What
inspired you to write Anything But Typical?
I get asked that
question quite a bit and I’ve handled it many different ways. Basically it grew
out of a conversation with my editor and my initial rejection of that idea,
thinking that I knew nothing about it and couldn’t possibly ever write an
autistic character authentically.
However after doing a little research and then a lot of research I grew
to understand how little difference there actually is between me and Jason.
There were external difference but more internal similarities and that
intrigued me. I knew I wanted to write in first person and I knew I wanted to
write about acceptance. And that was all I started with. I learned so much along
the way, about my self and about what it means to be “dis-abled” and labeled. I
can relate to both.
How
long did it take you to write Anything But Typical?
As always, it takes me
four to six months to write my first draft and another half a year or so with
my editor on revisions. We went back and forth quite a bit on this one. There
were scenes taken out and then added back in. The entire series of “false
endings” which are experienced by Jason were possible endings in my mind, which
I simply transferred to Jason’s mind. Or maybe it was the other way around, who
knows?
My inspiration is
myself. Both of those characters (and most all of my characters) come from
deep, honest, thoughtful looks into my self, my emotions, my experiences, and
my psyche. Whether I am writing a protagonist or antagonist, it doesn’t
matter..it is always a matter of “What would I do if I were living this life.”
What
are some of your favorite books from childhood? Were there any specific authors
who inspired you?
Well, there weren’t
nearly as many writers for children as there are now of course. The first real
literature I recognized and fell in love with was the works of E. B White. I
will never forget reading Charlotte’s Web out loud to my family (we were
hippies with no TV) and seeing first hand the power of story. Everyone was
crying, of course. The Trumpet of the Swan was the best present I got in 1972.
And yes, I used to ride to the library and seek out Nancy Drew. I couldn’t get
enough of her, or any historical non-fiction about famous people when they were
kids. I can’t say I cared much who the author was. I doubt I even paid
attention. I just ate up the stories. I especially loved stories about kids
overcoming hardship and growing up to do important things.
Yikes..maybe back in
New Paltz, but it’s changed so much since I was a kid. I’d love to live on a
ranch or a farm if someone else did all the work. But actually, I really love
my house now in Weston, CT because it is wooded, and rural, and quiet but close
enough to get into NYC in an hour or so. I am completely a homebody though. If
there’s food in the house, I can stay home for days.
If
you could befriend a character from one of your books, who would you befriend?
Why?
Oh, dear..I can’t
answer that question and it’s really upsetting me. It stirs up some unwelcome
thoughts. I’ll have to get back to
you on this one.
Jason
has obstacles that he has to overcome. What advice do you have for kids or
adults who feel that they can’t overcome the obstacles in front of them?
Well, Jason has
obstacles but he doesn’t see them that way. I wanted to show Jason as someone
who is comfortable with who he is. It is the rest of the world that has a
problem with him and there is nothing he can do about that. So that would be my
advice: Be comfortable with who you are. Accept yourself and understand that
not everyone else will be able to but do your best to figure out who can and
who can’t. Stay away from the ones who can’t. Did that make any
sense?
You
write books about a variety of different topics. How do you decide what you are
going to write next?
I seem never to at a
lose for things that interest me. Or stories that have been brewing in my mind
and heart for many many years. Sometimes I hash ideas out with my editor but
sometimes I have to just take a leap of faith and try something new, write it
all and see if anyone is interested. That’s scary. I have to say, lately I’ve
been very interested in structure and experimental story telling, more so than
the autobiographical history that once drove all my writing.
The
path to publication varies from author to author. Every author has a unique
story and one that other authors can learn from. Can you tell us a little bit
about your path to publication or do you have any advice for new authors?
Oy, that’s a long
story (the one you guys heard at my CT book festival presentation) so instead I’ll
give you my parting advice. Keep writing, keep getting better. Don’t send out
the same thing for twenty years and hope your turn will come up. Read, meet
people, read, go to conferences, take courses, and give your work to a trusted
(and very kind) reader-friend. Listen when they tell you what works and what
doesn’t. You will never please everyone. There are too many different tastes
and opinions. So don’t jump through every hoop until someone is ready to buy or
represent you. And write from your heart.
Are
you currently working on a book? If so, can you tell us a little bit about it?
I have a book coming
out this June, 2015 Ruby on the Outside about a girl whose mother is
incarcerated at Bedford Women’s Correctional Facility. And another MG novel
called Nine/Ten scheduled for August 2016 about the twenty-four hours before
9/11 all across the United States. And right now I am working on a YA novel
about depression, love, and suicide. How’s that for a variety of topics?
hmmm....
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