What does the phrase “Be different. Leave a trail” mean to you?
“Leave a trail” comes from my favorite quote, which is by Ralph Waldo Emerson. The quote talks about going where there is no path and essentially blazing your own. But it ends with the three simple words “leave a trail.” I connected deeply with the quote as a whole because I discovered it when I was 15 years old and about to start college. Obviously, I was making my own path and, admittedly, I had a bit of an ego due to what I'd accomplished but not enough of an ego to consider myself a trailblazer. Instead, I always focused on what my actions might do for other people. I hoped I was leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for others to have the confidence to find a way to follow their dreams. The “be different” part is almost a shortened, more modern version of the Emerson quote. I'm saying it's OK to take risks and be yourself, but while you're doing that, make sure you're lighting the path for the next person.
What do you hope readers take away from your debut novel The First Thing About You?
My biggest hope is that it conjures a sense of empathy but also that readers see past the main character's disability. This is not a disability book. Truthfully, I just wanted to write a teen rom-com where the main character happens to have a disability. But, while reading, you'll understand his life without pitying him. Harris is just like any other teenager who wants to feel seen, loved and experience the rollercoaster of adolescence.
What have you taken away from the success of the book?
It's really exhilarating when I receive accolades or make it on a BuzzFeed list. But before the book was published, I told myself and everyone else involved that it will feel like a real success if it impacts someone—even just one person. The best days are when I receive emails from librarians saying they gave it to a student who's in a wheelchair and they absolutely loved it. Another thing that makes my day is when I get messages from or see reviews from other people with disabilities that thank me for writing the book and that they've never felt more understood. I want to keep doing that. I want to keep giving a voice to people who are so often misrepresented. More importantly, I hope to keep delivering stories that portray an authentic human experience.
Published as “3 Questions With” in the April 2023 edition of Lehigh Valley Style magazine.
