Now Hear This – Interview with Teen Author Harper Gideons

By Cora Shahid, California H&V

Q.  Please share a little about yourself.

I am in seventh grade. My favorite sport is basketball, I have played on a club team since third grade. I was born with hearing loss and wear a hearing aid on one side and cochlear implant on the other. I like to skateboard, snow ski, play with my puppies, go to the beach, produce YouTube videos (@ Harper G) and do wood-working.

My dad is a Colonel in the Marine Corps, so we have moved many times. My favorite place to live has been California. My mom is a writer, author, and speaker. She was my co-author on the recent book we published, “Now Hear This: Harper Soars with her Magic Ears.” I also have an older brother, named Battle, who uses bilateral implants. he likes to play football and lift weights. He is also learning to play the guitar and takes Chinese. He is really into video games.

Q.  When did you first realize you wanted to write a book?

In fourth grade we had a writing journal in which we were given daily prompts. One of them was, “What Makes You Unique?” I wrote about how being deaf had made me unique. When my mom was unpacking my backpack at the end of the school, she found my writing journal and read through it. When she read the piece I just mentioned, she thought to herself, “THIS IS THE BOOK!” That summer we began writing the first draft.

Q.  How long did it take you to write your book? How many drafts did you write?

From start to finish, two years. We created what we thought was the final manuscript and attempted to query literary agents, hoping to get signed. But, we got impatient after about six months, and decided to self-publish. That’s when it got real. We reworked the manuscript about one hundred times. My mom’s friend from college helped us edit (she is a professional writer) and we also worked with several other writers. Publishing is A LOT of work. It takes patience (which I don’t have much of) and determination. I learned that anything worthwhile takes hard work and patience.

Q.  What was the process for developing the cover and pictures throughout the book?

We found an amazing illustrator, Priscila Soares. She is also hard of hearing and has a son with CIs. She recently illustrated a picture book about hearing loss geared toward younger kids. My mom admired her art on Instagram for a long time and on a whim, reached out to her and asked if she would be interested in our project. She agreed! Priscila watched a lot of my YouTube videos, studied the manuscript, and we sent lots of pictures so she could capture my essence. We didn’t want the illustrations to look like a portrait of me or a character. That part was tricky. We brainstormed ideas for the cover and internal art. We refined the drafts together via shared screens. In the end, she totally captured the vibe we were going for.

Q.  What kinds of things do your readers say?

That’s one of the weirdest and also coolest parts. Readers have been sending us photos holding their copy of the book. I was even asked to be interviewed by a ten-year-old girl for a book report. She identified with me and wanted to write her report about our book. I have also been interviewed for newspapers, magazines, and been a guest on some podcasts. Mostly the kids tell me that they love seeing a character that represents them. We also have other characters in the book who are deaf or hard of hearing. One thing is for sure: we are all unique but also share a common bond.

Q.  What is your favorite genre to read, and why?

My favorite genre to read is dystopian fiction because it warns us about what our world could possibly become. I also like that normally there are lots of inventions, futuristic machines, and concepts that we consider impossible.

Q.  What advice do you have for parents on encouraging their DHH child to follow their passions?

Like we say in the book: “Set the bar high, and you will reach, rise and soar!” My mom and dad have never made me feel like there’s anything I can’t do. Find what you love and something that can serve others, and GO FOR IT!

Q.  Any final comments to share with readers?

We would love for our book to be in every school library. Inclusion matters. This is a way for students and teachers to learn about hearing loss. I also want to encourage anyone who has a challenge they are facing to know that they are not alone and that they can overcome. I can’t wait to visit more schools and read our book aloud to classrooms. We were just beginning our book tour when the Covid-19 hit and schools were closed. Hopefully I can pick up where I left off!   ~

Learn more about Harper and Valli Gideons and their book, Now Hear This; Harper Soars with her Magic Ears at www.mybattlecall.com

H&V Communicator – Summer 2020