Has a book ever made you question yourself? That’s how we felt with Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies, which is about a boy who has the ability to steal anything he wants from people: objects, feelings, fears, memories – even love. But as tempting as that is, would we really do it? Here today to tell us more about the mind behind the masterpiece is author Lindsay Ribar!

Name: Lindsay Ribar

Novel: Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies

Available: June 7, 2016

Who’s your favorite author, living or dead? JK Rowling. Even though she killed my literary boyfriend, Remus Lupin, off page. It’s okay, Jo. I forgive you. Sort of.

What’s your favorite thing about your book? Other than the fact that I got to keep what started out as a joke title? Probably Leah Ramsey-Wolfe, one of the main characters. In the very first draft, Leah was actually the narrator of Rocks Fall—but I quickly realized that the story would be better told by Aspen Quick, the arrogant city boy that Leah meets and almost instantly dislikes. So I changed the POV and I changed the voice along with it, but through every draft, Leah stayed just as vibrant in my head as when I’d first imagined her.

If you could spend one year on a deserted island with one character from literature, who would you choose? The Tenth Doctor from Doctor Who, as long as he’s got the TARDIS with him. The reason should be pretty obvious. And yes, I’m including television in my definition of “literature.” Sue me.

Where do you write? Oh, I definitely don’t have one specific place where I write. Sometimes it’s at home. Sometimes I stay late at work to get some writing done at the office. Sometimes I meet friends in coffee shops for weekend writing dates. The best times, though, happen every fall, when a group of friends and I rent a house in upstate New York and have a writing-all-day-drinking-all-night retreat! With a hot tub!

Who is your favorite hero or heroine of history? I… don’t actually have one, I don’t think. Or rather, I have a new one every week—and that’s thanks to awesome friend and fabulous author Mackenzi Lee, who does a weekly series on Twitter called Bygone Badass Broads. Every Friday she posts a mini-biography of an awesome historical lady who then becomes my heroine of the week. Check it out, check it out, check it out.

Do you tweet? What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever tweeted? I do tweet, but I’m not very funny. My funniest tweets are probably retweets of other people’s funny tweets.

What is your favorite season? Definitely fall. Summer in NYC is way too humid and gross; winter means way too much Seamless because going outside is icky and depressing; spring means allergies. Fall is just right.

If you could teleport anywhere in the known universe right now, where would you go? Probably the Northwest Territories, above the Arctic Circle. I’ve been reading a lot of stories set up there, and I’ve become pretty fascinated with the area—except it’s ridiculously hard to get to. Like, we’re talking at least five layovers if you leave from NYC and head for Inuvik. I talked about this with a Canadian friend and her advice was, “Yeah, maybe just fly up to Edmonton and then hire a bush pilot.” Which, what? So yeah, teleportation would definitely come in handy there.

Except I’d probably want to wait until July or August, I think. So if you mean “right now” in the literal sense… then I’d want to go wherever David Tennant is. No reason.

Do you have any writing rituals? You mean other than pouring a single drop of my own blood into a chalk drawing in my basement, summoning a demon from another realm, and making him do all my writing for me?

No.

What is your idea of earthly happiness? Sometimes it’s a front row spot at a kickass concert. Sometimes it’s a cat on my lap and a glass of wine in my hand. Sometimes it’s standing in the shower and stumbling across the perfect plot idea. Sometimes it’s accidentally staying out until the sun rises because I was having too much fun at karaoke to go home. It really depends on the day.

What is the best concert you’ve ever been to? Amy Ray at the Beachcomber in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Summer 2009. I’d roadtripped out to the tail end of Cape Cod with a couple friends for the last show of her mini-tour, and it turned out there was a hurricane that day. Did that stop us? No. We kept on driving, and what we got in return was a roaring rock show played against a backdrop of howling winds and crashing surf. And if that wasn’t already awesome enough, she ended the show with a request from yours truly.

What are you currently working on? Well, I’ve just finished writing a book with two of my best friends, so cross your fingers that it’ll be on shelves in the very near future! But as for my solo stuff… it’s a secret. For now.

Get your copy of Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies!