C2 - Wednesday, January 11, 1984 - North Shore News Handicapped author makes literary feat By ERIC EGGERTSON YOU NOTICE wheelchair first. Then Sandra Richmond looks up from reading - her novel aloud and you notice the bright, piercing eyes, rov- ing the roomful of teens who’ve come to the library to hear her read. Her first novel, Wheels for Walking, describes the tur- moil of a girl’s life, after a car accident leaves her paralyzed from the neck down. Richmond was in’ a similar accident. Her research for Wheels for Walking was many months in the G.F. Strong Rehabilita- tion Centre, learning to ac- cept the limitations caused by her injuries. And listening to the other patients tell their stories. ‘‘When | was in the hospital there were a lot of teenagers there,’’ she says in an interview after her reading at North Van City library. **It was most difficult for them. I thought the kids were courageous. They were very strong. That’s why I wrote Wheels for Walking about a teenager.”” The book does a good job. The frustrations of being the paralyzed are heaped on the trauma of adolescence. Sally, the young quadrapalegic, reacts to her injury with anger. She scornfully rejects her parents’ pitying attempts to cheer her up. She is in- furiated that nurses and doc- tors can intrude on_ her privacy. Mostly Sally hates being dependent on everyone. Reading Wheels for Walk- ing, you realize you’ve pro- bably been guilty on all counts of ignoring, pitying, patronizing, and_ disliking people with disabilities. A moving moment in the book has Sally recoiling from the sight of a stroke victim wheeling around the hospital grounds. She realizes she is not immune to treating the disabled as second-class citizens. Sandra Richmond lives in West Vancouver, with her husband (the Richmond of Peake and Richmond In- surance) and _ two-year-old son. She, like Sally, cherishes independence. Just the logistics of typing the novel presented an obstacle to be overcome. With the help of two pegs strapped to her wrists (called Z-splints for the shape of the AUTHOR SANDRA RICHMOND reads from her novel Wheels for Walking to teens at North Van City Library last Friday. Richmond was injured in a car accident 10 years ago. The experience of coping with her injury resulted in her novel about a teenager with a similar o accident. tapped out 250 pages of manuscript one letter at a time. After a year of part-time writing, the novel was com- plete. It took another three years before Vancouver publishers Douglas & Mcln- tyre put the book out in paperback ($7.95). They described it as ‘‘a book for young adults.”’ Three years after finishing it, she is pleased with the novel. ‘‘I wanted it to be a joyful book. 1 wanted it to be positive’’. Wheels for Walking is not so much a plea for understan- ding as an explanation. Rich- bar she cups in her hand) she___ mond describes what it is like RICHMOND USES ‘‘z-slings’’ to type. Her 150-page novel took her about a year to write, one letter at a time, and another three years to be published. Today, Richmond is pleased with the result of her work. ‘ . MO ‘ - fr ¢ a e. : . ” S t | ’ : ; a 4 hyn a ; é 5-768 Marine Dr, Park Royal . ¢ «(next ta White Spot) fame . improve your features - = Look and feel great with this ad receive a complimentary suntanning seeston on our brand new suntanning benches pe i ee ee -"Underline your beauty. - and 926-6214 George Walker (fonncr solotat, Royal Winnipeg Dallee Co.) wtth grand- daughter Nicole who par- ticipates in Grampa's Kindc sdance in North Van. Son Vincent tn jumping for joy at being accepted into the Royal Winnepeg Balict School BINDERDANCE - A preschool program for children 8-5 yearn Developn confidence through dancc, ainging & rhythmic move. ment Mr Walker in a Pioncer tn Chie apectalized arca TINY 4TO-TWS FOR TCO’'S A acw dance clans to meet the needa of children 2 ycare ofd) and thets mom dnd aunt ancie or grandparcat Claness atart dam 14 information 98-4071 or 968-A015 to have to struggle weeks in therapy just to be able to roll over in bed. The lengths to which Sally must go to put on a pair of jeans is startling. The details of Sally’s ordeal are given realistically, without the gloss one finds in many ‘‘young adult’s books.’’ Richmond tells the story frankly, without preaching. The dialogue in the book. is believable because Richmond lets Sally express the bitterness with the joy, self-hatred with self- fulfilment. You may ‘notice her wheelchair first, but Sandra Richmond hopes that is not all you notice about her. de ccna nem i Le, Ge e as \ WN ~ SS 7 ) “NEWS photo Eric-Eggertson Jan. 22/84 The Vancouver Wind Trio , The Moodyville Chamber Players Mar. 4/84 Kathleen & John Rudolph works for flute and mallet percussion May 6/84 Victor and Rita Costanzi selected-works for violin and harp at Presentation House 333 Chesterfield, N. V. Single Series $12.50 Student/Senior $ 9.00 Individual Concerts $ 5.00/$3.50 at the door Tickets Available at: Knock Knock Antiques 1045 Marine Dr. N.V. 988-1675 986-6904 or call 985-2849"