Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Brave Enough
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY: Raleigh
STATE: NC
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Female.
EDUCATION:Degrees in theater and creative writing.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Actor and writer.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Kati Gardner is an actor, writer, beta reader, sensitivity reader, and developmental editor. She is also a cancer survivor who lost a leg to childhood cancer. Today she volunteers at a cancer camp for teenagers and writes young adult fiction to present the truth about surviving tragedy and promote physical and emotional recovery. She holds a degree in acting with a minor in creative writing.
Her debut novel, Brave Enough, features Cason Martin, an aspiring ballerina in the Atlanta Ballet Conservatory where her demanding mother is the artistic director. On the eve of a becoming professional dancer in New York, she is diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer, in her leg. While receiving chemotherapy, she meets and becomes smitten with hospital worker Davis Channing, a cancer survivor and former drug addict. While Davis gives Cason a sympathetic ear, he is also dealing with relapse into his addiction and his ex-girlfriend’s violent drug dealer. Meanwhile, Cason is facing the loss of her leg due to the cancer. Acknowledging that Gardner is a cancer survivor and amputee herself, a writer in Kirkus Reviews commented that Gardner “covers challenging physical and emotional terrain in compelling detail with compassionate insight and strong storytelling skills.”
School Library Journal reviewer Suzanne Fondrie explained that while Gardner’s prose and dialogue can be stilted at times, especially during medical exposition, “She chronicles Cason’s treatment and therapy ups and downs without over-dramatizing them.” Fondrie added that Gardner’s small, daily acts of courage and emotional impact prevail. “Though the story centers on illness and addiction, the lesson that it has to teach is applicable to each and every life,” noted Foreword Reviews writer Catherine Thureson.
In an interview with Michelle Leonard online at Winged Pen, Gardner explained how she came to write the book: “I was looking at some of the late term effects of childhood cancer treatment and saw that it listed addiction as one of those. It got me thinking about how cancer affects each of us differently… how our brains are affected by the treatments and the psychological effects of being a cancer survivor at such a young age.” A reviewer online the Sleepy Sam Reads website who was disabled as a child said: “Gardner talks about having childhood cancer and having her leg amputated at the age of eight. She also talks about how desperate she was to find a character like herself. I’m intensely thankful she decided to write this book.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 2018, review of Brave Enough.
School Library Journal, June 2018, Suzanne Fondrie, review of Brave Enough, p. 88.
ONLINE
Foreword Reviews, https://www.forewordreviews.com/ (July 1, 2018), Catherine Thureson, review of Brave Enough.
Sleepy Sam Reads, https://sleepysamreads.wordpress.com/ (July 14, 2018), review of Brave Enough.
Winged Pen, https://thewingedpen.com/ (August 13, 2018), Michelle Leonard, author interview.
Kati Gardner is a recovering actor, wife, and mom. She is a childhood cancer survivor and amputee who writes books about disability and kissing. Originally from Atlanta, she now lives and writes in Raleigh, North Carolina. Brave Enough is her first novel. You can find her on Twitter at @AuthorKati, on Instagram at AuthorKatiGardner, and at katigardner.com.
Interview with Kati Gardner, author of BRAVE ENOUGH
Last week, I reviewed Kati Gardner’s debut young adult novel, BRAVE ENOUGH, as part of our regular Windows and Mirrors feature. You can find that review here. Now, I’m thrilled to welcome Kati Gardner to the Winged Pen today to answer my burning questions about her upcoming release.
Congrats on your debut novel, Kati! Brave Enough has two main characters who are dealing with life-threatening problems when their lives collide. One is a ballerina who’s developed cancer and needs to have her leg amputated. The other is a cancer survivor who is dealing with drug addiction. You brought authentic, eye-opening details to life about these struggles, and it’s obvious that you have a connection with cancer survivors and drug addiction. Could you tell us about that?
I was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma in 1989, which I lovingly refer to as the stone ages of childhood cancer treatments. I was eight at the time, so it was a very different experience than what you see here with Cason and Davis. They were both teenagers at the time of diagnosis and it completely disrupts their lives. I’ve spent a number of years working with teenagers who are at every stage of their cancer treatments. Some newly diagnosed, some on therapy, some off, some off for so long they barely even remember their days on therapy.
I’ve seen addiction close up, as very close family members have struggled with sobriety and what it means. I was looking at some of the late term effects of childhood cancer treatment and saw that it listed addiction as one of those. It got me thinking about how cancer effects each of us differently, even off therapy. Because we were teenagers and how our brains are affected by the treatments and the psychological effects of being a cancer survivor at such a young age.
-You’ve made an important point that, though you are a cancer survivor, Brave Enough is a book of fiction, not autobiographical. I’m sure Brave Enough is filled with bits and pieces of your personal experiences, probably some funny and some more poignant. Would you like to share a personal experience that made it into the story?
Well, my passion for Cancer Camp is pretty evident. That’s probably the biggest part of “me” in the book. And believe me, I would have had a whole book just of camp if I could have. I’ve seen where readers have asked and wanted more camp. And I love that! I want more camp!
Mari is probably the most like me in the book, though she’s more vocal and almost harsh at times. We share the same amputation level and have similar feelings about prosthetic legs.
But, the part where Noah is accused of using his grandparents disabled sticker to park in the reserved parking spot is something straight out of my life. Still to this day I get harassed about that type of thing. Most of the time people back-pedal pretty hard when I get out of the car and they see that I only have one leg.
Oh, and when Mari hides Noah’s prosthesis while they are snow skiing. I totally did that.
– One of my big takeaways from your novel was that even when we feel like we’ve hit rock bottom, we can be a source of strength for others. The camp scenes in the book are so great. Imagining kids who have survived or who are struggling with cancer experiencing pure joy is something that is hard for many of us to picture ourselves. Would you like to give a shout out to your personal connection with cancer camp?
Since 1990 I’ve been lucky enough to attend Camp Sunshine (www.mycampsunshine.com) in Georgia. This will be my tenth year as a volunteer and I have watched camp change teenagers. They often come to camp weary and afraid, feeling isolated and alone, but leave with new confidence and new friendships.
-I want to give you a personal BIG THANKS for recommending Beth Revis’ Paper Hearts Workbook, which has given me a nudge to get back to my own WIP. I was already a big fan of Beth’s fiction, and her workbook is a MUST PURCHASE for those who are developing and perfecting their own writing technique! Are there other authors you’d like to give a shout out to here? Maybe some authors who’ve inspired you as a writer or great critique partners.
Oh good! I love that book! And Beth is just a wonderful human-being who goes out of her way to help new writers.
I have several AWESOME critique partners and I feel really lucky to know them. Rachel Merridee, Mary Dunbar, Tia Bearden, and Kristen Walters to name a few. And Samira Ahmed, Sangu Mandanna are two agent-sibs who listen to me talk out my plots and are super patient and kind.
There are some authors out there who I just find to be super inspiring. Courtney Stevens (DRESS CODE FOR SMALL TOWNS) is one that I could read her words and listen to her speak for days and it would never be enough. Huntley Fitzpatrick is another author who is an auto-buy for me. Her books are lovely but have a heft to them that I really appreciate. Angie Thomas, of course, is another auto-buy. Nic Stone is a wealth of generous information and her words will sit with you for years to come.
-OMG, I love Nic Stone (Dear Martin interview). Speaking of love, you have a true ROCK STAR agent! Tell us about him and how you connected with Eric Smith.
I signed with Eric through the slush pile. So don’t ever feel like that you have to win pitch contests or things of that nature. I’d been querying for just a little bit when I saw a new agent at PS Literary. I sent him my query and within 30 minutes I had a full request from him. About a month later he asked to talk on the phone. I knew that we would be a good match because we had similar styles. I really wanted an editorial agent and Eric is that. He’s also the world’s best agent-cheerleader. Because he’s a writer, he understands how sometimes you can just drown in the imposter syndrome of it all and he does a magnificent job of reminding his authors that our words are important.
-That is so important. What can you tell us about what you are working on now?
I’m very slowly working on a project that I call my disabled girls heist novel. It’s about some disabled teens who steal things. I’ve always loved the idea of heist squads like Oceans 11 (or the new Oceans 8 which I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE) and I wanted to see how it would all happen if they were disabled.
Buckle up for the lightning round, Kati! *hands you a giant chocolate chip cookie for strength
If you had a superpower, what would it be? I’d be a wizard. And probably a Hufflepuff at that.
Wooden pencil or mechanical? Wooden. Ticonderoga only.
Coffee or tea? Coffeeeeeee.
Sweet or salty? Salty
Dog, cat, or other? Dog. Even though mine is snarly with me right now.
Plotter or pantser? Plantser? One thing I learned while editing BRAVE ENOUGH was that I could pour out the words faster if I knew what I was trying to accomplish in the scene.
One last question: Any advice for all those aspiring authors out there? Don’t stop. Don’t feel like you have to do it the way other writers do. You don’t have to outline. You don’t have to write on a Mac or use Scrivener or whatever anyone else might do. You don’t have to write every day. I took MONTHS off when drafting BRAVE ENOUGH. So, write. And do it your way.
Kati Gardner is an author, actor, and childhood cancer survivor. After losing her leg to cancer, she wanted to convey the truth of what being a survivor is like for the many young adults who face it every day. Brave Enough is her debut novel. Find it at your favorite bookstore on August 21st, 2018! Connect with Kati on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook!
Kati Gardner is a writer, actor, and childhood cancer survivor. After losing her leg to cancer, she wanted to convey the truth of what being a survivor is like for the many young adults who face it every day. Her debut YA novel, Brave Enough, is her way of telling their stories.
ON JULY 6TH, 2017 BY ERIC
DEALS: BRAVE ENOUGH BY KATI GARDNER ACQUIRED BY FLUX
POSTED IN:
Brave Enough | Flux | Kati Gardner
kati and flux
I'm so happy this day is finally here.
When Kati Gardner pitched me her novel, I inhaled it immediately. After I turned off my iPad and stopped crying, I was moved to take on Kati as an author and represent her work not just because her novel was a stirring contemporary read, but because I think it's important for someone like Kati to be able to tell a story like this one.
Kati's debut, BRAVE ENOUGH, is about a teen ballerina who loses a leg to cancer... and Kati herself is an amputee and a cancer survivor. The world is full of books with characters living with disabilities and disease, written by people who have never experienced the truth of their fiction.
That needs to change.
Kati's done sensitivity reading for a number of writers over the past year or so, and at now she gets to tell her own story.
I'm thrilled to say that BRAVE ENOUGH will be published by Flux in the Spring of 2018.
In BRAVE ENOUGH, readers meet Cason, a ballerina pushing herself to the limit, with the opportunity of a lifetime on the line... a scholarship and the chance to join one of the most prestigious ballet troupes in the country. And then there's Davis, a recovering drug addict, volunteering in his old oncology unit, with the same people who saved him from the cancer that drove him to drugs three years ago.
The two of them collide when Cason is hospitalized, setting them on a path of physical and emotional recovery, as they navigate their new relationship and get ready to attend cancer camp together.
It reads like a mashup of Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson, Bunheads by Sophie Flack, Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton, and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, and I can't wait for you to read it.
Here's the blip from Publisher's Weekly Children's Bookshelf:
bookshelf blip
Be sure to send Kati all the congrats on Twitter, and wish her and her editor (hi McKelle!) well.
Kati, I'm so proud of you and everything you've accomplished. It has been such an honor getting this book out there, and I can't wait for whatever you do next.
BIO
Kati is a contemporary YA author. She spends an inordinate amount of time thinking of clever things to say on social media and then never publishes them. She has a degree in theater and still loves to sing along with most musicals. Her first novel, BRAVE ENOUGH, will be published in August 2018 from Flux.
PUBLISHING BACKGROUND
I started writing BRAVE ENOUGH in 2011. I didn’t finish the first draft until 2014. In 2015 I set a goal to query at least 15 agents. I queried right at 15 and had some positive responses and a whole lot of passes from agents. I was offered representation by 2 different agents but ultimately signed with Eric Smith. We spent close to a year revising my manuscript before officially going on submission in early 2016. Because of some personal issues we only did one round, with some positive movement, but ultimately no offers until later that year. Almost a year later is when I got my offer.
EXPERIENCE
I have been beta reading, sensitivity reading, and developmental editing since 2016. I have a minor in english with an emphasis in creative writing. I was a mentor in round one of AMM and my mentee has since signed with an agent. Several authors that I have done sensitivity reading with have since landed major book deals.
www.KatiGardner.com
@AuthorKati
AGENT
Eric Smith
WRITES
YA Contemporary
DEBUT
BRAVE ENOUGH (August 21, 2018)
Flux
Gardner, Kati: BRAVE ENOUGH
Kirkus Reviews. (June 1, 2018):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Gardner, Kati BRAVE ENOUGH Flux (Young Adult Fiction) $11.99 8, 21 ISBN: 978-1-63583-020-0
Cancer happened while prima ballerina Cason was busy making other plans; cancer survivor and recovering addict Davis hangs onto his hard-won sobriety and their deepening friendship.
Cason's mother, director of an Atlanta ballet company, taught her driven, perfectionist daughter to power through pain, a strategy that works until she's diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer. On the cusp of professional success and attending school only part-time, Cason's never dated. She's smitten with Davis, who is volunteering in the hospital oncology ward where Cason gets chemotherapy and who helps her endure the indignities of treatment. As their mutual attraction grows, each bolsters the other's self-esteem, but setbacks loom. Davis' relentless craving worsens after he's badly beaten for refusing to pay his ex-girlfriend's drug debt. When Cason's left leg proves unsalvageable, she lashes out at Davis, already reeling from bad news. Like most of the teen cancer survivors depicted here, Cason and Davis are white, affluent, and blessed with first-rate medical care, but a top-notch support system can do only so much. While their peers stretch their wings and aim for the future, these teens learn earlier than most that today is all we have--and that there can be a bracing power to this discovery.
The debut author, a cancer survivor and amputee, covers challenging physical and emotional terrain in compelling detail with compassionate insight and strong storytelling skills. (author's note, resources) (Fiction. 12-16)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Gardner, Kati: BRAVE ENOUGH." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2018. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A540723238/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=7d9e1ac5. Accessed 21 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A540723238
GARDNER, Kati. Brave Enough
Suzanne Fondrie
School Library Journal. 64.6 (June 2018): p88.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
GARDNER, Kati. Brave Enough. 320p. Flux. Aug. 2018. pap. $11.99. ISBN 9781635830200.
Gr 9 Up--Cason Martin lives for ballet and is headed for a prestigious position with a dance company when cancer ends her dream. Davis Channing struggles with the aftermath of cancer and recovery from a narcotics addiction. The teens' shared experiences and pain forge a bond challenged by Cason's controlling mother, Davis's former dealer and an addicted ex-girlfriend, and the necessity of accommodating new ways of living. Gardner roots the story in her childhood, offering readers a glimpse into coping with serious illness and adapting to significant changes, as well as including more typical parent and peer issues. Although Gardner's prose and dialogue are stilted at times--including a few sections of overt medical exposition--the overall emotional impact and small, daily acts of courage carry the book. She chronicles Cason's treatment and therapy lips and downs without over-dramatizing them or avoiding the slow and often ugly process, while Davis's constant desire to use is realistic and raw. A conclusion set at "Camp Chemo" is predictable yet satisfying. VERDICT A solid addition to YA shelves and a next read for fans of John Green's The Fault in Our S tars.--Suzanne Fondrie, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Fondrie, Suzanne. "GARDNER, Kati. Brave Enough." School Library Journal, June 2018, p. 88. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A540902950/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e32dad0d. Accessed 21 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A540902950
BRAVE ENOUGH
Kati Gardner
Flux (Aug 21, 2018)
Softcover $11.99 (320pp)
978-1-63583-020-0
Davis has been through a great deal in his young life. He is a drug addict and, after being convicted of possession with intent to distribute, he has been sentenced to community service in the children’s cancer ward where he was once a patient.
Cason is a ballerina. She works professionally for the Atlanta Ballet Conservatory and dreams of moving to New York. She has been dancing through the pain of what she thinks is a strained thigh, but at an important audition, a snap and searing pain tell her that the injury is far more serious.
In Brave Enough by Kati Gardner, Davis and Cason are brought together at an incredibly difficult time in their lives. Davis is fighting to stay sober; Cason is fighting a new and horrifying illness and is terrified that she may never dance again. Though they are virtual strangers in the beginning of the book, it is the connection and support that they find in one another and in their shared community that allow them to face the most difficult realities of their lives.
The story is heartbreaking, beautiful, and ultimately hopeful. Many of the supporting characters are young cancer patients and survivors. These characters offer insight into what it is like to live with cancer, to be objectified by it, to be labeled as victim or survivor. Throughout the book, the hope of a summer camp for kids with cancer gives them something to look forward to; only there are they allowed to just be kids.
Though the story centers on illness and addiction, the lesson that it has to teach is applicable to each and every life. It is about possessing the will and the courage to face whatever challenges life offers—to be brave enough to hope, dream, and truly live.
Reviewed by Catherine Thureson
July/August 2018
ARC Review: Brave Enough by Kati Gardner
JULY 14, 2018 / SAM @ SLEEPYSAMREADS
35615200 TITLE: Brave Enough
AUTHOR: Kati Gardner
PUBLICATION DATE: August 21st, 2018
GENRE: YA, Contemporary
Special thanks to NetGalley and Flux for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads summary:
Teenager Cason Martin is the youngest ballerina in the Atlanta Ballet Conservatory. She never really had a choice of whether she learned to dance or not. Her mother, the conservatory’s artistic director, has made all the decisions in Cason’s life. But that’s about to change. Cason has been hiding an injury, and it’s much worse than anyone imagines.
Davis Channing understands all too well what it’s like to give up control of your life. He’s survived cancer, but his drug addiction nearly killed him. Now he’s been sober for seven months and enjoying his community service at the hospital. But just when he thinks he’s got it together, Davis’s ex-girlfriend, who is still battling her addiction, barrels back into his life.
Cason and Davis are not friends. But, as their worlds collide, they will start to depend on one another. Can they both be brave enough to beat the odds?
my review
I requested Brave Enough on NetGalley because of the beautiful cover. I don’t even remember if I read the summary. If I had, I don’t know if I would have requested it. Most of the time with books about cancer and sick kids, I find that the authors very rarely have any idea what they’re talking about. They’re usually written by able-bodied people who think they’ve done enough research. I was about 30% into Brave Enough when I realized that the author must be disabled herself.
I’ve never had cancer, but I’ve been disabled my entire life. I spent most of my childhood in a children’s hospital and the rest of the time at doctor appointments. I would go to infusion centers monthly. So I was very skeptical going into this book. I’ve read dozens of books by able-bodied authors who think they know what they’re talking about, when they really don’t.
The moment I realized that this book might be different was when a child life specialist was introduced. I have never seen one in a book, but have met many in real life. I actually wanted to be one for the majority of my teen years.
I didn’t care too much about the romance in the book, but I really enjoyed each of the characters separate stories.
I could feel Cason’s heartbreak over losing her leg. I can relate to so many things that she had to go through. When Cason tried to shower by herself and fell was one of the things I understood all too well. That loss of independence and privacy is devastating. One thing that really made me chuckle was how much Cason loathed her physical therapist. It’s absolutely something I relate with. I had to learn how to walk again when I was 13, which involved seeing a physical therapist 3-4 times a week for months. It was the most frustrated and angry I’ve ever been. I was thankful when it was all over though.
I couldn’t relate as much to Davis’s addiction, but I appreciate how visceral the author wrote him. Addiction is also a very real problem that so many chronically ill/disabled patients have.
One thing that really really got to me was one of the characters talking about how able-bodied people want to call someone who’s disabled ‘an inspiration’ for doing anything they think we shouldn’t be able to do. That’s one of the my biggest pet peeves. I don’t want to be an inspiration to any able-bodied people.
I really did not like Cason’s mom in the beginning. I would say she was one of the worst parents I’ve read in YA. Luckily, she changed a lot throughout the book and was a great mother by the end.
In the author’s note Gardner talks about having childhood cancer and having her leg amputated at the age of eight. She also talks about how desperate she was to find a character like herself. I’m intensely thankful she decided to write this book.
I really recommend this book to those who are disabled. It’s one of the best representations I’ve ever seen. Those who are not will also do good to read it as it would give them an insight into the life so many live.