What inspired you to write I Have No Secrets?
I enjoy reading thrillers myself, and I had this idea for a story in which the protagonist knows the identity of the killer but can’t tell anyone for some reason. The character of Jemma sprung into my head. I think she came from my experience of volunteer work with people with disabilities. I was very shy as a child, and this led to an interest in people for whom communication is difficult for more physical reasons.
Why was it important to you to write a protagonist with cerebral palsy (CP)?
Although I set out to write a thriller, and the character with CP was secondary to this, once I’d decided on a character with CP, I realized how little representation there is in fiction. I wanted people with CP to see themselves in books and for other people to increase their awareness through reading. I also wanted to represent Jemma as an ordinary teenager who happens to have a disability.
CP affects people in different ways. What gave you the idea to make Jemma struggle to communicate with people as a key part of the plot?
Jemma’s inability to tell anyone what she knew was central to the idea for the plot. I therefore needed her disability to be severe enough for her not to be able to communicate. I was, however, determined from the start that this would be more than a “plot ploy” and use it as an opportunity to explore Jemma’s life and family relationships too.
What kind of research did you do to write this book?
It was vital to me to reflect Jemma’s experiences as accurately and authentically as possible. I researched by talking to people—most importantly people with disabilities, including those with severe cerebral palsy and those with other disabilities but who use AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication). I also talked to relatives, caregivers, and other people who work with people with cerebral palsy.
I read books and researched online, and it was an online search that led me to a possible way for Jemma to communicate. Once I had a first draft, I got lots of feedback from people with direct experience and made changes accordingly. When one man with severe cerebral palsy said he thought his parents would understand better what it was like to be him through reading my book, I felt reassured that I was on the right path.
Why did you choose to write about a foster family?
When I was doing voluntary work, I met some wonderful foster parents who took in children with multiple and complex needs and disabilities. I thought a family like this would be a perfect setting for Jemma’s story.
You’ve worked as a support teacher for children who are hearing impaired, as a reading recovery teacher, as an adult education teacher, and as a teacher of adults recovering from and experiencing mental health issues. What impact did those teaching experiences have on your writing?
I think my teaching experiences have helped me empathize with people who have all kinds of barriers to overcome in order to learn and in order to live life in the way they want. I recognize the frustrations and the need for people to listen, to have patience, to offer support, and to not be afraid to ask for and receive support. I think my writing is impacted by every person I meet, and I enjoy connecting with people as a teacher and hearing their stories too.
What were the easiest and hardest parts about writing I Have No Secrets?
The easiest part was Jemma’s voice. Because she spoke so clearly in my head and felt so alive, it was easy to write from her perspective. The hardest part was the writer’s block that I experienced from time to time when I wasn’t sure how to bridge the gap from one part of the plot to another. I sometimes didn’t write anything for weeks.
What is your writing process like?
I am a plotter—I like to have the framework of the story worked out before I’ve gotten very far with it. I tend to write best first thing in the morning. I write mainly on a computer at home but sometimes write by hand in the garden or go to a library or café.
What did you edit out of this book?
I had written more about Sarah’s relationship with her own sister, which was cut during the editing process.
What would you like readers to take away from the novel?
I mainly hope readers will have enjoyed the read, but I also hope they will feel more aware and more confident about interacting with people with disabilities.
I hope readers will see that life can have value even for someone who can’t communicate, but that communication gives power and autonomy, and we should do everything we can to give people a voice and to listen to one another too.