you have to do a lot research for your book?

Heidi: I read typical travel books Sienna would read: basics about the country, language translations to get around etc., I became friends with several tsunami survivors that my husband worked with at the Pesantren and they helped me with the cultural distinctions and the true dialog.

Rummanah: Writing about a true event can be daunting. What challenges did you face while writing Sea?

Rummanah: I think you did that really well in Sea. Sienna is pushed out of her comfort zone, but ultimately embraces the different living style in Indonesia. When a natural disaster strikes (i.e. the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile and most recently the flooding in Pakistan), we only hear and read about it on the news for a few weeks or months but it slowly fades in the background. Why do you this happens?

Rummanah: *Nods* Yep, and yet we wonder why we do the same horrible things over and over again. We're told that history repeats itself, but you would think that we would revisit those events and come out smarter, wiser, and better. I guess we aren't smart as we like to think we are. On a bright note, what is the one thing that surprised you the most as being a new author?

Rummanah: I noticed that on Facebook, you and I share a love for The Vampire Diaries. You know I have to ask you questions about the show. Which Salvatore brother has your heart and why?


Rummanah: *Laughs* I know mine do.


Rummanah: I still can't believe he did that! He's got to do a lot to make up with Elena. What I love about him is that he's a shady, complex character that you can't really pin down. He is sarcastic, impulsive, handsome, and smart. He also has a heart, which is buried under all of his angst. You never know what plans he has under his sleeves, which makes him an awesome character to watch. Do you have any predictions for Season 2?

Rummanah: I hope you're right. I would love Delena. There is definitely chemistry between those two. I’m always looking for the next great read, what is your favorite book that you’ve read this year?


Rummanah: I absolutely loved Linger. Can't wait for Forever to come out! What else?



Rummanah: What are you working on now? Can you tell us something about it and when we can expect it to come out?


Rummanah: *Crosses fingers* Thank you so much for stopping by, Heidi!


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