How did you come to know Addie?
Writing a character is like getting to know a person in real life. I don’t necessarily know
their story, their feelings or motivations, and writing is like having a conversation where I
find out who they are. The first thing I knew about this book before there was a story or
a protagonist was that I wanted it to be about wrestling. From there, Addie came to me
as a kid looking for her father who happened to be a wrestler. I wasn’t sure what the
circumstances were—why she was looking for her father, what would happen, how she
would feel. Writing was the process of discovery.
What do you think is her most admirable quality?
I think her ability to forgive. Maybe I’m answering that as adult who knows that
sometimes the older you are, the tougher it can be able to set aside your feelings when
you’re hurt or disappointed. The adults in Addie’s life made decisions that were
sometimes selfish and sometimes done to protect her, or maybe in a misguided effort to
protect her. Either way, these decisions affected the course of her life. She’s angry and
confused and hurt, but she’s still willing to try to understand and to forgive.
Is there anything you wish she would have changed or done differently in her
story?
Hmm, I’m not sure. Obviously, her journey could have gone in different directions, but I
try not to think about those things once the story is completed. It was tough to come to
that big decision that she makes. But regardless of her decision, I think she would have
been okay, and that’s all that we can want for a protagonist, right? As the writer, there
are always little details I would love to change or tweak. I could probably continue
making these types of changes forever.
What do you think she can offer to other children that are experiencing similar
situations to what she went through?
One of the things Addie discovers is that making big decisions isn’t easy but that it is
empowering to be able to do this and to have choices. I think as adults it’s sometimes
hard to give that kind of agency to kids, in part because we want to protect them and
think we know what’s best. Addie also realizes that all the people who support her and
care for her are family whether they are related biologically or not. I hope that kids in a
similar situation can see these things in their own life and feel like they have the power
to determine for themselves who they will be in their own journey.
How did you research Addie and the circumstances she found herself in?
I was a big wrestling fan when I was in junior high and in my early high school years, so
I looked back at my diaries from those years to remember what that was like. I also
researched the history of professional wrestling and watched old wrestling matches.
While I personally did not experience the specific circumstances Addie is in, I do know
what it feels like to live with family secrets, to feel betrayed by adults and to not
understand the decisions that they make. I also know, as a parent, what it’s like to want
to protect your child and to not always be sure if the decisions you are making for them
are the best ones, even when you are making them from a place of love.
Do you and Addie share any similarities?
We’re both middle school wrestling fans! We’re both inquisitive. I think we are both
introspective and live in our own heads a lot too.
What was the hardest scene to write about her?
The hardest scene was probably the last scene in the book where she is with her
biological father. I wanted the ending of the story to be happy and hopeful, but also to
be realistic. I hope I was able to strike a balance.
Who do you think was her biggest supporter and why?
Addie has a network of support and everyone around her, from her mom to her best
friend to her newfound uncle, was supportive of her in her journey. I guess if I had to
pick one person, I would say her Uncle Mateo. I’m choosing him because he is the first
adult to really treat her like she is mature enough to make decisions that affect her and
to be honest with her.
Why do you think young people seem to be able to deal with family changes,
blended families, and various dynamics; sometimes better than the adults themselves?
Probably because they don’t yet have the life experience that makes it hard for some
adults to deal with these things. I’m sure this is generalizing and doesn’t apply to all
kids, but I think kids are more likely to see the positive in situations. I think they are just
more adaptable and willing to go with the flow and not get hung up on things like social
constructs than adults who have been around long enough to be shaped by what
they’ve been exposed to and by a lifetime of experiences.
What do you think Addie is doing as the present time?
I think she’s enjoying spending time with her newfound family and learning more about
what her parents were like when they were younger. When she isn’t babysitting her new
little brother, she’s probably helping Rosie with her tumbleweed statues and learning some high-flying wrestling moves!
