Lexi and the Super Chair is the empowering story of a young girl whose life is changed by paralysis, but who rediscovers freedom, adventure, and joy through a magical power chair and an unbreakable spirit. Why was this an important book for you to write?

I actually became fully paralyzed in 2014 when I was 21 years old. I now can only move my head a little, and I have to use a ventilator to breathe. In the first couple years of my journey through paralysis, I struggled greatly with depression and grief. But as my journey has continued, I have become a happy and successful individual, not in spite of, but in some ways because of my paralysis.

Needless to say, I understand the struggle of physical disability. I’ve always been a lover of children, and when I imagine kids in this situation, or in other situations involving disabilities or diseases, I know some of them must struggle as well. So I wanted to write this book for several reasons, chief among them to give a boost and hope to kids with disabilities and diseases, to help them and their families realize that a diagnosis is never the end of someone’s story, but that you can still achieve great things no matter what.

My grand scheme is to have this book freely available in hospitals and rehab centers for children and their families who need it most.

How did you approach writing about disability in a way that’s honest yet hopeful for young readers?

Personal experience had a lot to do with how I wrote the book. But I also know that children are endlessly curious and incredibly strong. When kids come up to me, usually somewhat shyly at first, I make sure to tell them the truth of my situation. They always take it surprisingly well and ask a million questions if their parents don’t steal them away too quickly! I never want to shy away from the truth with them, but being a hopeful person myself, I don’t want them to feel bad for me, either. From this attitude sprang my approach to writing this story.

What do you hope children, both with and without disabilities, take away from Lexi’s story?

I love that you mentioned children without disabilities as well as those with them because they are an important part of the audience I’m trying to reach, as well. But the messages are essentially the same for both kinds of kids: there is always hope, no matter the situation. I want children to be happy being themselves, I want them to be able to take pride in their achievements, and I want them to be empathetic and understanding of those in situations differing from their own. That is my hope for Lexi’s story.

When and where will the book be available?

I’m still searching for a publisher, but you’ll be the first to know when I find one! I will include here my website, Instagram, and Facebook page so that you can stay up-to-date with Lexi and her story.

Author Links: Facebook | Website | Instagram