Vee Bell’s gift (or curse) of “sliding”—slipping into the mind of another person and experiencing life, briefly, through his or her eyes—has been somewhat under control since she unwillingly witnessed the horrific deaths of her classmates six months ago.

But just as things are getting back to normal, Vee has a very bizarre experience: she loses consciousness and finds herself in a deserted area, at the edge of a cliff, with the broken body of the boy who took advantage of her on the rocks below.

As Vee finds herself in stranger and stranger situations with no memory of getting there, she begins to suspect that someone she knows has the ability to slide—and that this “slider” is using Vee to exact revenge on his or her enemies.

YOUNG ADULT: What made you decide to start writing?

Jill Hathaway: It wasn’t a decision, really. I’ve always kept journals and scribbled poetry and stories. It was more a matter of deciding to FINISH something. That doesn’t happen on its own; you have to buckle down and make yourself do it. For me, National Novel Writing Month gave me the push I needed to write something novel-length. Once I knew I could write something longer than 50,000 words, there was no stopping me!

YA: Tell us a little bit about your latest work. What is different about IMPOSTOR and what does it bring to the SLIDE series?

JH: With IMPOSTOR, I’ve expanded the SLIDE world a bit. In SLIDE, Vee doesn’t know anyone else with her ability (to slide into other people and see the world through their eyes). In the second book Vee starts blacking out and strongly suspects someone else is sliding into her and making her do dangerous and creepy things. The mystery is ramped up big time.

YA: How did the idea for this book/series arise? What are your major inspirations (TV, film, other literature/stories)?

JH: I was trying to think of a cool idea for NaNoWriMo several years ago. I thought it would be crazy if someone found themselves standing over a dead body, holding a knife, with no idea of how they got there. The sliding grew out of that. I suppose I’ve been inspired by shows like Quantum Leap. My mom was obsessed with that show while I was growing up.

YA: Take us through a typical writing day for you.

JH: Since I’m a high school teacher, I have to do most of my writing on weekends or during the summer. I like to go to the library or a local bakery, put on my headphones, and pound out several thousand words. After that I’ll take a break, visit a bookstore, do some shopping, and then relocate to write a few more thousand words in the afternoon.

YA: Besides the classic ‘never give up’, what advice would you give to aspiring young writers today?

JH: I feel like the “never give up” advice is classic because it’s so true. I started my writing blog back in 2007, and I was friends with tons of aspiring authors. Most of them are published today. Because they didn’t give up. Not with one book, not with two. They just kept going. But, other than that, I guess… don’t shy away from revision. Far too many writers are anxious to get their stuff out the door to agents and editors before it’s ready to be seen. As I’m more experienced, I want more time with my initial drafts. I’m embarrassed to send a rough draft to my editor.

YA: If you hadn’t become an author, what path would your career have perhaps taken?

JH: Well, I’m an author and a teacher. I get to do both of the things I love. And I try not to take that for granted. The students inspire me to write, and I try to do the same for them.

YA: What’s next for you?

JH: I’m working on a contemporary novel to be released in Fall 2014. I can’t tell you the concept, but the book is kind of killing me. Very emotional. Very intense. I hope to be able to announce the title and synopsis soon!