Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing fellow spec-fic author Nadine Brandes.

Her first book, A Time to Die (read my review here), recently won a Carol Award in the speculative category. It’s an amazing book—a dystopia along the lines of Hunger Games, but infused with sparks of hope. I’d encourage you to check it out, especially now that book two in the series, A Time to Speak, releases on October 16.

Let the trumpets blare out the good news across the land of Bookworm, and let the people eagerly await the long-anticipated day.

In the meantime, we have an interview to conduct. The theme is favorites—because who doesn’t like talking about that and finding out what someone else likes?

Without further ado…THE INTERVIEW.

What’s your favorite movie you’ve seen this year?

Nadine: Man, this year has been more miss than hit in the movie realm. If you asked me about last year…but okay, I’ll answer the question. The best movie that I saw (twice) in theaters this year was Avengers: Age of Ultron.

What’s your favorite book and genre?

Nadine: I’ve always considered this a cruel question. But my favorite book/series is Harry Potter (and probably always will be) yet my current favorite genre is light sci-fi (virtual reality, dystopian, etc.).

Who is your favorite fictional character?

Nadine: Merlin from BBC’s Merlin TV show. We became best friends during the series. Hubby agrees.

What’s the best vacation you’ve taken?

Nadine: Hubby and I are dorks so we make every vacation super fun. But pre-hubby, my favorite vacation was renting a catamaran with my family and sailing for eight days in the British Virgin Islands, scuba-diving in sunken ships. Yup. Epic.

When you’re not writing, what are some of your favorite hobbies?

Nadine: I like trying to draw (I say “trying” because I rarely succeed), playing piano, snowboarding, adventuring, cooking, and re-organizing my bookshelves (totally a hobby, I tell you!) Oh yes, and hubby and I indulge in video games now and then.

What are a few types of music you enjoy listening to?

Nadine: I love a lot of Indie music (Greg Laswell, American Authors, The Temper Trap) and then Explosions in the Sky, Imagine Dragons, Ellie Goulding, OneRepublic, and SOUNDTRACKS (how to Train Your Dragon, Hobbit, Harry Potter.) That’s pretty much my writing music. I enjoy Christian music, too, but the more modern stuff like Gungor, The Liturgists, Phil Wickham, All Sons & Daughters, The City Harmonic, and Brothers McClurg. Okay…I’m getting carried away.

What’s your favorite type of food?

Nadine: SUSHI! One of my best friends is a sushi chef and can make ANYONE like sushi. I promise. I’ve been ruined forever.

Which of your characters do you like the most?

Nadine: That’s a tough one. We’ll pretend that Parvin doesn’t count. Aside from her, I think my favorite is Solomon. Then again, I know much more about all my characters than my readers do. I also adore Willow.

What’s your favorite sci-fi or fantasy world?

Nadine: HOGWARTS! When it comes to favorites, it will probably always come back to Harry Potter.

What’s the coolest high-tech gadget or concept you’ve found in a book or movie?

Nadine: I love the little dream-briefcases in Inception. I want one.

Neat stuff, huh? And how about that vacation? I’m trying not to be envious. Huge thanks to Nadine for taking the time to answer my questions and giving us a bit of a glimpse into her life.

Connect with Nadine on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google Plus.