I still remember signing my name on the back of the library card that allowed me to check out books from the adult section of the local public library, how tall the unfamiliar stacks seemed, and how I loved to stand on the round library step to reach the treasures on the top shelves.
It was in those stacks that I felt the stirrings of my writer’s voice. I buried myself in Hunter Thompson, Lester Bangs, Norman Mailer, Ellen Willis, Doris Lessing and Susan Sontag, their unique voices opening me up to the ways I could find my own. I read Anais Nin and Lawrence Durrell, so over my teenage experiences, but the language was as lovely as the Shalimar and gowns my mother wore on Saturday nights, the stuff of dreams of what could be.
Fast forward many years to a new and singular thrill, my novel for teenagers, DRAWING AMANDA, was reviewed in School Library Journal. And they liked it, even calling me a debut novelist to watch!
Here’s an excerpt and a link to more:
Feuer expertly leads readers into a deep dive through real and raw issues that young adults face: a parent’s death, overcoming grief, friendship issues, and Internet security. Although there are heavy concepts throughout the story, the topics are handled in an age appropriate way. Lee’s intermittent illustrations help pull readers into Inky’s the plight. A debut novelist to watch. –School Library Journal 07/01/2014
Read the review of DRAWING AMANDA in School Library Journal here.
