April’s brand new author is experienced in teaching the blind orientation and mobility by using a white cane. She wanted to give the kids she works with a great children’s book that explains more about the cane. When she couldn’t find any, she wrote one herself!
Please meet Kristen Lang!
Question 1- When and how did you start writing?
I grew up doing a bit of writing here and there. I’d fill notebooks with prose poems and quotes I liked, and my friends and I even put on mini plays in a treehouse in our neighborhood. When I got to high school, I really got into my English assignments, going all out especially when it came to writing about the books I loved. Then in college, I decided to take a Creative Writing class. I wrote this essay about my dad and me growing up, and it ended up getting published in a small newspaper. I always had a soft spot for writing, but I never thought it would become such a big part of my life.
Question 2- What do you like to write about most?
Back then, I mostly wrote about how I was feeling. I had a thing for nostalgia and all things nostalgic. Writing became my go-to outlet because I struggled to put my feelings into spoken words. There was a comfort in putting it all down on paper, knowing I was the only one who would read it.
Question 3-What do you find to be the easiest and hardest thing about writing
One of the easiest parts about writing is saying, “I want to write a book!” The real challenge kicks in when you sit down to actually write it! But jokes aside, here I am with my first published book. The idea for this book flowed easily, but expanding it into a series? That’s where the real pondering begins. I often find myself wondering, “Should I stick with the rhyming? What other Orientation and Mobility skills can I introduce at a younger level to empower young legally blind children towards independence?” It’s a puzzle, but an exciting one to figure out.
Question 4- What writers do you most admire and why?
My taste in books is quite varied – I don’t stick to a specific genre. Some of my favorite authors include Chuck Palahniuk, Rebecca Yarros, Sarah J Maas, Augusten Burroughs, Jonathan Safran Foer, and Stephen Chbosky. When I was younger, I was a huge fan of the “Magic Tree House” series.
Question 5- How do you get your ideas for stories and what’s in the future for you in writing?
Since this is my first book, “The Cane Kids: Everett and Willow’s Journey of Navigating Legal Blindness,” it came to fruition with the help of one of my students. Every year on October 15th, we celebrate National White Cane Awareness Day. As an Orientation and Mobility Specialist, my role involves teaching legally blind kids and adults how to use a white cane. I struggled to find a high-quality children’s book that explains the canes purpose, so I decided to create one myself.
To ensure it’s as accessible as possible, I included various features: an audiobook with image descriptions, an ASL-interpreted video (for Deaf/Blind individuals), and braille files for schools or individuals with braille printers at home. The font is sans serif, in large print, and on contrasted backgrounds for easier reading for those with low vision. Additionally, there’s a version with clear braille labels on the pages.
Looking ahead, I hope to turn this into a series. I want to showcase different vision conditions to emphasize that legal blindness isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation.
Closing – Can you share a memorable experience you’ve had purely because you are a writer?
I don’t have a favorite author experience just yet, since I’ve only just started this journey! But I do have a memorable experience involving a writer. Every New Year’s Day, my neighbors and I do an unofficial Polar Plunge. After our chilly dip, we gathered at their house for lunch. I found myself chatting with a man next to me, unaware of who he was.
Across the room, I noticed a young adult holding “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” I couldn’t resist mentioning that it was my favorite book and that I had read it 17 times. To my surprise, she told me, “You know the man you’re sitting next to is the author, right?” I was completely clueless! It was such a memorable way to kick off the new year.
Website to Pre-Order –Â www.insightaccessibilities.com/shop/