Thrice Interview: SEND ME A SIGN

Hi! Today we’re celebrating the release of SEND ME A SIGN by Tiffany Schmidt!

They say: Mia is always looking for signs. A sign that she should get serious with her soccer-captain boyfriend. A sign that she’ll get the grades to make it into an Ivy-league school. One sign she didn’t expect to look for was: “Will I survive cancer?” It’s an answer her friends would never understand, prompting Mia to keep her illness a secret. The only one who knows is her lifelong best friend, Gyver, who is poised to be so much more. Mia is determined to survive, but when you have so much going your way, there is so much more to lose. From debut author Tiffany Schmidt comes a heart-wrenching and ultimately uplifting story of one girl’s search for signs of life in the face of death.

I say: I was worried this would be a Cancer Book. I am a bit of a hypochondriac, and I’m convinced reading all those Lurlene McDaniel books about dying girls as a teen broke my brain a little. But guess what? SEND ME A SIGN is awesome. It’s funny and bittersweet and swoonworthy. Mia is far from a tragic heroine; she’s scared and sad and sometimes she makes bad choices, but they aren’t stupid choices; I always understood why. She’s also engaged in a fantastic love triangle – one of the best I’ve read, honestly! While I had a strong preference myself (I’m always a sucker for boys next door, and guitar-playing ones in particular), I felt like Mia was really lucky to have both of them in her life. And her friends feel so real – all girls that I alternately wanted to slap and hug – each with their own distinct personalities and quirks. I can’t share the entire email I wrote Tiffany when I finished reading the book because of spoilers, but here’s part of it: It’s so good. Seriously. Amazing. I started reading at 10:30 on the computer while my Nook was charging. Steve went up to bed, I said “leave the light on, I’ll be up in a few minutes,” and it’s now 2am and I’m still downstairs on the couch. I will read it again tomorrow more savoringly but I had to know that Mia would be okay before I went to bed.

Yep. It’s that engrossing!

Now, here’s Tiffany’s interview:

1. Describe your main character in 3 adjectives + a noun.

Mia is a superstitious, loyal, popular teenager…who happens to have cancer.

2. Describe your book in 3 adjectives + a noun.

SEND ME A SIGN is a wistful, romantic, bittersweet journey.

3. Describe yourself in 3 adjectives + a noun.

I am an impulsive, creative, mischievous sugar-addict. (JS: Hee. I love this!)

4. If you could travel to any 3 countries, what would they be?

New Zealand, Ireland, Greece (JS: ooh, me too on Ireland & Greece! I’d add Iceland.)

5. If you could take any 3 non-writing-related classes, what would they be?

Pottery, Italian, cake-decorating.

6. If you could have 3 alternate careers, what would they be?

Teacher (I miss this!) Party planner, Haribo candy quality-assurance taste-tester.

7. What are 3 of your favorite flowers?

Tulips, peonies, hydrangea (all PINK, please)

8. What are 3 of your favorite foods?

Lobster, soup, anything gummy – with or without sour sprinkles.

9. What are 3 of your favorite books?

Ask me tomorrow and I’ll give you a totally different list—today’s choices are:  All of Austen (yes, I’m totally cheating & counting that as one book), ANNA & THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins, CHIME by Franny Billingsley. (JS: I love this answer! <3)

Happy release week, Tiffany!