Review and Interview: The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

Author:

Published On: 2/16/16

Page Count: 464

Synopsis: (Found on Goodreads)

Sixteen-year-old Nix Song is a time-traveller. She, her father and their crew of time refugees travel the world aboard The Temptation, a glorious pirate ship stuffed with treasures both typical and mythical. Old maps allow Nix and her father to navigate not just to distant lands, but distant times - although a map will only take you somewhere once. And Nix's father is only interested in one time, and one place: Honolulu 1868. A time before Nix was born, and her mother was alive. Something that puts Nix's existence rather dangerously in question...

Overall Rating: 5/5

I feel like Nix and crew could have some short stories on the adventures they had before the book took place.
Heidi writes wonderfully and her characters keep you intrigued from start to finish.

 The bond between father and daughter is strong even at times when it feels like it is fraying. Although a slight love triangle did occur it wasn't one that distracted from the main story.
The locations and maps are described so in depth. My finished copy will be well loved once I can put an image to those details.

Cover: 5/5

: I love it. love it. love it. I mean if I wasn't obsessed with it would I have had it out on my book blanket? (The answer you should be saying is NO) it's a ship, a whale that looks like a wave but what's that Eyes. There is a freaking face in the water as well. I didn't see it at first but now I can't stop seeing it.

Characters:

Nix: oh my goodness this girl is so frustrating. She has had every opportunity to screw up her dads plans as a map reader yet she understands why he does what he does and goes with it. She is extremely smart and resourceful. Heidi wrote a character anyone could relate to even if you aren't a time traveling "pirate."

Joss: She was an interesting character and I'm interested to know more of her background now that the book has ended. At first you have no idea where she can fit into all this but then the pieces start clicking together.

Slate although rough around the edges is really just a grown man with extremely strong emotions. He has an addiction and this story shows that even love can be a bad addiction.

Plot:

If you had the opportunity to see your loved one again even if it meant traveling the seven seas (and then some) wouldn't you? That is exactly what Slate has been doing alongside his daughter Nix. All you need to know is Nix is tired of not knowing how each map will work and Slate is exhausted from all of them failing. If this map doesn't do the job will he walk away and never look back? Or will he push through and risk everything he has including his own daughter? Read to find out.

1. My path to publication was a little strange--but perhaps they all are. My particular strange story is as follows: I come from a musical theatre writing background, and I started writing the novel on a whim because my collaborator was out of town music-directing a tour. Once I finished, I was all set to put it out on Wattpad or Amazon for ninety-nine cents and write the next thing when my mother suggested I try to go the traditional route instead. (THANKS MOM.)

I figured, well, alright. I'll give myself six months to try to get an agent, and if it doesn't happen, no harm done. Long story short, it did happen under my six month deadline. Three months after signing on with Molly at The Bent Agency, she sold the book at the Bologna Book Fair. There was a flurry of phone calls and emails. I was actually on bedrest for pre-term labor at the time so it was a little surreal--the doctors had said "I forbid you to do anything exciting or stressful" and so I tried to take a lot of deep breaths the whole time. 

It all seems rather sudden in retrospect, but I had very little concept of how The Publishing Business works back then. I think I probably still don't. There are so many different ways to get there, and different timelines for different people. But I would say it took about nine months for the book to go from Query Draft to Contract. Just about as much time as the average baby.

2. I listen to songs I've heard a zillion times before--otherwise, it's too distracting. For The Girl From Everywhere, I was on a Marianas Trench kick, where I played Ever After and Masterpiece Theatre on endless loop for about a year. Also, there may have been some old sea shanties, but if there were, they were so filthy that I cannot technically admit to listening to them nor can I recommend them in writing.

3. Here's a spotify Marianas Trench link if you're so inclined. HIS VOICE THO. https://open.spotify.com/user/1257134018/playlist/0MY8Q8uDbq9vQfxHe2fpPU 

4. I just finished Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson, which took me on an incredible adventure. And then I read This Is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp, which broke my heart.

5. I know that I'm really looking forward to Alwyn Hamilton's REBEL OF THE SANDS. We share an agent so I have it on best authority that book is going to be amazing. If you're looking for more time travel and true love (and I'm always looking for time travel and true love), Emily Henry's THE LOVE THAT SPLIT THE WORLD seems a perfect fit.


TTFN,
Ashley