When I was a kid I got a little tape recorder for Christmas one year (the older folks out there will remember what a tape recorder is). I remember being shocked the first time I heard my own voice coming out of that little machine. That's not what I sound like, I thought. There must be some mistake. I went around asking anybody who would listen, "Is that what I really sound like?" I remember my siblings laughing and my parents shaking their heads. I never did get used to that sound.
Now, as an adult, I often have a similar experience when I look into the mirror, especially on bad hair days. Who is that person looking back at me? Is that what I really look like? Where did all those wrinkles come from? What happened to my naturally wavy hair? What ever possessed me to buy those glasses, and, am I shrinking or was I always this short?
A few months ago I had the opportunity to talk about my young adult novel, The R Word, with John Drew for his pop-culture website, The Chronic Rift. I'm happy to say that although I still think the voice coming out of my computer doesn't really sound like me, my ideas about race came through clearly during the interview. So many thanks to John for the opportunity, and I hope you'll give it a listen!
The R Word Interview on The Chronic Rift
