There's one question almost every author gets asked in an interview. "Where did you get the idea for your book?" For me, the premise of Thirteen Reasons Why came when two ideas, which had been floating around in my brain for years, collided: the simultaneous dual-narrative format and the story of a girl slowly losing hope. The issue of suicide was of importance to me because a close relative of mine attempted suicide when she was the same age as Hannah Baker (one of my two main characters).
Once or twice, after that standard interview question, the interviewer has gone on to ask what my relative thinks about the book.
The answer is…she loves it!
Aside from just liking the book, I share with her a lot of the e-mails and letters I receive from teens who have read the story of Hannah and Clay. Most of them say the book made them more aware of how they treat others. My favorite quote came from a girl who said it made her want to "be wonderful to everyone…" Some admit to having shared some of Hannah's thoughts and emotions, but were prompted to seek help rather than simply drop hints and wait for someone to come to their rescue, as Hannah did.
Recently, I was the keynote speaker at a suicide prevention forum…which had me more than slightly freaked out. Speaking after me were several professionals with impressive looking capital letters after their names. So who was I? I just wrote a book. It wasn't even a true book. I just made it all up!!!
I decided to share with the audience some excerpts directly from my readers. I wanted them to see the importance in not being afraid to openly and honestly talk about this serious issue. When someone is having suicidal thoughts, the problem is made worse if they think no one will understand. Simply having someone to talk with can often diffuse some of their inner tension. As one girl wrote to me after reading the book, "…it makes me feel so much better knowing that someone understands."
After sharing the inspiring words of teens seeking help, or of teens being that help for others, I shared some of the negative reactions to my book. Some people think suicide should never be discussed with teenagers. Or that suicide is a selfish act requiring no explanation beyond that. Or even that teens should not feel burdened by an expectation to reach out to others. Most of those negative reactions elicited nervous laughter from the audience. But they highlight an attitude which only makes people who are hurting less likely to seek help and more likely to feel alone.
Sometimes it takes forums like that one to remind people how important we all are to each other…and how interconnected we are. Sometimes books can remind us of that, too. I am encouraged by the teachers, librarians, and bookstore owners who have used my book (and many others) to open up a dialogue on very serious issues. Fictional stories are wonderful for offering us the distance we sometimes need to discuss issues which are difficult to bring up out of the blue, or which hit too close to home.