A letter from Lisa Moore Ramée, author of SOMETHING TO SAY
Dear Reader:
Something to Say is about a lot of things. It examines whether we should hold people accountable for things they said or did "a long time ago," or when "it was a different time." The book is also about what and whose history we should honor. And it's about not letting our fears get in the way of what we truly want.
But when I first started writing this story, it was simply about a girl, desperate to remain invisible.
Some people push people away. They seek the shadows. They go through life taking up as little space as possible. It can be hard to understand, especially in our consumed-with-popularity society. But I get it.
I was an odd kid. Books were better company for me than people; I lived a lot in my imagination-which was a very real world to me. This wasn't a problem until the first time I had to deliver a speech and got ripped from my imaginary world in a horrible, painful way. I thought I was going to pass out. I skipped over words, I trembled, and sweat dripped from me as if I were in the shower. I couldn't explain or understand the fear. I wasn't shy, but there was something about standing in front of a group—feeling judged, being seen—that petrified me.
As I wrote Jenae's story, it made sense she would share this fear. Some people may not understand Jenae. How could she believe the things she does? And why can't she simply give a speech? I didn't write this book for them. It's for the invisible ones. And for the ones who believe in impossible things.
Like I said, I was an oddball. And that's okay. Odd just means different. And different isn't bad. But I wouldn't have minded connecting with someone who accepted me in all my oddball glory.
For all the odd kids out there—this one's for you.
Sincerely,
Lisa Moore Ramée
About the Author
Lisa Moore Ramée was born and raised in Los Angeles, and she now lives in the Bay Area of California, with her husband, two kids, and two obnoxious cats. A Good Kind of Trouble was her debut novel.
You can visit her online at www.lisamooreramee.com.
About SOMETHING TO SAY
Eleven-year-old Jenae doesn’t have any friends—and she’s just fine with that. She’s so good at being invisible in school, it’s almost like she has a superpower, like her idol, Astrid Dane. At home, Jenae has plenty of company, like her no-nonsense mama; her older brother, Malcolm, who is home from college after a basketball injury; and her beloved grandpa, Gee.
Then a new student shows up at school—a boy named Aubrey with fiery red hair and a smile that won’t quit. Jenae can’t figure out why he keeps popping up everywhere she goes. The more she tries to push him away, the more he seems determined to be her friend. Despite herself, Jenae starts getting used to having him around.
But when the two are paired up for a class debate about the proposed name change for their school, Jenae knows this new friendship has an expiration date. Aubrey is desperate to win and earn a coveted spot on the debate team.
There’s just one problem: Jenae would do almost anything to avoid speaking up in front of an audience—including risking the first real friendship she’s ever had.