“Bridget Saunders is not a typical fifth grader. She may need to use an electric wheelchair to get wherever she wants to go, but her disability never casts a shadow on her faith in miracles. When God hears of Bridget’s dream to be part of a real-life fairy tale, He decides to make it a reality!
Bridget soon finds herself in the company of Rory, her spunky Guardian Angel, and the Lord Himself on her imaginary enchanted island – the place where she can trade her wheels for wings and fly the butterfly way!”
Exceptional Parent (EP):
What or who inspired you to write
The Little Butterfly Girl?
Brooke Brown (BB):
I began writing it during the summer of 2006, when a very trusted friend suggested that I might try my hand at writing a book for children as my first attempt. I thought back to my pre-teen years, remembered how I felt, and suddenly the vision of a little blonde haired dreamer with a disability sitting in a power chair under a tree and reading a fairy tale appeared.
EP: Tell us more about the fictional characters you create. What special challenges do they have and why do you feature characters who are coping with disabilities?
BB:
All my characters have vivid imaginations. I usually create one main character that has a physical disability because I have always been told that authors should write what they know. Life on wheels is what I know. Besides, isn’t it about time for the disabled community to be seen by the rest of the population as the warriors and heroes that we truly are?
Also, I want my readers that have disabilities to come away from my stories believing that miracles are possible, no matter what it is that they hope to accomplish.
EP:
How much of yourself is written into Bridget Saunders’ character?
BB:
Bridget is more timid than I am about sharing her dreams and desires with people, but, in essence, she is a reflection of me at her age. I just made her look a little bit like Tinkerbell because she is tiny, but her bright energy is hard to ignore.
EP:
At what age did you begin writing? Was it something that just came naturally?
BB:
I began writing with true passion at age 10. It came naturally in the sense that it was somewhere I could put all the creative energies that were warring and roiling inside me at that time. By the same token, it was also a way for me to experience all the things that continue to be physically difficult, if not impossible. I had a wonderful fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Jones, who saw my talent and started me on the path to refining my craft.
EP:
How have you pursued these talents and interests through your formal education?
BB:
I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication at the Walter Cronkite School at Arizona State University. It has become a practical application of my writing talents in the working world.
EP:
Describe the writing process for you. Is it relaxing, therapeutic, your occupation, all of the above?
BB:
The writing process isn’t always relaxing because my mind goes so much faster than my slow-typing fingers. Yet, being a storyteller is what I was born to do, so no matter how frustrated I become because I don’t get very far in one sitting, I’ll never give it up. If I did, the voices in my head would give me no peace, keeping me up at night until I released them from their cages.
EP:
What assistive technology do you use in order to accomplish your writing and other daily activities?
BB: I have my power chair, of course. When I speak in public I use a Dynavox communication device. I also have a few of the accessibility features set up on my laptop so typing can be somewhat easier.
EP:
Has the story been adapted into other formats?
BB:
In the summer of 2007 I volunteered to be the playwright for the Youth Drama Camp put on by the Speech and Hearing Clinic at ASU. So, I took the manuscript of my book, which wasn’t even published yet, and adapted it into a one act musical. Most of the kids used communication devices to say their lines, and we had music therapy students who composed music for my original lyrics. The play was a huge success. Currently, I am also beginning work on a screenplay adaption of the book that I plan to enter in the screenplay contest at the Phoenix Film Festival next year.
EP:
I know you do extensive advocacy work and public speaking. Tell me about your March 10 speaking engagement at the Arizona State Capitol and any other recent speaking engagements that were especially meaningful to you.
BB:
On March 10 I, along with one of my peers, was asked to speak at the Democratic Legislative Press Conference on the effects of the budget cuts to critical disability services. My speech was featured in two
tv news stories. I hope sharing my daily experience with the legislators and whoever saw the news that day provided them with an understanding of the consequences of their actions. I also have been invited to speak at many conferences involving youth with disabilities. Some have been presentations on behalf of the non-profit organization where I work and others are motivational.
EP:
What are your future writing projects or just projects in general?
BB:
I am in the beginning stages of writing a sequel to
The Little Butterfly Girl, along with a separate Christian based fairy tale novel. Also, I am looking into possible graduate school programs to get my master’s of Fine Arts in creative writing. Furthermore, I hold a part-time job at Southwest Institute for Families and Children where I am creating content for their up and coming website, Yakkit.org. It will be an enhanced (low-text with full accessibility features) social networking and educational site for youth with disabilities. Think of it as Facebook with super powers.
The Little Butterfly Girl
is available for order from the EP Bookstore at www.EPBookstore.com.
All links can be found on www.wheels2wings.com.