The Ark by Laura Liddell Nolen
Published by: HarperVoyager
Publication date: March 26th 2015
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
There’s a meteor headed for Earth, and there is only one way to survive.
With her criminal record, sixteen-year-old Char is never going to get a place on an Ark, one of the five massive bioships designed to protect Earth’s survivors. The Arks are reserved for the real goody-goodies, like Char’s mom, dad, and brother, all of whom have long since turned their backs on her.
With Earth on the brink of destruction, Char must use all her tricks of the trade to swindle her way into outer space, where she hopes to reunite with her family, regardless of whether they want to see her or not.
Once she arrives on the North American Ark, Char discovers that the remnants of humanity haven’t achieved the egalitarian utopia they’d planned for. For starters, the “Officers of the Peace” are anything but peaceful, especially since stealing a spot on an Ark is a crime punishable by death…
Hi! Thank you so much for having me!
Do you have any tricks you use to get into the mood to write or do you simply sit down and roll with it?
Coffee is the only trick that seems to work with any consistency. And I like writing in a public place, because I feel energized from being around other people.
Where do you get inspiration for your characters and plot lines?
The characters in The Ark are based on people I know, with at least one major change per person. The exception was Char, whom I wrote out of love for my daughter right before she was born. Of course, I’d never met her. For the plot, I just knew I needed to blow up earth and see how everything else shook out. I wanted to explore the breaking down of polite society that would result from a sudden, catastrophic shift in the universe like that.
How old were you when you started writing?
I’ve been telling myself stories in my head since before I can remember, but I was in college when I first sat down to write one out. It was a play in one act, and it ended up being performed at the theatre on campus. That was such an exciting day. But then I got caught up in school and eventually work, and I didn’t write again until I was almost thirty.
If you could collaborate with any famous author, who would it be and why?
What a fantastic question. I’d want to work with Orson Scott Card so that I could learn as much as possible. New life goal- thanks for that!
If you could spend a day with any fictional character, which one would it be and why?
Lily Evans, so that I could warn her not to trust Peter Pettigrew.
Favorite band/musician?
Metallica. It’s all there.
Favorite city you’ve visited so far?
Ocean Springs, MS. Beautiful trees, access to the barrier islands, and the Walter Anderson museum. Can’t beat it.
A city that you’d like to visit?
I’ve never been to Oslo, and it would be so cool to see a real Viking ship. And the northern lights! And fjords. I really have to go to Oslo one day.
Favorite food?
Toss up between steak and chocolate, with pizza rounding out the top three.
If you had to pick one city to be lost in for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
I’ll say Austin, since it’s in my adopted state of Texas, which I love, and it’s my husband’s favorite place on earth.
