My Work with Q&A
Book Title: Sounds of Yesterday
Publication Date: November 19, 2024
ISBN (Paperback): 979-8-9908479-0-3
ISBN (eBook): 979-8-9908479-1-0
Sounds of Yesterday is my debut novel. Telling the story of Rob and Ana over the course of five years, it touches on topics related to neurodiversity, mental health, and internalized ableism and their affect on relationship dynamics, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following Q&A about the novel is below:
Q: What genre is Sounds of Yesterday and what should I expect when I read it?
A: Sounds of Yesterday is a work of literary fiction, so it does not really follow a specific genre. That said, it is a novel that is a combination of semi-autobiographical, contemporary fiction, psychological drama, realist fiction, and semi-magical realism. You should expect to read a book told from the perspective of an autistic narrator in their late 20s-early 30s, where the writing style will be reflective of this perspective, so you should expect the book be told in non-chronological order and have a writing style that is representative of an autistic experience.
Q: What is the appropriate age range to read Sounds of Yesterday?
A: Sounds of Yesterday is an adult novel, so roughly 18 and up is recommended. If we were to use the analogy of a movie rating, Sounds of Yesterday would be the equivalent to an R-rated movie for adult language, minor sexual themes, and strong depictions of mental health struggles. That said, depending on the maturity level, a junior or senior high school student can certainly read this book.
Q: When you say the novel is semi-autobiographical, what do you mean by that?
A: Sounds of Yesterday in inspired by actual people and events during a time in my life I, the author, personally been through, but creative liberties were taken to protect the identities of everyone involved. This means every effort has been made to change names and specific details so as to protect the privacy of everyone who this story takes inspiration from. This book serves as a tribute to a person who meant so much to me in my life but also serves as an exploration of mental health, childhood trauma, and internalized ableism.
Q: So Sounds of Yesterday is based on actual people and events, including Rob and Ana?
A: Yes, the novel is based on real people and events, but significant creative liberties have been taken to serve the themes of the story. The novel is a not a strict, fact-by-fact retelling of an actual relationship, so this is not a memoir. You as a reader would literally have to go out of your way to figure out who the actual people this story is based on, which would go beyond the scope of what the book is intended to do.
Q: What about the other genre descriptions?
A: Sounds of Yesterday is a character-driven story, so the plot is not the focus of the book but about Rob and Ana’s relationship over the course of 5 years, looking at the highs and lows through a neurodivergent lens. It explores the emotional and mental burdens both characters bring to the relationship, but it also explores the effects mental health struggles, societal pressures, and internalized ableism have on relationships and personal identity.
Q: How would you describe the writing style/approach of the novel?
A: The novel uses a mixture of minimalism, stream-of-consciousness, and contemporary realism. It purposely avoids using over the top purple prose and relies on the reader’s intelligence to follow Rob’s emotional journey towards healing and self-acceptance. The goal of the prose was to showcase Rob’s perspective as an autistic person in a neurotypical world. For some readers, it might come across as “plain” or “repetitive”, but in actuality this is a representation of Rob’s thought process and thus purposely represents one neurodivergent perspective. Of course, autistic people are not a monolith and thus Rob should not be seen as representative of every autistic person, but he represents one specific perspective within the autism spectrum.
Q: What are the major themes of Sounds of Yesterday?
A: Neurodiversity; Mental health struggles; Internalized ableism; Anxiety; Depression; Childhood trauma; and Insecurity
Q: Is Sounds of Yesterday a romance?
A: No, it is not a romance (at least not in the traditional sense). It purposely attempts to subvert many of the tropes associated with romance to tell a more human story through a neurodivergent lens.
Q: Where can I purchase Sounds of Yesterday?
A: At the time of this update (Oct. 27, 2024), Sounds of Yesterday is available for pre-order on Amazon as an ebook and both ebook and paperback on Barnes & Noble.