Kit_BoOkDrAgOn
Kit_BoOkDrAgOn asked Heather Smith:

Hi, I just finished reading The Agony of Bun O'keefe and I loved it. It's crazy to think that things like this can happen to people so young, she's only a year younger then me and its a scary thought that people her age and of all ages go through things like that. I was wondering what inspired you to write a story like that? Write a character like Bun O'keefe? I hope you don't find my comment weird :)

Heather Smith Hi! Your comment isn’t weird at all! It IS scary to think about the difficult things that some young people have to go through in life! But you know what? Young people are also very resilient and, because of that, there is always a chance that things will get better – just like they did for Bun. I guess that’s what I want young readers to see in Bun – hope.

As far as inspiration goes, there wasn’t one particular thing that inspired The Agony of Bun O’Keefe. The story just evolved on the page as I was writing it. The same thing happened with the character of Bun. She wasn’t based on anyone I know – she came to life as I was writing her – from somewhere deep in my imagination, I guess!

In general, my writing is inspired by other works of fiction. For example, the British series “This Is England” has had a big influence on me a as writer – I watch it and think “This is the kind of material I want to write!” Another big inspiration is my home province of Newfoundland. It has a unique atmosphere that adds something special to my work, I think.

I hope this has answered your question. Thanks for taking the time to ask it!

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