Welcome back to The Pop Quiz at the End of the Universe, a recurring series here on Tor.com featuring some of our favorite science fiction and fantasy authors, artists, and others!
Today we’re joined by Mindee Arnett, author of The Arkwell Academy series. Mindee lives on a horse farm in Ohio with her husband, two kids, a couple of dogs, and an inappropriate number of cats. She’s addicted to jumping horses and telling tales of magic, the macabre, and outer space. She has far more dreams than nightmares. The second Arkwell Academy book, The Nightmare Dilemma, is available now from Tor Teen. You can read an excerpt here on Tor.com, and catch Mindee on tour this March along with Jenna Black and Kristen Simmons!
Join us as we cover subjects ranging from wizards to Supernatural, and more!
Please relate one fact about yourself that has never appeared anywhere else in print or on the Internet.
My legs do not match. They are the same length, but my left knee is about an inch higher than my right. I think this might explain a lot about who I am…
If you could choose your own personal theme music to play every time you enter a room, what would you pick?
The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme).
What’s your favorite method of procrastination?
Cleaning. If there’s something in need of cleaning, I will do it first. I suppose this means Monica from Friends is my spirit animal.
Describe your favorite place to write.
A cabin in the woods. Or a cabin by a lake. Or a cabin by the…yeah, I really need to buy a cabin, don’t I? In the meantime I’ll settle for writing outside next to my koi pond.
If you had to choose one band or artist to provide the official soundtrack to your latest book, who would it be?
Mumford & Sons. Simply put: they are the music of my soul.
If you could name a planet after anyone (other than yourself), who would you choose and why?
My daughter Inara. Firstly, because she’s completely awesome. And secondly, because her name is completely awesome and beautiful, too.
Two roads diverge in a yellow wood: one leads toward a mysterious laboratory in which a mad scientist is currently ensconced. The other winds its way toward a tower inhabited by a powerful wizard. You could really use a snack, and it would be nice to have somewhere to crash for the night—which road do you choose?
The wizard for sure. Although I can’t help but think this is the Dark Tower and The Crimson King is waiting there…
Choose your preferred fictional vacation spot: Narnia or Middle Earth (or some other fictional realm)…
Narnia. It’s just a happier, friendlier place. Specifically, I would like to visit the Island of Ramandu to watch the sunrise and feast at Aslan’s table. And of course it would rock to go the “real Narnia” as described in Book 7.
What was your gateway to SF/Fantasy, as a child or young adult?
Jennifer Roberson’s Cheysuli Chronicles. These are the books that made me want to write SF/Fantasy.
What would your Patronus/familiar be?
A phoenix. Just not a black one, like from The Nightmare Affair.
If you, as a ghost, could regularly haunt one celebrity, author, or literary figure, who would it be?
Jensen Ackles. He’s my favorite Winchester, and I have a feeling there’s quite a bit of his real personality in Dean. It would also make for a very meta season of Supernatural.
