Chopping it Up with Tammar Stein

Today we are joined by Tammar Stein, who's here to talk about her newest title Kindred. Here's a little about her:

Tammar Stein is the award-winning author of the young adult novels Light Years and High Dive. Her third novel, Kindred, will be published February 8, 2011.

Tammar has lived in Israel, Italy, Germany and all over the United States. She currently lives in Florida with her family and bilingual dog. When she’s not working, chances are she’s reading, or day dreaming, or slapping at mosquitoes, or washing the dishes that seem to breed and multiply while her back is turned. Okay, not really. Really, if she’s not working, she’s reading. 

 

Describe Kindred in 10 words or less.

 

Someone. Is. Watching. 

What exactly is a bilingual dog?

That gets more questions than anything else! My husband and I adopted our black lab when we lived in Germany. She was 11 months old and already trained in German commands. She understands English, but even after all these years, nothing gets her attention like a German command. 

You've done a lot of traveling over the years. Where is one place you haven't been that you'd like to go?

Oh, there are just too many places to pick one! After reading Eat, Pray, Love I am now set on visiting Bali. I’d love to travel and live in Japan. Prince Edward Island in Canada sounds amazing. Shall I go on? New Zealand. Fuji. Thailand. Seattle and the Oregon coast. Peru. Argentina. My bucket list is quite long. 

 

There's been so many "angel" books being released lately. What would you say makes Kindred different?

I haven’t actually read the angel books out there. I started working on KINDRED almost four years ago. There were lots of vampires around, but no angels. And it’s not that I set out to write something “different.” I just had this scene flash through my mind of a young woman visited by an angel and honestly, it didn’t even cross my mind that they could have a romance. It’s an archangel. They’re terrifying! 

 

What book have you ever faked reading?

What an embarrassing question, I’m an English Lit major! But I have to admit, I have never been able to get through Moby Dick. [blush]

Do you see any of yourself in Miriam?

 

Sure, I do. We’re not the same person, obviously, but her struggle to do the right thing, wanting to take care of people, and her self doubt, I’ve experienced all of those in my life.

 Check her out at these spots:

Website

Blog