Maybe you didn't know what people thought of you because they themselves didn't know what they thought of you. Maybe you didn't give us enough to go on, Hannah.
Jay AsherA flood of emotions rushes into me. Pain and anger. Sadness and pity. But most surprising of all, hope.
Jay AsherI felt I had a very innocent childhood and I feel privileged by that. But as an adult, I know that there were people who didn't have that. There are a lot of teens who haven't had as easy a childhood as me, and having literature that explores these "darker" parts helps relieve the burden and stress they may be feeling. As a writer, there is often a temptation to draw back when we write for teens - to preserve their innocence. But the reality is, if someone has already had that innocence taken in their life, then not writing about it is just brushing it under the rug.
Jay AsherSometimes we have thoughts that even we donโt understand. Thoughts that arenโt even trueโthat arenโt really how we feelโbut theyโre running through our heads anyway because theyโre interesting to think about. If you could hear other peopleโs thoughts, youโd overhear things that are true as well as things that are completely random. And you wouldnโt know one from the other. Itโd drive you insane. Whatโs true? Whatโs not? A million ideas, but what do they mean?
Jay AsherIt's important to be aware of how we treat others. Even though someone appears to shrug off a sideways comment or to not be affected by a rumor, it's impossible to know everything else going on in that person's life, how we might be adding to his/her pain. People do have an impact on the lives of others; that's undeniable.
Jay Asher