Diana Harmon Asher is the author of Sidetracked, a new novel for kids.From her Q&A with Deborah Kalb:
Q: How did you come up with the idea for Sidetracked, and for your main character, Joseph?--Marshal Zeringue
A: My first inspiration for Sidetracked was my oldest son’s experience with cross country. He was in the resource room, and, as he’ll be the first to admit, not a gifted athlete. He joined the cross-country team in seventh grade, and he’s now a marathoner and running coach.
I really wanted to portray the world as Joseph saw and felt it, including the confusions and self-doubt. As I started writing, Joseph developed a unique personality, with his own peculiarities and strengths.
When Heather and Grandpa entered the storyline, I realized that a theme common to all of them was the way expectations weigh us down, and I tried to write a story that showed each of them trying to reconcile who they are with what they are expected to be.
Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?
A: That’s a really interesting question. I’ll try to answer without giving away the ending! I knew that I wanted Joseph to grow, and to have a victory, but in a realistic way. I didn’t want him to join the team and suddenly discover a hidden talent that makes him “okay.”
But I also didn’t want to give him...[read on]