What is your book about?
“My book is about mental health. [I wrote it] to bring more awareness to mental health and make kids realize that [there] is always a better way.”

Was your novel about your own experiences?
“Yes. Most of it was from my peers. I learned a lot from my peers [by just hearing]their different stories. It’s just wonderful. I love to hear people’s stories. I’m like their little therapist so [I’m] always listening and writing stuff down. It makes me become my most creative [self].”

What inspired you to write the book?
“What really made me want to write the book was when I started [getting] recognition when I was in 9th grade. [In] 9th grade, I wrote this story called “The Mask,” one of the first stories that I put in the book. It was so detrimental to me because I thought it was horrible. My teacher [said, “no,] it is so great.” She even made me share first. I shared and I got the reaction that I never expected. It felt nice. I wanted to continue [doing] that, and it was only a couple of months down the road until I realized [that] I should write a book. That [is] what led me to ‘Color Vision’”

Did you ever have doubts while writing your book?
“It was a long, scary process. It was so terrifying because I have things [in my head] that I don’t tell people on a regular basis. It was a challenge for me because I was never good at writing or English at all. I was actually making Fs in English before this book came out. Then I was so judgmental to myself; I am always self-conscious about myself: ‘Do people love this? Do people want to love this and that?’ It was just so horrible. At a point, I was not about to release this book.”

What were your thoughts before writing the book?
“How can I speak to everyone at once? How can I be at multiple places at once? How can I talk to someone and how can I get to someone that probably doesn’t have as much as me.”

Why do you enjoy writing?
“I have the freedom to say anything that is on my mind. I love the mystery behind it, because I could be talking about something, and I don’t have to say it directly. I can say it in so many ways. And that is what I want to give to people; give people different things than just the common things they see around the TV.”

If you hadn’t written the book, what would you have done?
“I would’ve mostly focused on education, gone to college and went into a career I thought I really wanted, but I don’t anymore. It was zoology. I was [uncertain] about that [career], because I love animals [but am unsure if that could be a career]. Then I wanted to be an entrepreneur, so I can make my own schedule and make all the money off of just me, not some[one else].”

Now what are your plans for the future?
“I have a couple of things in store. I have a couple more interviews coming up and I am planning on [having] a book tour. [I plan on] stepping out of my comfort zone, teaching classes about the book. I have a lesson that comes with the book for schools…I am working on a second book and am [going to use] my publishing company. I am really focusing on trying to give a platform to people where they can share their stories, their artwork.

What has the overall journey been like?
“[My brother and my editor for the book] ordered the first 100 copies, and it was a surprise for my birthday. After that, it got shakey because I didn’t know how to save my money well. I had to take classes on how to save money. Now it’s going pretty well. I am still doing what I love doing. It has been exciting and fun. It has been really fun to just be able to talk to people in large groups, to see people, go to different events and do interviews like this.”

Where can people buy your book?
“People can buy the book at five different bookstores: Left Bank Books, Main Street Books, The Novel Neighbor, Half Priced Books and Subterranean Books. They can also buy off on Facebook Marketplace or [get it from] my website: https://vision15-101303.square.site/