Fun Facts Friday is a brand new feature here on the blog where authors answer questions about their characters, and then share fun facts about themselves, and / or their books!
Today we have the lovely Katherine Barger and her Christian young adult dystopian, Fortune's Fall.
And I just need to take a moment to say I was blessed enough to edit this book, and it will blow you away! I absolutely love everything about this story--well, almost everything (yeah, you know what part I'm talking about Katherine :-P lol)--and I hope y'all will give it a shot. You won't be sorry. Okay, enough from me...
Let’s start by learning a bit about you. Tell us who you are, where you’re from, what you write, etc.
Welcome, Katherine! We're thrilled to have you here today. So, let's get started, shall we? What's your character's greatest fear?
Fun Fact: When my husband asked me to marry him, we’d only known each other nine months. Then, when we learned he would likely be moving to Japan, we decided to get married as soon as possible. I was in law school at the time and was too busy trying to—you know—not fail (!!!), so I said “Sure, let’s do this!” without giving it a lot of thought. On our wedding day, just before I walked down the aisle, it finally hit me what I was about to do, and I panicked. What was I thinking?! I barely knew this guy. Thank goodness for my amazing matron of honor. She got me down the aisle, haha! And here we are, almost ten years later. I’m pretty happy I did something I was frankly terrified to do at the time.
Where did your character go to high school? College? What did they study?
Nyssa is a student in the prestigious Presidential Education Program, which educates and trains the smartest kids in America. Once they graduate, they’re sent as leaders into various jobs across the country. Because Nyssa is able to interpret prophetic dreams, she’s secretly training to become the president’s dream interpreter.
Fun Fact: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a veterinarian, and in high school I got a job working with a local vet. The first time I helped with a surgery, I fainted on the cat. Then I fainted a second time. I went to law school instead.
Is your character close with their family? If not, why?
Nyssa believes her family died when she was a child. When she learns they’re still alive, she’s desperate to reconnect with them.
Fun Fact: My brother and I look nothing alike. My favorite thing to do as a kid was to tell him he was adopted. I know, I was horrible. I finally got in big trouble for it. Thank goodness he forgave me.
If your character could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
Nyssa kind of has a superpower: she can interpret prophetic dreams.
Fun Fact: When I was 4 or 5 years old, my mom made me a Supergirl costume for Halloween that consisted of a blue leotard with a red cape. I believed when I wore the costume, I’d be able to fly. (Not kidding.) I thought I should test this theory by jumping off the roof.
What is your character's fondest memory? Why?
Katherine Barger writes stories about characters of faith in a world where faith is challenged. When she’s not wrangling kids alongside her forever-forbearing husband, she’s writing, eating Mexican food, or snuggling with her family’s two rescue pets: a dog named Queen Elsa and a cat named Princess Jasmine. Follow Katherine on her website, Twitter, and Instagram.
Let’s start by learning a bit about you. Tell us who you are, where you’re from, what you write, etc.
Hi! I’m Katherine Barger, author of Young Adult Christian fiction. My book, FORTUNE’S FALL, is the first in a dystopian trilogy inspired by the lives of Daniel and Nehemiah.
I was born in Georgia, lived in Charleston until I was eight, then spent the next fourteen years in North Carolina. I graduated from UNC Chapel Hill, so I definitely consider myself a Tar Heel. Halfway through law school, I met and married a military guy, which led me to Japan for three years and then California. We recently moved with our two daughters to Mississippi, and I love, love, love that we’re surrounded by green things again! And rain! My heart is happy. My kids, however, have some adapting to do. I’m pretty sure their screams during their first thunderstorm have rendered me at least a little bit deaf.
Welcome, Katherine! We're thrilled to have you here today. So, let's get started, shall we? What's your character's greatest fear?
Nyssa (my main character) is terrified of making the wrong choice. Her life has been perfectly planned, her future is exciting. But then something happens that could—if she so chooses—throw everything off kilter. She’s terrified to step away from the plan that’s been created for her, especially knowing what could happen to her if she gets caught.
Fun Fact: When my husband asked me to marry him, we’d only known each other nine months. Then, when we learned he would likely be moving to Japan, we decided to get married as soon as possible. I was in law school at the time and was too busy trying to—you know—not fail (!!!), so I said “Sure, let’s do this!” without giving it a lot of thought. On our wedding day, just before I walked down the aisle, it finally hit me what I was about to do, and I panicked. What was I thinking?! I barely knew this guy. Thank goodness for my amazing matron of honor. She got me down the aisle, haha! And here we are, almost ten years later. I’m pretty happy I did something I was frankly terrified to do at the time.
Where did your character go to high school? College? What did they study?
Nyssa is a student in the prestigious Presidential Education Program, which educates and trains the smartest kids in America. Once they graduate, they’re sent as leaders into various jobs across the country. Because Nyssa is able to interpret prophetic dreams, she’s secretly training to become the president’s dream interpreter.
Fun Fact: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a veterinarian, and in high school I got a job working with a local vet. The first time I helped with a surgery, I fainted on the cat. Then I fainted a second time. I went to law school instead.
Is your character close with their family? If not, why?
Nyssa believes her family died when she was a child. When she learns they’re still alive, she’s desperate to reconnect with them.
Fun Fact: My brother and I look nothing alike. My favorite thing to do as a kid was to tell him he was adopted. I know, I was horrible. I finally got in big trouble for it. Thank goodness he forgave me.
If your character could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
Nyssa kind of has a superpower: she can interpret prophetic dreams.
Fun Fact: When I was 4 or 5 years old, my mom made me a Supergirl costume for Halloween that consisted of a blue leotard with a red cape. I believed when I wore the costume, I’d be able to fly. (Not kidding.) I thought I should test this theory by jumping off the roof.
Don’t worry, I didn’t jump off the roof.
But I did jump off the couch, and I was distraught when I didn’t fly around the living room.
One of Nyssa’s memories is when she and her roommate, Ethelind, undercooked brownies, spilled them on the rug, then grabbed spoons and ate them anyway, right off the rug. It reminds her of some of the fun times in school, before life became complicated.
Fun Fact: This memory stems from my own memory of a night in college studying for exams with my friend, Beth. We made brownies, and just like Nyssa and Ethelind, we undercooked them. I don’t remember which one of us dropped them on the floor, but I do remember staring down at the steaming, brown mush and being so upset. So, Beth grabbed some spoons, we plopped down on the rug, and we ate the brownie soup. (Then we cleaned up the stain.)
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
While her classmates prepare for elite careers across America, Nyssa Ardelone trains for her secret job as the president’s dream interpreter. But when her mentor lies to the president about the prophecy in his latest dream, Nyssa must figure out why before the lie unravels. What she learns could destroy her own future.
Fearful of a rumored rebellion, the president has launched a gas attack on Nyssa’s hometown, and her mentor lied about the dream to protect the survivors from more harm. When Nyssa learns her parents were injured in the attack, she flees with a stranger sent to steal the antidote—a stranger who claims to know her.
Together, they race to deliver the cure as well as an interpretation of another prophetic dream only Nyssa can provide. But a devastating loss dulls her caution, and she learns too late that not everyone is trustworthy. To survive the president’s deadly pursuit, Nyssa must break every rule she’s ever followed, learning along the way that faith is the only thing that can save her.
Katherine Barger writes stories about characters of faith in a world where faith is challenged. When she’s not wrangling kids alongside her forever-forbearing husband, she’s writing, eating Mexican food, or snuggling with her family’s two rescue pets: a dog named Queen Elsa and a cat named Princess Jasmine. Follow Katherine on her website, Twitter, and Instagram.
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