Wendelin, what was your inspiration for writing WILD BIRD?

The setting in Wild Bird was sparked by a conversation I had with a friend, but the story is really the result of a culmination of many years of experiences, observations, and analysis. What causes that adorable kid you used to know to turn bad? Is there a way to reach them, to bring them back? How can we erase our scars? Or do we need to learn to stop trying to mask them and see them, not as flaws, but as evidence of strength.

The setting of Wild Bird and Wren’s story set the stage for reflection about our own choices and direction—about defining what kind of person we want to be. And really, that’s my inspiration for writing the book.

What scene was really hard for you to write and why.

The most difficult thread of the story involved Mokov, the Paiute elder. There is a Native American element to almost all wilderness therapy camps, so to make Wren’s experience authentic I needed to include it. But I absolutely wanted to get it right. Thank goodness for sensitivity readers. I worked with a very nice one, who helped me fine tune those scenes and ease my concerns.

Is there a scene of which you are most proud? Or is there another scene you particularly love?

The scenes I love are usually the ones that took the whole book to set up. The payoff scenes. I love Wren’s birthday in the wild. We learn early on that she’s furious to have to be spending her birthday in the desert, in the dirt, with bugs and heat and dehydrated food. But her birthday turns out to be one she’ll never forget…in all the right ways. I especially love when her new (and true) friend, Hannah, takes her on a hike through a slot canyon and they look up at two trees growing out of the canyon walls, their trunks turning at sharp angles so they can grow up, out of the canyon toward the light. I love everything about that scene. The friendship, the symbolism, the appreciation of nature, the hope…I cry every time.

How long did you work on WILD BIRD?

Really, it’s taken my whole life to get to a place where I could write this book, but the actual research and writing/revising? About two years.

What did this book teach you about writing or about yourself?

The cool thing about writing a book is how much you learn in the process. Besides all the technical or historical or cultural knowledge I acquire when writing a book, I always learn things about myself from my characters, which is really weird and magical when you think about it. Writing creates an opportunity for self-observation and enlightenment. The best writing experience comes not from trying to impart knowledge or wisdom, but in being open to truths you hadn’t explored before. It is the most rewarding thing about the process. For Wild Bird, I reflected on who. Who do I want to be? And from that, what do I need to do/improve to be that person? Life should be an ongoing evolution. Yes, you acquire answers, but with them come more questions. And that’s a good thing.

What do you hope readers will take away from WILD BIRD?

A sense that they can be strong, brave, fearless in the face of whatever life throws at them. That their scars don’t have to define them. That it’s never too late to become the person they want to be.

What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?

Get out and live your life! Do a lot. See a lot. Keep your eyes, your ears, and your heart open. Also, read. Read lots of different kinds of books and styles of writing. And then try writing in different voices and styles—don’t be afraid to experiment. Use your own experiences and observations. Make your characters people you care about. Spend time thinking about your characters, their world, their situations. Stew. Brood. Then write some more. And key to the whole operation: rewrite. I revise my books many times before submitting them, and after my editor has a look I wind up revising some more! Roll up your sleeves and work.