#visible

Featured Author- SandiWard

First, why don't you introduce yourself to the visible family- who are you and what do you write?

My name is Sandi Ward and I write contemporary fiction. I grew up in Manchester-by-the-sea, Massachusetts. After attending Tufts University, I received my MA in Creative Writing from New York University. I now live on the Jersey Shore with my husband, teenagers, dog and a large black cat named Winnie. I have a 2-book deal with Kensington Books, and my debut novel The Astonishing Thing will be available in stores and online on 10/31/17. It is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

Congratulations on your book deal! That's awesome! I'm looking forward to reading your book when it comes out!

As a writer on Wattpad, tell us a little more about your books and what the influences behind writing these stories were.

Thanks!

While I've experimented with different genres, my favorite books to read and write deal with real-life people facing everyday challenges. Almost all of my stories feature characters who need to overcome obstacles to make a better life for themselves.

For example, The Astonishing Thing is about a woman with serious mental illness (bipolar disorder), seen from the point of view of her cat. She also has a baby who has "something wrong with him" (the cat can't figure out what)...who turns out to be deaf. My Wattpad story Everything He Wants features that baby 17 years later, when he's a junior in high school (Finn Sullivan).

I have another story on Wattpad (Take My Hand) that deals with racism, and I have posted an LGBT Fantasy story about a Duke who wants to marry a Prince (called Eighteen...it's Fantasy and not contemporary fiction, but deals with issues about acceptance that exist today). I try to incorporate humor, romance and a light tone in a lot of my writing, but the stories delve into some darker issues.

My influences are great books I've read, people I've known, and experiences I've been through. Hopefully readers can relate to some of these issues.

When writing the stories with disability, what research- if any- did you do?

I'm a medical writer, so I have background in some of the issues I write about. For example, in The Astonishing Thing, one of my characters has bipolar disorder. At work, I write about psychiatric issues every day. So that came naturally to me.

To write a deaf character for Talk to Me and Everything He Wants, I did online research. I read articles, visited Web Sites, and watched You Tube videos. You'll see some of those videos posted right in my story.

It's very important to me that I get details right, so I also invite my readers to send me suggestions if they have first-hand experience with anything I'm talking about. In the world of YA, it can be controversial to try and write from the POV of someone who is "different' from you (the author). The reader might ask, are you offering an authentic viewpoint? But I think it's critical to include characters who reflect the real world we all live in, people facing obstacles and challenges. It makes for a more interesting, relevant story.

It's great to hear that you listen to the feedback of your readers, and that it's important to you that your stories reflect the real world.

What tips would you give to writers approaching writing a character with a disability?

My biggest tip would be: Don't make assumptions. Many people who are differently-abled don't see themselves as "disabled". They're just people with different sorts of challenges.

And keep in mind that people with whatever challenges you are writing about might read your book. What would you hope that reader takes away from the story? Hopefully that reader won't hesitate to call you out if you get something wrong--that's the kind of feedback you want, because it helps to improve the story. But better to avoid it by doing your research first and getting the details right. The biggest compliment to me is when readers of Everything He Wants ask, "Do you have someone who is deaf in your family?" Because that means I've been able to communicate the deaf experience effectively.

Also: give your character other strengths. I have a teenage son who happens to be tall, blond and loves baseball (sounds a little like my character Finn, doesn't it?), so I have some experience with a teen that I could work into that character--but then Finn also happens to be deaf. Being deaf is part of who Finn Sullivan is, but it's not all that he is. He doesn't want to be known as "the deaf kid"--he'd rather be remembered as a star player on the Varsity baseball team.

They are great pieces of advice.

What influenced you to start writing? And why did you decide to make disability a main plot point in your books?

I've always loved to write, since I was a kid. I suppose it's because I also love to read. And I daydream a lot!

I didn't consciously decide that I was going to make disability a plot point in Everything He Wants, because I never sit down and plan anything out when I start a story. I don't outline. I just write as I go.

When I was writing my story The Astonishing Thing, I knew "something" was going to be wrong with the baby, but it wasn't until I was half-way through the book that I decided that baby Finn was deaf. As soon as I made that decision, I did my research about hearing loss.

Later, I decided I was curious to know what Finn would be like at age 17. So that was the only decision I made: to tell his story.

Finally, what does the word 'diversity' mean to you?

Diversity means reflecting and embracing every aspect of people as they really are.

You can find Sandi on Wattpad- sandiwardbooks and on Facebook!