Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Andrew Chapin, and I’m a middle school English teacher in New Rochelle, NY. I recently co-authored my first book FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH – I was inspired by the subject of the piece John Tartaglio. Amputated up to his hipbones and told he would never walk again when he was 17 years old, John would not give up on life. Instead, he rose to do what others said he could not. Walking, running, competing, but most importantly living, he proved to them what he had always known – his disability did not define him; he defined his disability.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Outside of smoking too many cigarettes if I’m writing outside, no. I go through spells of non-stop writing and spells of inactivity to devote myself to other initiatives. However, I would like to implement a more set routine at some point.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Philip Roth – Portnoy’s Complaint; Bret Easton Ellis – Less Than Zero; S.E. Hinton – The Outsiders; Ray Bradbury – Fahrenheit 451; Robert Cormier – The Chocolate War.
What are you working on now?
KNOWING WHEN YOU’RE TOO YOUNG TO GROW UP – This is the coming-of-age story of a teenage protagonist who unknowingly sets out on a journey towards self-discovery when he travels abroad with his high school. Unbeknownst to him, this trip will indelibly change his life when he is confronted with situations that force him to question his worldview and reevaluate himself, his friends, and his overall conception of humanity.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon; Facebook; Huffington Post; Twitter
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do not ever underestimate the value of hard work. Writing is an arduous, thankless journey, but so is any goal worth realizing. Keep going.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Patience is a virtue.
What are you reading now?
Killing Kennedy; too many student papers
What’s next for you as a writer?
Promoting FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH and then returning to my fiction writing after a (too) long hiatus.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
As I Lay Dying – William Faulkner; Strange Interlude – Eugene O’Neill; American Psycho – Bret Easton Ellis; Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury
Author Websites and Profiles
Andrew Chapin Amazon Profile
Andrew Chapin’s Social Media Links
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