When Jasmine Fuentes finds herself thousands of miles from home, forced to hike around in the wilderness of California with a bunch of juvenile delinquents, she’s convinced she doesn’t belong. Forage for food, build shelter, make fire—Jasmine sets out to learn what she needs to do to ace the program so she can go home and salvage her summer vacation. But the more she tries to prove she doesn’t need wilderness therapy, the more desperate her situation becomes. Confronted with life and death, she comes face to face with her past and her imperfections. Will Jasmine ask for help before it’s too late?
Adrienne Quintana is
the author of Eruption as well as several children's books. When she isn't
writing, Adrienne enjoys running, hiking, and matchmaking (Are you single? She
probably knows someone perfect for you.)
She lives in Arizona with her husband
and four children, who give her love, support, and plenty of good material for
Instagram.
Author Interview
1. What is your
writing drive? The power that keeps you going when your writing gets difficult?
I'm a runner, and running is a lot like writing. When you're running a marathon and it gets hard, you don't stop. You just keep putting one foot in front of the other. It's all about facing the right direction and moving forward.
I'm a runner, and running is a lot like writing. When you're running a marathon and it gets hard, you don't stop. You just keep putting one foot in front of the other. It's all about facing the right direction and moving forward.
2. How did you
come up with the title?
The trail we hiked in Yosemite is on the High Sierra Loop. During brainstorming, I bounced around several title ideas with my husband and kids. We were kind of joking that it's a genre trope to have the character's name be a play on words in the title. Wilderness therapy. Drug addiction. They wanted me to name the protagonist Sierra. That would have been funny.
Okay, maybe not. But I liked the title. My main character's name is Jasmine and she's not a pothead.
The trail we hiked in Yosemite is on the High Sierra Loop. During brainstorming, I bounced around several title ideas with my husband and kids. We were kind of joking that it's a genre trope to have the character's name be a play on words in the title. Wilderness therapy. Drug addiction. They wanted me to name the protagonist Sierra. That would have been funny.
Okay, maybe not. But I liked the title. My main character's name is Jasmine and she's not a pothead.
3. Name one
entity that you feel supported you outside of family member?
I rely on my friends to beta read for me. Different friends read High Sierra at various stages...some of them very rough, and gave helpful feedback, encouragement, and support.
I rely on my friends to beta read for me. Different friends read High Sierra at various stages...some of them very rough, and gave helpful feedback, encouragement, and support.
4. If you could
travel anywhere in the world for thirty days and just kick back and relax,
where would you go, would you take anyone with you and why would you chose this
vacation spot to go?
I'd go explore South America with my husband...Amazing Race style in a tiny car on the back roads. We love to experience every aspect of a country and culture, and we're a great traveling team. He drives and navigates, and I nap. It's very relaxing.
I'd go explore South America with my husband...Amazing Race style in a tiny car on the back roads. We love to experience every aspect of a country and culture, and we're a great traveling team. He drives and navigates, and I nap. It's very relaxing.
5. What is your
favorite late night snack?
If you've read the book, you'll be expecting me to say Doritos. That absolutely would have been true several years ago, but I struggle with food addiction and thus avoid snacking at night altogether.
If you've read the book, you'll be expecting me to say Doritos. That absolutely would have been true several years ago, but I struggle with food addiction and thus avoid snacking at night altogether.
6. Where do you
see yourself in 5-10 years?
Still writing, still publishing, still running. Still doing the mom thing and possibly the grandma thing. Hopefully all with my original knees and teeth.
Still writing, still publishing, still running. Still doing the mom thing and possibly the grandma thing. Hopefully all with my original knees and teeth.
7. Tell us 5
random things about yourself.
1. I hate cooking.
2. I kill plants, usually accidentally.
3. My big toes are enormous.
4. I get motion sickness at amusement parks. Moaning Myrtle has seen things in her bathroom at Harry Potterland that no ghost should have to see.
5. I'm terrible with numbers.
1. I hate cooking.
2. I kill plants, usually accidentally.
3. My big toes are enormous.
4. I get motion sickness at amusement parks. Moaning Myrtle has seen things in her bathroom at Harry Potterland that no ghost should have to see.
5. I'm terrible with numbers.
8. What was the
most surprising part of writing this book?
That I cried at the end. It was such a long haul, I thought I'd want to celebrate. But I love these characters and this story. It was always inspiring to sit down with them and work out that next bend in the path. I felt something special each time. I hope to be inspired to write something like this again soon.
That I cried at the end. It was such a long haul, I thought I'd want to celebrate. But I love these characters and this story. It was always inspiring to sit down with them and work out that next bend in the path. I felt something special each time. I hope to be inspired to write something like this again soon.
