Author Interview: Jen Nadol

I've got Jen Nadol here today to answer a few questions, but instead of the normal Q&A, I've challenged her to answer using only lines from her book, The Vision.


You make the front page! What does the headline say? 

Since front page news is usually either grim or scandalous, I’d much rather be like one of the characters Cassie describes: she had all this history, this normal life. A job at a bank, a family – daughters, grandkids. “Normal” and “ordinary” are highly underrated.

Would you love or hate having the power that Cassie has? 

I think my feelings would shift with the circumstances, but mostly I’d feel like Cassie does when she confronts someone with the mark early in the story: I went to the man and started talking, words tumbling out, telling him he was in danger, I had a gift, could sometimes see when someone might die. He just stared at me. I heard my voice wavering, but kept on, hating every awful, nervous, guilty instant of telling this terrible secret, second-guessing myself the whole time, fearful of what I might change. Or not.

If you were in a fight, which character would you want by your side? 

At one point, Cassie’s roommate Petra tells her: “I might not be your mom or dad or grandma, but I am your friend. And a shrink to boot. I’m good at keeping secrets and pretty decent at helping people. If you don’t want to tell me, that’s totally cool, but if you need an ear—or a hand, a lift, a few bucks, anything—I’m here.” That’s the kind of person I’d want by my side in pretty much any situation.

What is your favorite thing about Zander? 

He wasn’t the bad boy with a heart of gold, but he also wasn’t just the bad boy. He was, as Liv said, smokin’ hot, kind of a jerk, and definitely high on himself. But there was more to him.

If you could choose a way to go, which way would you hope to go? 

Well, quick and painless would be best, but no matter the way, I hope I feel like I’ve lived fully enough to approach it like the man who says: “I’m eighty-six years old. My wife died seventeen years ago…my body aches most mornings and it’s a good day if I can go to the bathroom without a problem. If today’s my day, so be it. I’m ready.”

How challenging did you find it to write a sequel? 

I was doing it because I needed to. Okay, that’s an overstatement, but its the only book quote I could find that was close enough! The Mark was originally written as a stand-alone, but the ending changed during edits and I felt like there was still more story to tell. The sequel came pretty naturally and I really loved writing it. 


Thank you, Jen, for not only answering my questions but giving the extra push to find book quotes that work! Congrats on another release!

So what do you guys think? Fitting quotes? Leave a comment for Jen, and make sure you guys check out The Vision, the follow up to The Mark!