Mundie Moms

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Lynne Matson, Author NIL is on the Blog TODAY!

Hello and Welcome! I'm so thrilled to have debut author, Lynne Matson on the blog today to talk about her recent release, NIL. I've heard a lot of great things about NIL. Though I've not had a chance to read it (it recently arrived and is sitting on the top of TBR stack), I am looking forward to reading it shortly. I totally LOVE the book's cover. Before I share my interview with Lynne, here's a little bit about her book:



By: Lynne Matson
Published by: Henry Holt
Released on: March 4th, 2014
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Add it to Goodreads

On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have exactly 365 days to escape—or you die.

Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s naked in an empty rock field.

Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that she has to find a way to beat the clock, and quickly.





Hi Lynne! Thank you for stopping by and visiting with me. Congratulations on your debut release. How would you describe NIL in 5 words or less?


Thanks Katie! For the kind words and for having me on your awesome blog!:) I’m super excited to be here!


Five words to describe NIL, the book? Tense, dark, mysterious, haunting, FEELS


Five words to describe Nil, the island? Creepy, gorgeous, crafty, mysterious, patient


Which character did you enjoy getting to know the most?


Another great—and tough!—question! I love all my characters, and NIL has a revolving-door vibe with a large cast of characters, so it’s like trying to choose among my children.:) But, if I have to choose, I’m going with a three-way tie. First, I loved getting to know my two MC’s, Thad (the boy) and Charley (the girl), for very  different reasons. Thad is the veteran whereas Charley is the newcomer, so they view the island very differently, which was a blast to play with from a writer’s perspective. And my favorite secondary character? Rives. Definitely Rives. Born to a pair of international correspondent parents, Rives is the most-traveled character to land on NIL, and yet, he’s stuck there along with everyone else, trying to figure things out.


What is something you admired about Charley? What's something you may have cringed at, that she did?


I admired her tenacity, and her wits. But one thing that made me cringe was her self-consciousness about her height. She’s six feet tall, and not that she slouches, but she’s very self-conscious about being taller than most boys. I wanted her to embrace her height and be proud of it, so every time she tugged on her skirt or felt self-conscious about her height, I cringed.


What's your favorite moment or line from NIL?


Gosh, another hard question! Ahhhh! So many lines… .:) I love the moment Charley and Thad first meet…and I love their goodbyes. But I’m choosing this conversation between Macy and Charley, because it highlights the mystery of the island which Charley is determined to figure out. Here, Macy and Charley are discussing the meaning of certain carvings that are found on Nil:


Macy answered slowly. “Maybe. I do believe I’m here for a reason, that we’re all here for a reason. But”—she looked up—“I’m not sure we’re all here for the same reason. Does that make sense?”


“Totally,” I said, feeling the tendril of understanding blossom in my brain, too ethereal to grasp.


Let's talk about your cover! That is a cool looking cover. I love the NIL is part in the water and part out. What were your first thoughts when you saw your cover?


Honestly, when I first saw the final cover (the blue one that’s on the hardback) I thought: It’s perfect. The island takes center stage, which is SO fitting because in the book, the island truly is a character too; it’s the greatest antagonist of all. And the tallymarks! I adore the tallymarks and how they swirl like a clock (or a wormhole). I also love the crisp half-submerged lettering, the tag line, and the gritty matte finish that conveys the whole island-vibe.

Who were some authors that inspired you to become a writer?


Anne McCaffrey (one of my all time-favorite authors), Jane Austen, Gayle Forman, Dean Koontz, John Grisham, Cassandra Clare, and definitely J.K. Rowling.


Can you tell us what you're working on next?


I have a couple projects in the works. One novel is the first of a trilogy, wholly unrelated to NIL. The other project I’ve been tinkering with is a sequel of sorts to NIL, but told from a different character’s perspective. In my mind, Charley and Thad’s story is done (for obvious reasons) but the island still has mysteries that call to me, and I think there’s more NIL stories to be told.:)

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About the Author
I grew up in Georgia in a house full of books and a backyard full of gnarly pines. Back then, I'd stay up late, reading Nancy Drew books under the covers (with a flashlight . . . a weak attempt at ninja stealth). Now I still stay up late reading books and writing them. When I don’t have a book in my hand, you’ll find me listening to music, messing around with paint, or hanging out with my husband and our four boys . . . or all of the above.

Find out more about Lynne by visiting her via: her Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Goodreads 


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