But to me? Pair my high school experience with my desire to write, and I guess you have Joey Hodges Author. I’ve been a writer my entire life, I just didn’t share it with anyone. And the thing is, when things happened to me, I felt them. They’re tattooed on me (not literally, Mom. Stop freaking out). They rocked me. They shattered me. All those things people said? I can still hear them all. When I was sixteen, I had some things happen. And I remembered feeling…sort of alone. What was happening was drama. That’s all it was, I know that then and now. But it didn’t make it feel any different. It was still happening.
So that night, I sat on my bedroom floor and wrote about everything. I wrote until my eyes were finally dry and my heart felt empty. And I closed the entry with I promise I’ll never forget what any of this feels like, what being a teenager feels like. I’ll never lose this perspective.
Some people have a soft spot for babies. Others really like the elderly. Me? Give me all the teenagers. I understand them. I empathize with them. I remember what it was like to be them. I made a point of it. And I remember thinking when I was a teenager that I wish someone would just get it. I wished that what was happening and what I was feeling wasn’t reduced to just drama.
I think that night, the night I wrote that journal entry, was the night I decided I’d write Young Adult fiction–before I even knew what Young Adult was.
I wanted to put something out into that world that would make at least one teenager feel less alone. I wanted to put something out there that would validate how they’re feeling, even when it’s just drama.
I love your pictures and your kids will some day appreciate that you remember what it feels like to be a teenager.
I just had flashbacks to stinky sweaty marching band uniforms! And our prom dresses were eerily similiar though mine was purple (???). Same cut and same shimmery fabric though!
I basically love this! I tried to block out most of my teenage memories. I was not a fan of high school, at all. The teenage years were so confusing. I remember everyone telling me that everything I had an issue with then meant nothing in the real world and I would look back and laugh at it all….which I do now sort of of, but then I just couldn't see it!
Your marching band picture brings back a flood of memories. Us band nerds gotta stick together! Forever! And now I am going to go have nightmares about plumes.
This is great! I'm pretty much the opposite in that I blocked all of teenager-hood out (even when I actually WAS one). But that's so fantastic that you're able to channel all that emotion into something and make everything you went through and felt help someone else!
Ummmmm how does High School Joey look identical to Current Joey? Damn girl! 😉 I love the idea of you being so empathetic with teenagers – the poor angels need someone to "get" them!!
I love the high school pictures! I am eager to read more about how/why you wrote the book. I mean, seriously, you WROTE AND PUBLISHED FREAKIN' BOOK!
You are a rockstar!
"Give me all the teenagers. I understand them. I empathize with them. I remember what it was like to be them." I feel this so much. Maybe because I'm only 20 so I was a teen not long ago lol. But my voice will always be in YA. It's so incredible that you wrote a book girl! You should be proud 🙂
Can I just say how excited it made me to see so many posts from you?! I'm also really excited for this series and to hear more about your motivation behind writing and coming up with your story and everything else in the writing realm 🙂 I think I can relate to you so much in having a soft spot for teenagers and wanting to take not so great experiences you had and share them with others, so people know they're not alone!