Quantum Physics Detention Home

Photo Credit: LaDonna Cole

LaDonna Cole recently published her first novel. It’s a Young Adult story about a kind of quantum physics detention home. This quantum physics interest is something I share with LaDonna, for real. When I say I read everything I mean it. LaDonna made the sad mistake of agreeing to be interviewed here in the glitter globe, so let the games commence.

Who put the bop in the bop shoo bop shoo bop?  That would be Sir Gonagan Beuford O'Mally, famous Bard of the 1600's. I know you're shocked, right? You thought it was Elvis, didn't you?  'fess up.

Seriously though, my glitter globian interest in quantum physics is fueled in large part by the fact that I have a qubit brain. Qubits as you well know can store both 1’s and 0 at the same time, enabling them to perform multiple calculations simultaneously, all well and good, except they forget their memories in less than a second. What fueled your interest in quantum physics?  I read an article that said something like, waves and particles cannot be seen until they are observed. They call that popping a quiff. (Thank you, Physicist Fred Alan Wolf for that amazing term.) Which leads us right back to Elvis, you know. (Brownie points to the first person who knows the connection!)  Anyway, it struck me that it sounded very familiar.  I remember a passage I read in the Bible that said He calls "things that are not as though they are." And another one that says "while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."  And I thought, hmm, there is something to this. I've been studying quantum physics since then. I find it fascinating.

I’ve described your book in my words, would you like a turn? Sure! 

Abducted to exotic worlds in quantum spheres, a 16 year old beauty, Kate Wilson, and a team of teen misfits confront inner monsters and demons brought to life by quantum science. Dragons, aliens, sentient tornados, and tree dwelling natives terrorize them as they fight for survival on strange planets and other worlds, and struggle to overcome emotional turmoil and mental illness.  Kate is torn between sizzling passion and loyal stability, when two very different boys vie for her attentions. Trapped between self-loathing and independence, Kate must choose to live with horrifying consequences or kill the monster who loves her. A romantic thriller with action packed adventure, passion, science fiction and fantasy overtones for young adult readers of all ages. 

Few books that I’ve read have ever provided a theme song like yours did. I have Christina Perri’s song “I Have Loved You for a Thousand Years” just crammed in my head, stuck between Vampire Weekend’s “Oxford Comma” and The Token’s version of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”.  As a psychiatric nurse can you recommend a way to knock those songs loose? If you find a way will you tell me?  Right now I have the Immortal Song, the actual theme song of the book, playing in my head. My friend Annie Adams put it to a wonderful tune and I haven't been able to forget it.

Were you inspired to write the “I Have Loved You for a Thousand Years” scene from hearing that song, or was it a coincidence? No one will ever believe me, but I wrote the scene before I heard the song. When I did hear the song, I almost had a wreck. "No WAY!" was my reaction as I stared at the radio, then had to jerk the wheel to stay in my lane. After that it became one of my favorites. I'm so glad it is a good song, or else I probably would have scrapped the scene.

What default songs are stuck in your head? The last song I heard usually takes a couple of hours to be crowded out. But most of the music in my head comes in the form of original ditties and songs that match the mood of the moment.  When I heard Gungor's "This Is Not the End", I couldn't believe that someone had listened inside my brain and made a song that sounds exactly like what plays in my head most of the time.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Cjt83wWDk (sorry about the doggy breath add attached to it. Ick.)

I know for a fact that you live your life on the ragged edge, LaDonna. What have you done this year that has pushed you out of your comfort zone? The biggie is stepping out there to publish. HUGE departure from keeping my writings to myself. Also, I traveled abroad for the first time. I went to London with my son and 150 students and parents from his school. I can't begin to describe what that did for my trove of writing inspiration. Full to overflowing!  Then I went to the Bahamas with my daughter and found bliss. Beautiful tropical waters and island atmosphere will be making an appearance in my future books, absolutely. I found out that snorkeling is the THANG! Loved it. Can't wait to do it again and again. Traveling is a passion and luckily an occupational necessity for writers.

Photo Credit: LaDonna Cole

The sphere has landed! Welcome to the next jump in the adventure. Leave a comment on this page and collect the item for your survival pack.

Take this item with you, write it down or copy/paste into a doc: The answer to the question "Who put the bop in the bop shoo bop shoo bop?"

Screeeeech! The sphere is coming! Your next stop is: J. S. Bailey on Facebook

If this was your first and now is your last stop, go to LaDonna's author page on Facebook where The Torn release party is going on! Enter all of your answers into a comment under the pinned post, Falling Spheres, for a chance to win the Grand Prize package.