The Compulsive Reader: Supernatural July: Swoon by Nina Malkin + Interview

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Supernatural July: Swoon by Nina Malkin + Interview





What three words would you use to describe Swoon?

I need only two: Sinfully good!

What element(s) would you say make Swoon unique?

Sinclair Youngblood Powers is unlike any character I’ve ever met in fiction, my own or anyone else’s. He’s both hero and antagonist, for one thing, and he’s complicated. He’s noble and strong, yet petty and weak. He’s capable of great tenderness, sensitivity and love, and enormous single-minded cruelty. He makes a lot of mistakes; sometimes he takes responsibility for them, sometimes he doesn’t. He’s a different person (if person is the right word…) by the end of the novel than he was at the start, but even his redemption isn’t clear-cut or wholly perfect. Sin frustrates a lot of readers. I’m all for that. People are frustrating.

Plus, I would hope that the basic plot premise is unique: Spirit of 18th century boy possesses body of 21st century girl, goes from ghost to flesh-and-mud golem, seeks revenge and finds true love instead…
How have your teen years influenced your writing?

Not sure I understand the question! Although technically I’m no longer a teenager, I’m not a very linear or spatial thinker, and I’m not an ageist. I don’t feel like an old(er) person imparting “wisdom” to a young(er) one in my work. I don’t write for teenagers, though I tend to write about them, since those are the people who by and large move into my head and tell me their stories—and I have no explanation for that.


On the surface, they all seem so tempting—flight, invisibility, changeling qualities, as well as the less jazzy but perhaps most powerful, utter dominion over others. Still, flight, invisibility or changeling qualities wouldn’t make such a big difference in my day-to-day. And utter dominion over others would be boring after a while.

If I had to pick something physically extraordinary, I’d have the ability to grow thorns at will over my entire body so that no one could hurt me. Of course that would only shield me from physical harm, and I’m far more vulnerable to emotional damage. It’d look cool, though…

To me the most compelling power would be total understanding and compassion. One of the main reasons I write is because I’m so mystified by human nature, the impulses that motivate this species. Working at fiction helps me figure it out a bit. But oh, to understand why people do the things they do—betray, lie, wage war, pollute—and what’s more be compassionate towards them, forgive and not judge them, that would be a power indeed!

What supernatural book are you itching to read?

For the most part, I read dead people. I buy books by living authors to support the publishing industry but I’m not especially drawn to the “contemporary.” So I am hopeful to someday re-read The Complete Stories of Flannery O’Connor. I own them, and they call to me from the shelf. It would be incorrect to call her stories supernatural but they sure are creepy.

Thanks, Nina!


NotNessie said...

I am so looking forward to reading this book! Thanks for the review and interview.

Karen Veronica said...

Sounds pretty cool, it sounds like it has that paranormal factor, but with a small town twist.

Thanks for the review!

Anonymous said...

Nice review, and I agree, the hair on the cover looks kind of awkward.

Lenore said...

Flannery O'Connor is VERY creepy...