Before we get to the good stuff--don't forget to leave a comment on Pintip's question on the bottom for a chance to win an autographed copy of FORGET TOMORROW.
MEET PINTIP DUNN
Pintip Dunn graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in
English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law
School, where she was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. She also published
an article in the YALE LAW JOURNAL, entitled, “How Judges Overrule: Speech Act
Theory and the Doctrine of Stare Decisis,”
Pintip
is represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. She is a
2012 RWA Golden Heart® finalist and a 2014 double-finalist. She is a
member of Romance Writers of America, Washington Romance Writers, YARWA, and The Golden Network.
She lives with
her husband and children in Maryland.
Nan: I'm so impressed!
Let's talk about your Young Adult Debut--FORGET TOMORROW--Forget Tomorrow Series Book 1.
THE STORY BLURB
Imagine
a world where your destiny has already been decided...by your future self.
It's
Callie's seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she's eagerly awaiting
her vision-a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person
they're meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist.
Or in
Callie's case, a criminal.
In her
vision, she sees herself murdering her gifted younger sister. Before she can
process what it means, Callie is arrested and placed in Limbo-a hellish prison
for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush,
Logan, a boy she hasn't spoken to in five years, she escapes.
But on the run from her future, as well as the
government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change
her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the
biggest threat of all-Callie, herself.
Nan: I love this premise!
BUY THE BOOK
Buy links at Entangled
Nan: I'm so frustrated. I have this on my Nook, but can't get the book open! Grrrrr. I have sent 2 messages to Nook support. I can't wait to read this book. But your cover is stunning!
A LIGHTING ROUND OF Q&A WITH PINTIP DUNN
NAN:
How often do you get lost in a story?
PINTIP: I
am (in my opinion!) a writer's dream reader. I very, very, very frequently get
lost in a story. It used to be that I would read nearly every book in one
sitting, simply because I could not put the story -- any story! -- down. This
has changed since I've had three kids because I simply don't have time. Still,
probably three or four times a year, I find a book that falls into this
category. The
holy-crap-it's-3-am-what-am-I-doing-I-have-to-get-up-early-oh-well-gotta-see-how-this-ends
category. Of course, this number doesn't include the times I have to scold
myself, "Put the book down. I mean it. Back slowly away from that
book!"
Nan: I can't put books down either!
NAN:
What’s the first book(s) you remember binge-reading?
PINTIP: Anne of
Green Gables. When I was a kid, we would fly to Thailand every summer to visit
my grandmother. The plane ride, for most people, was a torturous 24 hours. I
remember thinking when I was about ten years old that I would pay the airline
just for the plane ride alone. Why? Because it was the only time in my life I
could read as much as I wanted, and my parents wouldn't make me stop. On one
particular trip, my plan was to binge-read the entire Anne of Green Gables
series. I'm not sure how far I got, but I read almost every minute of those
flights. I'm pretty sure that's the most I've ever read within 24 hours in my
entire life!
Nan: Love those books and so envious that you spent so much time in Thailand.
NAN:
Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?
PINTIP: Yes! The
Forget Tomorrow soundtrack! Let me explain. Liz Pelletier, publisher of
Entangled Publishing, recently partnered with Grammy-nominated songwriter,
David Elliott Johnson, to form Entangled Music. This record label produces original
songs specifically written for books, and the first songs they released were
for FORGET TOMORROW! There are currently two songs in the soundtrack, but there
will be more.
I cried the first time I heard "Crystal Ball," sung by the stunning Kimberly Brown, because it exactly captures Callie's mindset at the beginning of the book. And the fun and catchy "I Am" encapsulates a major decision point about two-thirds into the book.
I love these songs SO much. They are perfect for the book. You can purchase the soundtrack on iTunes, or you will receive them for free when you purchase the e-book version of Forget Tomorrow.
To hear a sample of "Crystal Ball," click here: YouTube
I cried the first time I heard "Crystal Ball," sung by the stunning Kimberly Brown, because it exactly captures Callie's mindset at the beginning of the book. And the fun and catchy "I Am" encapsulates a major decision point about two-thirds into the book.
I love these songs SO much. They are perfect for the book. You can purchase the soundtrack on iTunes, or you will receive them for free when you purchase the e-book version of Forget Tomorrow.
To hear a sample of "Crystal Ball," click here: YouTube
Nan: This is so amazing. I love that you got this opportunity and that you were first!
NAN:
What is your favorite tradition from your childhood that you would love
to pass on or did pass on to your children?
PINTIP: Hands-down,
one of my favorite memories as a kid was going to this stationary store in
Thailand with my aunt and being able to buy anything I wanted -- and I mean,
anything. Pens, erasers, little notebooks, pencil cases, scissors, rulers,
binders, folders. Everything was decorated with Hello Kitty or some other
adorable cartoon. It was the only time in my life I had been allowed this unlimited
indulgence, and I remember how absolutely thrilling it was.
So, when my daughter was old enough, I took her to the same store and told her she could buy anything she wanted. She very sweetly chose one pencil and one eraser and said she was ready. "That's all you want?" I asked. Her eyes widened. "You mean I can have more?" I repeated that she could literally have anything she wanted. She asked me two or three more times if I was sure, and even then, I had to coax her to choose more things. But man, the look on her face. It brought me back to my own childhood. As a parent, I certainly don't believe in excess, but as a limited, special occasion treat, the experience can be magical.
So, when my daughter was old enough, I took her to the same store and told her she could buy anything she wanted. She very sweetly chose one pencil and one eraser and said she was ready. "That's all you want?" I asked. Her eyes widened. "You mean I can have more?" I repeated that she could literally have anything she wanted. She asked me two or three more times if I was sure, and even then, I had to coax her to choose more things. But man, the look on her face. It brought me back to my own childhood. As a parent, I certainly don't believe in excess, but as a limited, special occasion treat, the experience can be magical.
Nan: I love this.
NAN:
Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to
them, or let them influence your writing?
PINTIP: Ha. This
is such an interesting question for me, because I can't believe how quickly my
attitude has changed. If you had asked me a few months ago if I had intended on
reading my reviews, I would have said, "Of course!" I like
information. All kinds of information, and I much prefer to know than not know
-- even if it's bad news. In the beginning, when the reviews were trickling in,
I read every single word. And I took them to heart. But now, just a few short
weeks later, I can honestly say that I don't read all my reviews anymore. More
importantly, the critical parts I come across don't bother me. Instead, I just
shrug and think, "That's too bad. But you can't please everybody, and most
people like this book, so oh well." This is a huge statement for me! Being
as sensitive as I am, I'm probably more surprised by this than anyone else. I'm
very proud to be able to say, NO! I don't let reviews influence my
writing.
Nan: Great attitude!
NAN:
What does it mean to love someone?
PINTIP: Ah, I love this question! It is one of the very things that motivated me to write FORGET TOMORROW. When I had kids, my understanding of love changed -- and yet, in some ways, it stayed exactly the same. I realized I'd felt this grand, all-consuming, unconditional love before -- with my twelve-years-younger sister, Lana. I wanted to write a book about the deep, maternalistic love that an older sister can have for her much-younger sister -- and the lengths she would go to in order to protect her.
So, to me, how much you love someone is the amount of sacrifice you would be willing to make for that person.
PINTIP: Ah, I love this question! It is one of the very things that motivated me to write FORGET TOMORROW. When I had kids, my understanding of love changed -- and yet, in some ways, it stayed exactly the same. I realized I'd felt this grand, all-consuming, unconditional love before -- with my twelve-years-younger sister, Lana. I wanted to write a book about the deep, maternalistic love that an older sister can have for her much-younger sister -- and the lengths she would go to in order to protect her.
So, to me, how much you love someone is the amount of sacrifice you would be willing to make for that person.
Nan: Okay now you're making me tear up.
NAN:
What would you say is your most interesting quirk?
PINTIP: Another interesting question. To us, our "quirks" aren't really quirks, right? They are just a fact of life. But the thing that surprises people the most is that I write all my books on my smart phone -- and I have for my last four books. In fact, I do everything on my smart phone -- emails, critiques, interviews (lol). I have a physical condition, fibromyalgia/RSI, which means I cannot type on a keyboard without intense pain. I've been living with this condition for nearly twenty years now, and like I said, it's a fact of life. I got through college and law school by hiring a typist and taking my exams orally (I even took the bar exam orally). I used a voice recognition program, Dragon Naturally Speaking, for years, and I hated every moment of it. When I realized I could type on an iPhone, locked in portrait position, without pain, I celebrated. Finally, I could write the way I wanted -- by hand.
PINTIP: Another interesting question. To us, our "quirks" aren't really quirks, right? They are just a fact of life. But the thing that surprises people the most is that I write all my books on my smart phone -- and I have for my last four books. In fact, I do everything on my smart phone -- emails, critiques, interviews (lol). I have a physical condition, fibromyalgia/RSI, which means I cannot type on a keyboard without intense pain. I've been living with this condition for nearly twenty years now, and like I said, it's a fact of life. I got through college and law school by hiring a typist and taking my exams orally (I even took the bar exam orally). I used a voice recognition program, Dragon Naturally Speaking, for years, and I hated every moment of it. When I realized I could type on an iPhone, locked in portrait position, without pain, I celebrated. Finally, I could write the way I wanted -- by hand.
Nan: I know you have talked about this before and I am amazed by this. (I pretty much hate typing on my phone because of the auto correct errors!)
NAN:
What will always make you smile, even on a bad day?
PINTIP: My kids.
They are the joy of my life. To give a concrete example: my sixteen month's old
smile. If we tell him to "yim wan" (translated roughly: "give a
sweet smile"), he lifts his little face into the air, scrunches his nose,
crinkles his eyes, and grins from ear-to-ear. It melts my heart every. single.
time.
Nan: Ahhh enjoy those fabulous moments. Too soon they are teenagers!
NAN: GOTTA ASK: How
do you put on your bra? Clasp in back or front and spin?
PINTIP: GOTTA ANSWER: Front
and spin! Never tried any other way!
Nan: LOL!
UP NEXT FOR PINTIP
THE
DARKEST LIE, a YA contemporary thriller (June 28, 2016, Kensington)
Nan: Another great cover!
I'm so excited you are celebrating your debut with us, Pintip. Thanks for spending the day here!
FIND PINTIP DUNN:
Contact: pintip@pintipdunn.com
Website: www.pintipdunn.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorPintipDunn
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/pintipdunn
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/pintip_dunn
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=pintip
PINTIP WANTS TO KNOW: If you could send any memory back to your younger
self, what would it be?
Pintip will be giving away an autographed copy of FORGET TOMORROW to one lucky commenter. US only.
Welcome to the crew, Pintip! I'm so glad you could join us today!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Nan! It is a true honor to be here! I've told you before, you were one of my very first supporters, when you read Forget Tomorrow in that contest so long ago, and your encouragement has kept me going over the years! I can't believe we are here today, with you interviewing me on Get Lost in a Story! Thank you so much -- not just for today, but for all of your support. It means so much.
DeleteOOhh! I didn't realize this was the same book! YAY! It had something about leaves in the title before -- right?
DeleteYes, same book! And no, the title was always Forget Tomorrow -- but there are leaves in the opening scene! 😀
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAnd to answer your questions, I think I would memories of my parents and brother, to highlight how special they were now that they are gone.
ReplyDeleteAw, this is very sad, but I love this choice. Because it would've reminded you to treasure every moment with them. 😥😍
DeleteHI Pintip!
ReplyDeleteGreat post and lovely to meet you. I'm with Nan, the premise of your book sounds super intriguing. Can't wait to read it.
I LOVE your question!
If I could send a memory back to myself it would be of the day I learned that things can always get worse so find as much joy and contentment as possible now. That was a really horrific day where everything in my life changed as one of my sons was taken away in an ambulance. I felt so stupid for not having been happier when I could.
Ironically now even though things are ten times more difficult I find more happiness in each day.
Thanks for the thought-provoking question.
It is a super hard question and I love your answer, Kathleen! I wasn't sure if I would want some memory that would have be braver, or kinder, or more loving. Or one where i stood up for myself more. Very tough!
DeleteThank you so much, Kathleen. Wow. Great answer. That sounds like such a scary day, but it is such an important lesson to learn -- to find happiness in today. Thank you for sharing with us, and I will be remembering this story for the rest of the day, too.
DeleteWhat a fantastic interview! Great questions, Nan! Pintip, I so admire you for all you do balancing the home/writing life. As for the memory, I'd send back the moment I met my husband. I had so much angst about whether or not I'd find true love--I mean, come on, the guys I dated were just so meh until my guy came along! But it would've put my mind to rest to know what was in store for me.
ReplyDeleteAw, and I love that story on how you met your husband, too! This is what I wanted when I first dreamed up this world -- just to know that everything would turn out alright!
DeleteHi Pintip, Love this post. Love the cover, love the premise, and I can't wait to read the story! If I could send a memory back to myself, it would be to believe more in my own gifts and not listen to anyone who told me I had to stop being such a dreamer!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Kathleen. That is a great memory to send. I'm glad you were able to learn this now -- and I'd like to note that the awards ceremony for the FAB contest that Nan referenced above was where we talked for the first time! I'll never forget our conversation. You were such an inspiration to me.
DeleteGreat interview ladies! Congrats, Pintip!!
ReplyDeleteAnd what a tough question.. I'd send back the first time I saw my husband. Even though we were both with others at the time and we didn't date for a few years later, I KNEW he was the one at that very moment. I would have enjoyed my single years so much more knowing I'd end up with the man of my dreams. :0)
Aw, that's so lovely, Tammy!!! You must tell me more about this moment where you KNEW it was him. I bet it's a great story!!! (And would make a great scene for a book! Lol!)
DeleteLove the blurb and cover, Pintip. I gave a lot of thought to your question, finally deciding that I wouldn't send a memory back to myself. I've had a great journey to get to where I am today, some things amazingly awesome and some hard times, but I wouldn't change a thing. I would be too afraid that sending a memory back in time would have a ripple effect that would change the place I'm in at this stage of my life, and I love where I am today. :-)
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Sandra! You are definitely not alone in feeling this way -- and to an extent, I absolutely agree with you. But if given the opportunity, I think I'm just way too curious to pass on it... I love that you love where you are today. It's a wonderful place to be, and in thrilled for you!
DeleteWonderful to have you, Pintip, on GLIAS and to get to know more about you. I have to say the bra question was hilarious.
ReplyDeleteHa ha - thanks so much, Vicki! It's a thrill to be here!
DeleteHi Pintip, great piece and I'm so in love with your cover. What memory would I send back to my younger self? It think it would be that I would EVENTUALLY get published and so I could have written all those early novels with joy and optimism, instead of being hag-ridden by fears of failure. OR that though I fell off horses many times, it never killed me or broke anything essential. If I'd known that I'd have been a braver rider.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping one day somebody will take me to a stationer's shop and tell me I can buy whatever I want. I love to buy filing cards in different colours for research. As for the bra-thing, if I did what you did, I'd give myself a lethal injury.
I'm giving you permission, Natalie. Go to a stationer's shop and buy whatever you want!!!! I promise, it won't end up costing *that* much, and the exhilaration it will give you will be priceless. Come on, surely you agree that you deserve multi-colored filing cards! Please do it. Or dm your address, and I will send you some. 😀 (as soon as I figure out what filing cards are, lol. Are these just index cards?) I love both your potential memories. Those are what I would send myself, too -- although I do worry that knowing the future might take away some of that desperate drive? Glad I don't have to consider this question for real!
DeleteCan't wait to read Forget Tomorrow! It's on my nightstand, and I keep looking at it wistfully, but alas, NaNoWriMo is eating my reading time. Where's that 24 hour flight when you need one?
ReplyDeleteLove this interview, no surprise. I knew you wrote on a phone, but I didn't know why. It makes sense now! You write fast, too! I remember being wowed by your output three years ago during NaNo.
As for the question--I'm divided. I'd either send back an image of my wedding, for the same reason as Tammy--so I'd see that yes, I'd find that right fit, so stop fretting, teen me! Or a moment of me at the podium accepting the Golden Heart so I could get a taste of validation to help with the morass of self-doubt. Or seeing a blue line on the pregnancy test to lift me up during my infertility years. Or... uh... yeah. :) Love the idea of reassurance from the future. (Assuming it doesn't go wrong, as in your book!)
All of those memories are wonderful, Talia!!! I'm sure your younger self would be thrilled to receive any one of them. And I am so honored that I was present to watch you give that acceptance speech. 😀
DeleteWelcome to GLIAS, Pintip !!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview.
Thank you for having me! 😀😀😀
DeletePintip, What a great interview. Nan's questions were different and thought provoking. I loved seeing how you answered.
ReplyDeleteI'd send back an image of my mature, accomplished self. To show the young me that I was capable of doing and being anything. I held myself back, thinking I wasn't able to accomplish big dreams. I just didn't let myself dream big. Now I know I had the ability to be anything I could have dreamed of.
Your indulgence example brought back a treasured memory. My grandparents owned a bakery. Grandpa was the baker, and Grandma worked in the front. Whenever I arrived at the bakery (we lived across state) I could have anything from the case I wanted. Anything. Didn't matter if it was 30 minutes 'til dinnertime. I was never told "no." Grandma just handed over the twist or brownie or whatever I decided on. That felt so special to me, and I'd spend so long on the ride over, anticipating, deciding what to choose.
Thanks for sharing, Pintip.
Aw, Sheri, I LOVE that memory of your grandparents' bakery!!! Thank you so much for sharing it with me. We all know what the rules are "supposed" to be -- it is such a special joy to be able to break those rules once in a while. I am so glad you are able to dream big now -- even if you couldn't then. ❤️😍
DeleteGreat interview! I think I would go with several others and say the moment I realized my husband and I were meant to be (not actually when we met...lol). It would have gotten rid of lots of angst, for sure!
ReplyDeleteGreat choice, Laura! You'll have to share the memory of that moment with us sometime. 😀
DeleteOoh, I love the idea of a soundtrack for your book! What a great idea. And how cool for yours to be the first songs released!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, your memory question is a tough one-- do I send one to cherish, one that taught me a valuable lesson? You've got me thinking...
I guess I'll have to get back to you on that. :-)
Thanks so much, Pris! Will love to hear your answer if you decide! 😀
Deletelottery numbers
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
Love this answer!!
DeleteHa ha. Classic. 😀
DeleteAnother great interview Nan! And Pintip, it was fun getting to know you a bit better- now I like you even more! I would send myself the memory of my realization (after far too long) that I could let myself trust and love someone and it would be okay. I was kind of a damaged teen and pushed love away for a long time. I wish I had been more open and trusted more. Would have saved a lot of pain.
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you, Amy! Great choice. Wouldn't it be so great to know as a teen all the lessons we've learned as an adult? Thanks so much for sharing!
DeletePintip! Congrats on your debut and on the cool soundtrack! I love how you speak of your love of books as a child. Much continued success!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Miranda!
DeleteMy wedding day. That my dream guy was there all along and I found him when I was supposed to. ;)
ReplyDeleteAwwww... That's lovely!! I'm sure you were a very beautiful bride!
DeleteWhat fun to read this interview! Pintip, I LERVE that your book has a soundtrack. You are on the cutting edge, which makes sense, considering the subject matter of your book. It sounds amazing,and I can't wait to read it. Thanks for sharing your stories (fictional and non-fictional)--I want to go to that stationary store in Thailand. Providing you'd buy me anything I want. :-) Congratulations! And Nan, great interview!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Colette! If you come to the stationary store in Thailand, I promise I will buy you anything you want! I'll even encourage you to keep choosing!!! 😀😀😀
DeleteI'm making my very not surprised face at this WONDERFUL interview because…look at the sources! Ah, Pintip, I am stuffed with pride for you and your amazing debut--which I have & can't wait to dive into! The word congratulations just cannot be uttered enough. Hmm… as for my memory, so many to choose! But I'd probably send The Call from when I got my book deal to Teen Darcy. She desperately needed to hear that all the things that made her feel isolated & different, will be the very things she celebrates later in life. :)
ReplyDeleteAw, I would've liked to know Teen Darcy. I think Teen Darcy and Teen Pintip would have been friends, don't you think? 😀❤️😍 Wonderful choice for your memory!!!
DeleteThese answers have all been so fantastic. Pintip, Thank you for such a thought provoking questions!
ReplyDeleteIt was so much fun reading all the comments today! And I really, really loved all the memories that everyone picked. 😍 Thank you so much for having me on Get Lost in a Story, Nan! It's been a total blast. I'll have my handy random number generator pick a winner in the morning and post it then!
DeleteAnd the winner is...Sarah Andre!!!! Sarah, I will DM for your address. 😀
ReplyDelete