Steiger, A. J.
WORK TITLE: Mindstormer
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 1982?
WEBSITE:
CITY: Willowbrook
STATE: IL
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
Here is my interview with A.J. Steiger
RESEARCHER NOTES:
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| LCCN Permalink: | https://lccn.loc.gov/n2014011389 |
| HEADING: | Steiger, A. J. |
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| 010 | __ |a n 2014011389 |
| 040 | __ |a DLC |b eng |e rda |c DLC |
| 100 | 1_ |a Steiger, A. J. |
| 670 | __ |a Mindwalker, 2015: |b ECIP t.p. (A.J. Steiger) |
PERSONAL
Born c. 1982.
EDUCATION:Columbia College, B.A., 2005.
ADDRESS
- Home - Willowbrook, IL.
CAREER
Writer, novelist, and transcriptionist.
AVOCATIONS:Anime, dogs, craft beer.
WRITINGS
- NOVELS
- Mindwalker ("Mindwalker" series), Alfred A. Knopf (New York, NY), 2015
- Mindstormer ("Mindwalker" series), Oneworld Publications (London, England), 2018
- When My Heart Joins the Thousand, HarperTeen (New York, NY), 2018
SIDELIGHTS
A.J. Steiger is a writer and novelist based in Willowbrook, Illinois. She works as a freelance writer and a transcriptionist. She attended Columbia College in Chicago, where she majored in fiction writing. In an interview on the Authorsinterviews blog, Steiger noted: “I’ve been writing as long as I can remember. I’ve always had a compulsion to tell stories. Even as a small child, I loved to make up characters and scenarios. I spent a lot of time in my own head.” From a relatively young age, Steiger identified as a writer, she told the Authorsinterviews writer. She first considered herself a writer “around age twelve. That’s when I really decided that this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life—that it wasn’t just a hobby I’d eventually tire of, it was a part of my identity.”
In the interview, Steiger also offered some advice for prospective writers. “Find a good beta reader (or ideally, several). A beta reader should be someone who reads within your genre, who really gets your work, and who’s not afraid to be honest. That’s important, because feedback from someone who’s not on the same wavelength can screw you up; someone who only reads spy thrillers probably won’t be an ideal beta reader for an introspective, relationship-driven novel, or vice versa.” In addition, “if you’re striving to be published, learn how to write a good query letter and get feedback on your query letter, too,” she continued.
Mindwalker
Mindwalker, Steiger’s first novel, is a tale of futuristic dystopian science fiction in which mental health, psychological stability, and prescription psychotropic drugs are prominent. Technology has eliminated the most common ills of American society, including war, violence, and crime. The population is segmented into numbered categories, with fours having the higher occurrence of mental disabilities and other psychological disorders. Citizens of this time period are given “conditioning” that helps control their thoughts and behavior. Suicide pills are readily available, and a type of controlling shock collar is installed on individuals who have been named unstable by the authorities. Individuals are closely monitored to ensure they don’t experience any kind of mental disorder or get involved in any disturbances. Those who have unpleasant, traumatic, or negative memories can undergo a process called Mindwalking, in which a trained Mindwalker enters the person’s thoughts and removes the unwanted memories.
Main character Lain Fisher is a seventeen-year-old high school student who is in training to become a Mindwalker. She lives a relatively bland life with only a stuffed squirrel named Nutter and a holographic cat that gives her any information she needs. A housekeeper stops by three times a week. Lain realizes that becoming a Mindwalker is a privilege. Her own aptitude makes it possible that she can become one of the best Mindwalkers who has ever worked with a patient. However, she also notes that her work with trauma victims is starting to have affect on her own mental health and physical well-being.
While dealing with the effects of her training, Lain is asked by Steven, a classmate and a Type Four in the psychological caste system, to remove some horrible memories of brutal child abuse he suffered. The situation becomes more complex when he reveals that he wants her to do the Mindwalking procedure without the usually safeguards and the supervision of the Institute for Ethics in Neurotechnology. She agrees, but as the treatment proceeds, she discovers that his memories are “more complicated and dangerous than either teen imagined,” noted School Library Journal contributor Maggie Knapp. Soon, both Lain and Steven have discovered disturbing facts about the government, Lain’s deceased father, and their society. At the same time, the two have developed a romantic interest in each other. Forced to choose between living in a mind-controlled society and leaving with Steven, she chooses to go on the run with him to escape the country’s malignant mind controllers.
“Science fiction fans who enjoy worlds that could stem from modern-day society will immediately take up this novel’s story line,” commented Lauren Straub in a review in Voice of Youth Advocates. “Steiger poses some unsettling questions about mental health and the potential reality of mind control,” observed Jeanne Fredriksen in a Booklist review.
Mindstormer
Mindstormer is the sequel to Mindwalker. In this volume, Lain finds herself waking up in a sterile-looking room with no memory of how she got there. When she is allegedly rescued by strangers in holomasks, her situation takes an even more sinister turn. The truth finally comes out when she discovers that Dr. Swan, her guardian, cleared her memory so that she would forget the terrible atrocities committed by the Institute for Ethics in Neurotechnology (IFEN). Lain is able to recover her memories, and after doing so, she escapes from IFEN and heads to the Citadel, the headquarters of a group of teens who call themselves the Blackcoats and who have banded together to fight the control of the Institute, the government, and the sources that control the population’s thoughts. Soon, she finds out more about both the Institute and the Blackcoats, and the information she finds about each group is disturbing. Lain is confronted with choosing which side she should support and which concept of freedom she can feel justified in accepting.
A Kirkus Reviews writer stated, “this plot-driven, romance-laden tale of youth empowerment will surely please genre fans.” School Library Journal commentator Liz Overberg observed, “This sequel poses some interesting ethical questions about human rights and war tactics.”
When My Heart Joins the Thousand
When My Heart Joins the Thousand is a contemporary story that is based more in reality than fantasy or science fiction. Protagonist Alvie Fitz is a seventeen-year-old female who struggles to maintain her independent lifestyle in the face of her autism spectrum disorder. She lives alone and holds down a job working with animals at a local zoo. She believes she will be able to become fully emancipated if she can sustain her success at independent living. If not, she is likely to spend the rest of her life in a group home. When she meets nineteen-year-old college student Stanley Finkel, Alvie finds herself eager to experience some of the more adult aspects of life, such as having a boyfriend and engaging in sex. Gradually, Stanley and Alvie form a sex-free romantic relationship that gives both of them the chance to experience the positive emotions that their lives have so far denied them. A bump in their relationship—she panics when he tells her he loves her—causes Alvie to cut ties with Stanley. However, after going through more difficulties, including losing her job and becoming homeless, she realizes that she needs to find him again to be truly happy. “Their love is hard-fought and deservedly earned,” commented Kefira Phillipe, writing in School Library Journal.
“Steiger’s book is unusual in frankly portraying the sexual interest and desire of a young woman with Asperger’s, and her interest in a romantic relationship despite the difficulty she has with interpreting social cues,” commented Christian Perring on the website Metapsychology Online Reviews. A Kirkus Reviews writer called the book a “gorgeous love story of depth and raw emotion that beautifully dismantles the ugly perceptions of autism.” Beth Green, writing in Voice of Youth Advocates called the novel a “wonderful look inside the mind of a neuroatypical young adult who is attempting to create the life she wants and live it to the fullest.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, May 15, 2015, Jeanne Fredriksen, review of Mindwalker, p. 63; November 15, 2017, Heather Booth, review of When My Heart Joins the Thousand, p. 54.
Guardian (London, England), December 16, 2015, review of Mindwalker.
Horn Book, fall, 2015, Barratt C. Miller, review of Mindwalker, p. 140.
Kirkus Reviews, November 1, 2017, review of When My Heart Joins the Thousand; April 15, 2018, review of Mindstormer.
School Library Journal, February, 2015, Maggie Knapp, review of Mindwalker, p. 109; January, 2018, Kefira Phillipe, review of When My Heart Joins the Thousand, p. 90; March, 2018, Liz Overberg, review of Mindstormer, p. 123.
Voice of Youth Advocates, June, 2015, Lauren Straub, review of Mindwalker, p. 83; February, 2018, Beth H. Green, review of When My Heart Joins the Thousand, p. 62.
ONLINE
Authorsinterviews blog, http://authorsinterviews.wordpress.com/ (October 9, 2018), interview with A. J. Steiger.
Metapsychology Online Reviews, http://metapsychology.mentalhelp.net (April 17, 2018), Christian Perring, review of When My Heart Joins the Thousand.
Penguin Random House website, http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/ (July 17, 2018), biography of A.J. Steiger.
Rising Shadow, https://www.risingshadow.net/ (June 1, 2017), review of Mindstormer.
Rock the Boat, http://www.rocktheboat.london/ (July 17, 2018), interview with A.J. Steiger.
- Mindwalker ( "Mindwalker" series) Alfred A. Knopf (New York, NY), 2015
- When My Heart Joins the Thousand HarperTeen (New York, NY), 2018
- Mindstormer (The Mindwalker Series) - 2018 Oneworld Publications, https://smile.amazon.com/Mindstormer-Mindwalker-J-Steiger/dp/1780749260/ref=sr_1_3_twi_pap_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528684988&sr=8-3&keywords=Steiger%2C+A.+J.
- Rock the Boat - https://www.rocktheboat.london/authors/a-j-steiger/
A.J. Steiger
A.J. Steiger majored in Fiction Writing at Columbia College, Chicago, and her lifelong interest in psychology and social justice issues led her to write Mindwalker. This is her debut novel and its sequel, Mindstormer, is to follow. She lives in Illinois, USA.
Rock the Boat: How did you come up with the idea of a ‘mindwalker’, someone who trains to wipe away bad memories?
A.J. Steiger: Memory modification has been a sci-fi trope for a long time, but there aren’t many examples of it being used as a form of therapy. It struck me as logical that if the technology existed, people would want to use it to forget traumatic experiences like childhood abuse, assault, and war. Of course, there’s also a strong possibility that such technology would be misused by those in power.
Rock the Boat: This book is psychologically fascinating. Are you interested in psychology?
A.J. Steiger: Absolutely. Psychology is the study of the human condition. It’s about who we are and why we do the things we do. In order to create convincing characters, writers need to have a feel for what makes people tick and what goes on beneath the surface, so I think all writers have to be interested in psychology.
Rock the Boat: If you were in Lain’s place, and Steven asked you to ‘illegally’ wipe away a memory, what would you do?
A.J. Steiger: I’d probably do the same thing she did. Generally speaking, I try to follow the rules, but I think there are situations in life where you have to break the rules in order to do the right thing. Whether I’d become a Mindwalker in the first place is another question. I’d probably have some reservations about the idea of messing around in people’s heads.
Rock the Boat: Has dystopian literature played a big role in your literary life?
A.J. Steiger: I read George Orwell’s 1984 as a teenager, and it made a big impression on me. Ironically, I didn’t start reading young adult dystopian novels until I was older, but now I’m addicted to them. I find it fascinating to see different people’s ideas about what the future might look like, and dystopian fiction always delves into interesting ethical questions. How much freedom should we be willing to trade for security? What is the nature of freedom?
Rock the Boat: What do you think the world will be like in 100 years?
A.J. Steiger: Either civilization will have collapsed and we’ll be back to riding horses and using candles for light, or we’ll be advanced in ways I can’t even imagine. I mean, who in the 1800s could have predicted the Internet? The Victorians thought we’d be sending around information in pneumatic tubes. I don’t see us colonizing other planets (though that would be pretty cool). I see us using technology to delve deeper into ourselves and enhance our connections to each other in ways that will change what it means to be human. It could be really amazing and wonderful, but it could also give people new and horrible ways to hurt and control each other.
Rock the Boat: What memory would you never want to erase?
A.J. Steiger: I don’t think I’d want to erase any of them, even the sad or frightening ones. Our memories are the fabric of who we are. For the most part, I like who I am, so I wouldn’t want to risk changing that.
Rock the Boat: From an early age, Lain thought she was destined to be a mindwalker. Did you always think you’d be a writer?
A.J. Steiger: For as long as I can remember, yes. I was “writing” before I even knew how to write—I’d tell stories and ask my parents to write them down. I’ve always had that itch to invent worlds and characters and share them with others.
Rock the Boat: What did writing ‘Mindwalker’ teach you about yourself?
A.J. Steiger: It taught me about the importance of being flexible and trying different things. The book underwent a ton of changes from the initial draft to the final product. Overall, I feel that those changes made it a better story.
Rock the Boat: If you could bring five books and one food with you on a deserted island, what would they be?
A.J. Steiger: The food would be pepperoni pizza, because that’s the one thing I never get tired of (and because the calcium, protein, and caloric density would be useful from a survivalist standpoint). If I had to choose only five books: The Magicians by Lev Grossman, Halfway Human by Carolyn Ives Gilman, Tailchaser’s Song by Tad Williams, The Waste Lands by Stephen King, and Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind.
Rock the Boat: Finally, do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
A.J. Steiger: Be persistent. It sounds clichéd, but I truly believe that determination and hard work are much more important than raw talent. The odds favor those who keep trying. Also, read a lot. Read outside your preferred genre. Read fiction and nonfiction. And have fun! Write about ideas that excite you and characters you can fall in love with. Writing is a time-consuming, often solitary exercise, so if you don’t love doing it, you’ll get burned out pretty quickly.
Books by A.J. Steiger
MindstormerLain Fisher has had her memories wiped. But what is she supposed to forget?
- Penguin Random House - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/223989/aj-steiger
About the Author
A. J. Steiger graduated from Columbia College in Chicago, where she majored in fiction writing. She has lived her whole life in the Chicago suburbs, though she enjoys regular visits to other galaxies and dimensions in her mind. She’s a freelance writer and transcriptionist with an enthusiasm for anime and pancake houses. This is her first book for young adults.
- Author Interviews - https://authorsinterviews.wordpress.com/2015/10/09/here-is-my-interview-with-a-j-steiger/
Here is my interview with A.J. Steiger
09
Friday
Oct 2015Posted by fionamcvie1964 in Uncategorized
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Name: A.J. Steiger
Age: 33
Where are you from: The Chicago suburbs
A little about your self, ie your education Family life etc:
I graduated from Columbia College in 2005 with a degree in Fiction Writing. I love craft beer, anime, and dogs.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news?
MINDSTORMER, the sequel to MINDWALKER, will be coming out in spring of 2016.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
I’ve been writing as long as I can remember. I’ve always had a compulsion to tell stories. Even as a small child, I loved to make up characters and scenarios. I spent a lot of time in my own head.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Probably around age twelve. That’s when I really decided that this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life—that it wasn’t just a hobby I’d eventually tire of, it was a part of my identity.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?
My first full-length book was a fantasy novel I wrote as a teenager. I was reading a lot of fantasy at the time and I was in love with the idea of one day seeing my own story on bookstore shelves. Of course, I still had a lot to learn as a writer so my first novel was full of clichés, but it was satisfying to finish something.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style?
Lately I’ve been writing in first person present tense. I like the immediacy of it, and it helps you really get into a character’s head. It’s her story told in her voice.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
It just kind of popped into my mind, and I liked how it sounded.
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
There are a lot of messages, but I think the biggest one is about truth. If you try to erase or hide from something painful, whether on an individual or societal level, it usually makes things worse. Sometimes, the most painful memories are the ones we can learn the most from.
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic?
MINDWALKER takes place in the future, but it touches on a lot of current issues, such as domestic terrorism, government surveillance, and the social stigma around mental illness. Also, the technology that exists in the book—such as procedures that can change people’s memories—is already being researched. So in that sense, I think it’s pretty realistic.
Fiona: Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Not directly, but there’s a lot of myself in all my characters.
Fiona: What books have most influenced your life most? a mentor?
When I was younger I read a lot of Stephen King. I loved the combination of darkness and humanity in his books. They were about horrifying things, but they always left you with some hope. I also had some wonderful teachers at Columbia.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. It starts out a little slow, but once you get into it, it has its own distinct style that’s really compelling.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Corinne Duyvis. I haven’t read any of her books yet but I keep hearing good things about them. I like stories about outsiders, people who are different.
Fiona: What are your current projects?
I’ve already finished the sequel to MINDWALKER. I’m also working on a contemporary YA novel called ALVIE FITZ.
Fiona: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
Just one? I’ve had support from so many great people. My friends, my agent, and of course, my readers. But if I had to pick one it would be my partner, Joe. He’s always encouraged me and been there for me, whether I need feedback or just need to vent about something.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
Absolutely. I’d like to think that MINDWALKER is just the beginning.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Not a lot. The book went through a lot of editing, and on the whole, I’m satisfied with how it came out. But if I had the opportunity to edit it again, I’m sure I’d find little things I wanted to tweak.
Fiona: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
As a kid, I loved movies and books. It just seemed natural to want to create my own stories.
Fiona: Can you share a little of your current work with us?
I’m working on a book called ALVIE FITZ, which is about a teenage girl with autism struggling to live an independent life and overcome a past trauma. It’s also a love story.
Fiona: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Sometimes you have to just keep pushing through, even when inspiration fails. It can be tough to keep writing when you feel like it’s not working, but as the saying goes, you can’t edit a blank page. If you can just get your ideas down on paper (or screen), even if they’re still rough, you can work towards improving them.
Fiona: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
It’s tough for me to pick just one! Like I said, Stephen King was a favorite when I was younger, but his later work doesn’t have the same spark for me—I’m not sure if his style changed or if my tastes did. I also really love Lev Grossman’s work, The Magicians and its sequels. The writing is so rich, I feel like you could pluck any random sentence from those books and there’d be something clever or interesting about it.
Fiona: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?
No. I was considering going to the UK to speak at a writing festival, but that fell through. I tend to be a homebody, so I focus on what I can do from here, but I would like to travel a little more in the future.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
My publisher, Knopf. And I’m really happy with it. It captures the mood and tone of the book perfectly—there’s something both intimate and mysterious about it.
Fiona: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Figuring out how to end a book is always tough for me. Real life doesn’t have endings, things just change, so an ending always feels somewhat artificial.
Fiona: Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Persistence. This book went through a ton of edits, but the effort was worth it.
Fiona: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Find a good beta reader (or ideally, several). A beta reader should be someone who reads within your genre, who really gets your work, and who’s not afraid to be honest. That’s important, because feedback from someone who’s not on the same wavelength can screw you up; someone who only reads spy thrillers probably won’t be an ideal beta reader for an introspective, relationship-driven novel, or vice versa.
Also, if you’re striving to be published, learn how to write a good query letter and get feedback on your query letter, too.
Fiona: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
That I hope MINDWALKER gives them some things to think about, as well as keeping them entertained. That’s what I strive for, anyway.
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
One of the earliest books I remember reading (aside from picture books as a small child) is Bunnicula, the story of a vampire bunny who befriends a dog and cat. I also loved the Redwall novels.
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
The Internet. It’s changing our culture in a lot of ways, and that can be both a good thing and a bad thing. I’ve seen some hilarious and clever stuff online, as well as some very moving and meaningful things, and have connected with some cool people. I’ve also seen and read some really troubling stuff. Online, many people feel that they can say anything without consequence, and that exposes some of the darkness in our collective soul.
Fiona: Is there one person past or present you would meet and why?
Edward Snowden. I just think it would be fascinating to talk to him.
Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone and why ?
I’m planning to be cremated so I likely won’t have a headstone. Even if I did, I’m not sure how I’d answer that question. It’s really hard to come up with a single message that you want to leave the world with.
Fiona: Other than writing do you have any hobbies ?
Reading (of course), drawing, going to zoos and museums, visiting the city, spending time with my loved ones, and going for walks out in nature.
Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?
Breaking Bad and Lost are my favorite live action shows. I also enjoy a lot of anime, especially science fiction like Psycho-Pass and Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Fiona: Favorite foods / Colors/ Music
Pizza and sushi/amber. As for music, I listen to everything from symphonic metal to Broadway musicals. There’s no genre of music I’m closed to. I even like the occasional country or hiphop song.
Fiona: If you were not a writer what else would you like to have done?
If I couldn’t write I’d probably be an artist. I need a creative outlet. But I’d probably keep my day job too. It seems even tougher to make a living as an artist than as a writer.
Fiona: Do you have a blog/website? If so what is it?
Just my Twitter page: https://twitter.com/AJ_Steiger
One of these days I’ll probably get on Facebook.
Amazon Authors page http://www.amazon.com/A.J.-Steiger/e/B00OI0YZRC/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1
Steiger, A.J.: MINDSTORMER
Kirkus Reviews.
(Apr. 15, 2018): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Steiger, A.J. MINDSTORMER Oneworld Publications (Young Adult Fiction) $11.99 6, 12 ISBN: 978-1-7807-4926-6
Can an uprising continue when one of its public faces has her memories altered to believe it's terrorism?
In this sequel to Mindwalker (2015), Lain, now 18, wakes up in a white-walled room with no memory of how she got there. Soon, unfamiliar people in holomasks, claiming to be her allies, come to rescue her. The truth emerges: Dr. Swan, Lain's guardian, wiped her memories so she would forget the atrocities his organization, IFEN, committed. After taking a pill to restore those memories, Lain escapes to the Citadel, the Canadian stronghold of the Blackcoats, a majority- teen resistance group. There, as Lain learns more about government-sanctioned IFEN's illegal experiments and the Blackcoats' plans for catalyzing political upheaval through violence, Lain questions which group really has the best interests of the United Republic of America at heart. Is freedom "the easy choice" or "a contract signed in blood?" Part Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, part Hunger Games, this plot-driven, romance-laden tale of youth empowerment will surely please genre fans. Though characters remain on the extreme side, Steiger (When My Heart Joins the Thousand, 2018, etc.) better develops the sequel's dystopian United States and more deeply interrogates the systems of oppression it uses to isolate its citizens based on mental health. The cast assumes a white default. The Blackcoats' leader, Zebra, uses a wheelchair but is rarely seen.
A relevant read for the youthquake generation. (Dystopian romance. 12-adult)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Steiger, A.J.: MINDSTORMER." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Apr. 2018. Book Review Index Plus,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A534375034/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=d9a84dad. Accessed 10 June 2018.
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Steiger, A.J.: When My Heart Joins
the Thousand
Beth H. Green
Voice of Youth Advocates.
40.6 (Feb. 2018): p62. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2018 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
Steiger, A.J. When My Heart Joins the Thousand. HarperTeen, February 2018. 352p. $17.99. 978-0-06-265647-6.
5Q * 4P * S
Alvie is a young lady approaching her eighteenth birthday. She has always been viewed as "different," especially during her childhood in which she exhibited behaviors that were unlike her those of her peers. Doctors and medications tried to make her "normal." Orphaned by her mothers death when Alvie was eleven, she lives by herself now, visits a counselor to work on interpersonal skills, and is an animal caretaker at the local zoo. Every day, at the same time, Alvie visits the duck pond at a park, and there is a young man who comes at the same time. One day, Alvie sees him throw his cell phone into the pond, and, after he leaves, she retrieves the phone, whereupon she learns his name is Stanley Finkel. They begin an online correspondence, and Alvie becomes close to Stanley. Worried about the possibility of being declared a ward of the state and forced into a group home before she achieves emancipation, Alvie attempts to "fix" her life using routines and boundaries. As her friendship with Stanley becomes more, it offers more intensity and acceptance than Alvie has experienced before.
When My Heart Joins the Thousand is a wonderful look inside the mind of a neuroatypical young adult who is attempting to create the life she wants and live it to the fullest. Her romance with Stanley, also someone outside the "norm," adds depth and beauty to Alvie's story. Alvie's flashbacks throughout the story depict the cruel treatment she endured and sensitive readers may have a difficult time reading about it. --Beth H. Green.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Green, Beth H. "Steiger, A.J.: When My Heart Joins the Thousand." Voice of Youth Advocates,
3 of 13 6/10/18, 9:40 PM
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Feb. 2018, p. 62. Book Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A529357146 /GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=6531bd40. Accessed 10 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A529357146
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When My Heart Joins the Thousand
Heather Booth
Booklist.
114.6 (Nov. 15, 2017): p54. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
When My Heart Joins the Thousand.
By A. J. Steiger.
Feb. 2018.352p. HarperTeen, $17.99 (9780062656476); e-book, $17.99 (9780062656490). Gr. 9-12.
At 17, Alvie bears more responsibility with less support than many adults. She lives alone, holds a full-time job caring for animals at a zoo, and is navigating the legal system to gain full emancipation. And she does all of this as a person with autism spectrum disorder. When circumstance brings Stuart into Alvie's life, she sees their connection as an opportunity to experience sex and to fulfill her social worker's advice to form friendships; but it fosters stronger and more complicated feelings for Stuart. For his part, Stuart--who has his own emotional and physical challenges--sees goodness in Alvie that she's unable to see in herself. Steiger offers a glimpse into the challenges people with autism encounter, including interacting with law enforcement, applying for jobs, dealing with the vagaries of a diagnosis, and sustaining mutually satisfying relationships. Alvie is an empathetic and likable character who struggles with her shortcomings and knows her strengths. Readers will want to console her when she hits rock bottom and swoon alongside her at the satisfying conclusion.--Heather Booth
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Booth, Heather. "When My Heart Joins the Thousand." Booklist, 15 Nov. 2017, p. 54. Book
Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A517441865/GPS?u=schlager& sid=GPS&xid=5d010349. Accessed 10 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A517441865
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Steiger, A.J.: WHEN MY HEART JOINS THE THOUSAND
Kirkus Reviews.
(Nov. 1, 2017): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Steiger, A.J. WHEN MY HEART JOINS THE THOUSAND HarperTeen (Children's Fiction) $17.99 2, 6 ISBN: 978-0-06-265647-6
"Nutjob." "Robo-tard." "Weirdo." All of her life, 17-year-old orphan Alvie Fitz has dealt with name-calling and cruelty.
At this point in time, Alvie, who is autistic, doesn't care about happiness. All that matters is convincing a judge she's emotionally, mentally, and financially ready for emancipation; she has her GED and has already been supporting herself for some time. If she can't, she'll spend the rest of her life in a group home as a ward of the state. Boundaries and routine make up the foundation of the protective wall Alvie's been building around herself since her mother died when she was 11, but 19-year-old college student Stanley Finkel shakes that foundation, gently and gradually forcing Alvie out of her comfort zone. Stanley also stands out in a world that doesn't easily accept people outside the mainstream. He was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition that results in bones that break easily, and uses a cane for support. Stanley doesn't erase the autism by ignoring it; he accepts it as part of her but doesn't define her by it. Alvie's first-person narration presents readers with a fully developed picture of a person with autism; she's frank, observant, and funny. The book's title is inspired by a line from Watership Down, a book Alvie turns to time and again because she identifies with the rabbits' plight to survive. All characters appear to be white.
A gorgeous love story of depth and raw emotion that beautifully dismantles the ugly perceptions of autism. (Fiction. 14-adult)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Steiger, A.J.: WHEN MY HEART JOINS THE THOUSAND." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Nov. 2017.
Book Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A512028638 /GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=ffc91da2. Accessed 10 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A512028638
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Steiger, A. J.: Mindwalker
Lauren Straub
Voice of Youth Advocates.
38.2 (June 2015): p83. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2015 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
3Q * 4P * S Steiger, A. J. Mindwalker. Knopf/Random House, 2015. 400p. $17.99. 978-0-55349713-7.
In a futuristic setting, the world revolves around prescription drugs and mental health--those who go against the grain and do not follow the norms are moved into categories, with the Fours being on the higher end of the mental disabilities. The human population has turned the world into something that is closely monitored for any signs of disorder and disturbance. Lain, a seventeen- year-old high school student, is in training to be a Mindwalker--someone who can take on the memories of traumatized individuals to help them forever erase what they wish to forget. Steven, a Four and one of her classmates, asks her to erase his memories, but without the supervision of Lain's training institute. While exploring his brain, Lain discovers something beyond what she expects, something that could unravel the society that she knows.
Science fiction fans who enjoy worlds that could stem from modern-day society will immediately take up this novel's story line. With today's issues of mental health and prescription medication, Lain's future society is a plausible one. Central ideas of identity and privacy are prevalent throughout the novel and can provide an in-depth classroom discussion about how far society is allowed to probe into an individual's life. --Lauren Straub.
Straub, Lauren
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Straub, Lauren. "Steiger, A. J.: Mindwalker." Voice of Youth Advocates, June 2015, p. 83. Book
Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A418845037/GPS?u=schlager& sid=GPS&xid=2aa1fb77. Accessed 10 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A418845037
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Mindwalker
Jeanne Fredriksen
Booklist.
111.18 (May 15, 2015): p63. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2015 American Library Association http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Mindwalker.
By A. J. Steiger.
2015. 400p. Knopf, $17.99 (9780553497137). Gr. 9-12.
Lain Fisher, 17, lives in a war-, violence-, crime-free America, thanks to the government and the Institute for Ethics in Neurotechnology. The population is controlled through "conditioning" and can undergo "Mindwalking," a process that removes negative memories, leaving behind only homogeneous sociability. While Lain is training to become a Mindwalker (one who removes memories), she meets Steven, a victim of horrific child abuse who is a "Type Four" in the caste system; he wears a collar that monitors his brain and actions and "tazes" him if he becomes violent. Steven asks Lain to remove his most painful memories illegally. During clandestine sessions, they discover disturbing secrets about the government and Lain's deceased father. When Lain's meetings with Steven are discovered, she is forced to choose between her career and escaping with Steven, for whom she is foiling. Steiger poses some unsettling questions about mental health and the potential reality of mind control. Action from first to last page will invigorate the brain waves of dystopian-fiction fans.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Fredriksen, Jeanne. "Mindwalker." Booklist, 15 May 2015, p. 63. Book Review Index Plus,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A417738640/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=a9e2a0ea. Accessed 10 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A417738640
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STEIGER, A.J.: Mindstormer
Liz Overberg
School Library Journal.
64.3 (Mar. 2018): p123. From Book Review Index Plus.
COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
STEIGER, AJ. Mindstormer. 432p. Rock the Boat. Jun. 2018. pap. $11.99. ISBN 9781780749266.
Gr 9 Up--When readers last saw 18-year-old Lain Fisher in Mindwalker, she was headed to Canada to join the resistance movement against the all-powerful Institute for Ethics in Neurotechnology (IFEN). Now, three months later, she is a prisoner at IFEN and her memories of the past several months have been erased, including all memories of Steven, the boy whose story of abuse and trauma turned her away from IFEN in the first place. The majority of this fast-paced second novel is devoted to exploring Lain's introduction to the resistance, known as the Blackcoats, her time training with them as a soldier, and the events that led up to her capture and memory modification by IFEN. Throughout, introspective Lain grapples with right and wrong, sacrifice and necessity, duty and ethics, and must decide how far she is willing to go to fight for the Blackcoats' cause. At center stage is Lain's relationship with Steven, which is strained by their induction into the Blackcoats' ranks. To complicate matters, Lain's best friend Ian also joins the resistance, creating a love triangle that is sure to appeal to teen romance fans. The ending seems to set the stage for a third entry in the series, but an awkward tacked on epilogue suggests that this is the end of Lain's story. This sequel poses some interesting ethical questions about human rights and war tactics. VERDICT Recommended for fans of romantic dystopian novels or those who enjoyed the first installment.--Liz Overberg, Zionsville Community High School, IN
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Overberg, Liz. "STEIGER, A.J.: Mindstormer." School Library Journal, Mar. 2018, p. 123. Book
Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A529863639/GPS?u=schlager& sid=GPS&xid=b4ad75dd. Accessed 10 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A529863639
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STEIGER, A.J.: When My Heart
Joins the Thousand
Kefira Phillipe
School Library Journal.
64.1 (Jan. 2018): p90+. From Book Review Index Plus.
COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
* STEIGER, A.J. When My Heart Joins the Thousand. 352p. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. Feb. 2018. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780062656476.
Gr 10 Up--Alvie is 17. She enjoys her routine of working at the zoo, coming home to her apartment, playing on her laptop, and going to the park near her home. After running away from foster care, she has been living on her own and is eager to be legally emancipated. Sitting in the park one day, she sees a boy (Stanley) throw his cell phone into the pond. She rescues the phone, emails him, and an online friendship quickly develops. When Stanley wants to meet in person, Alvie asks him if they can have sex. Although nothing is consummated, a romantic relationship starts to build between them. When Stanley tells Alvie he loves her, she panics and cuts off contact with him. This sends her into a spiral, which ultimately results in her losing her job and becoming homeless. It is only after she reconnects with Stanley and faces the truth about her past that she can find happiness. Flashbacks to Alvie's childhood, her difficulties at school, and her relationship with her mother add depth and understanding to her character. Her meltdowns and behavioral quirks (an interest in rabbits, a love of the book Watership Down) add dimension to what is a fully realized portrayal of a person living with Asperger's. As her romantic foil, Stanley's character is initially a little too perfect, but as the story progresses it is made clear that he struggles with his own issues. This is a love story that could also appeal to adult readers. Their love is hard-fought and deservedly earned. VERDICT Recommended for all YA collections.-- Kefira Phillipe, Nichols Middle School, Evanston, IL
KEY: * Excellent in relation to other titles on the same subject or In the same genre | Tr Hardcover trade binding | lib. ed. Publisher's library binding | Board Board book | pap. Paperback | e eBook original | BL Bilingual | POP Popular Picks
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Phillipe, Kefira. "STEIGER, A.J.: When My Heart Joins the Thousand." School Library Journal,
Jan. 2018, p. 90+. Book Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A521876246 /GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=b0bf1627. Accessed 10 June 2018.
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Steiger, A. J.: Mindwalker
Barratt C. Miller
The Horn Book Guide.
26.2 (Fall 2015): p140. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2015 The Horn Book, Inc. http://www.hornbookguide.com
Full Text:
Steiger, A. J. Mindwalker
394 pp. Knopf ISBN 978-0-553-49713-7 $17.99 EBOOK ISBN 978-0-553-49715-1
(3) Lain Fisher gets more than she bargained for when she agrees to use her Mindwalker training to remove Steven Bent's traumatic memories. Her illegal treatment reveals a conspiracy that could unravel their society, where class is determined by mental health. This suspenseful dystopia expertly incorporates elements of philosophy and romance, creating a compelling tale with plenty of food for thought.
Miller, Barratt C.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Miller, Barratt C. "Steiger, A. J.: Mindwalker." The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2015, p. 140. Book
Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A431723456/GPS?u=schlager& sid=GPS&xid=0ef32eea. Accessed 10 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A431723456
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Steiger, A.J.: Mindwalker
Maggie Knapp
School Library Journal.
61.2 (Feb. 2015): p109. From Book Review Index Plus.
COPYRIGHT 2015 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
STEIGER, A.J. Mindwalker. 400p. Knopf. Jun. 2015. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780553497137; lib. ed. $20.99. ISBN 9780553497144; ebk. ISBN 9780553497151. LC 2014003541.
Gr 9 Up--Lain lives alone, with only her stuffed squirrel, Nutter, for comfort; her holographic cat to meet her information needs; and a housekeeper who comes three times a week, to keep things running smoothly. When she's not in high school, the 17-year-old trains as a Mindwalker, an elite position wherein she helps troubled clients forget everything from painful romantic breakups to war crimes. Lain has the gifts to be one of the best Mindwalkers ever, but the frequent neural links with trauma victims are taking their toll on her own mental and physical health. In this highly controlled future, cloning is common, suicide pills are advertised openly, and shock collars are placed on those the authorities deem unstable. When Steven, a desperate Type Four classmate begs her to help him forget a childhood trauma, she goes against Dr. Swan and those at the Institute for Ethics in Neurotechnology, and sees him in secret. Steven's memories are more complicated and dangerous than either teen imagined, and it isn't long before Lain and Steven have short-circuited her self-driving car and gone on the run. As their friendship turns into mutual attraction, they realize that continuing to look for answers could prove deadly. This novel is more dystopian romance than pure science fiction. VERDICT This is unlikely to linger long in most readers' minds; an additional purchase for large libraries.--Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX
Knapp, Maggie
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Knapp, Maggie. "Steiger, A.J.: Mindwalker." School Library Journal, Feb. 2015, p. 109. Book
Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A399887087/GPS?u=schlager& sid=GPS&xid=fe7e351c. Accessed 10 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A399887087
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- Metapsychology Online Reviews
http://metapsychology.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=book&id=8067&cn=156
Word count: 398Review - When My Heart Joins the Thousand
by A. J. Steiger
Harper Audio, 2018
Review by Christian Perring
Apr 17th 2018 (Volume 22, Issue 16)When My Heart Joins the Thousand is a YA novel about a 17 year old girl Alvie Fitz who has Asperger's and has had a very troubled past. She lives on her own, earning a living by working at a local small zoo. She has no friends and no family, so she is very isolated, but it doesn't bother her. She loves animals and in her spare time she reads and learns about science. But she sees a boy at the local park throw away his phone, and she contacts him. She and Stanley get on well, and text a lot. It turns out that he too has no family, and he has many medical problems. He is also a loner, although he goes to college. The story is largely a romance, including some explicit sexual acts. But the path to the romance is very rocky, because Alvie's life is so precarious and she has such a hard time working out how to cope with other people.
The book also contains many flashbacks and revelations about the past. We learn about both Alvie's and Stanley's very dysfunctional childhoods, including hospitalizations and foster homes. Some of the strongest parts of the book are the portrayals of the teasing and taunting Alvie is subjected to, including some awful bullying. The authorities blame Alvie when she gets angry and violent in reaction, and so she is the one to get punished.
Steiger's book is unusual in frankly portraying the sexual interest and desire of a young woman with Asperger's, and her interest in a romantic relationship despite the difficulty she has with interpreting social cues. Alvie is a charismatic narrator, often funny in her observations and comments, precisely because they are so honest and socially inappropriate. Sometimes the story seems a bit excessive in how bad things were for both of the main characters, with one secret after another gradually revealed, each more dramatic than the last. But it makes the book engaging. Tavia Gilbert's performance of the unabridged audiobook brings out Alvie's energy and emotions, but is relatively restrained, which enhances the power of the story.
© 2018 Christian Perring
Christian Perring teaches in NYC.
- The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/dec/16/mindwalker-aj-steiger-review
Word count: 804Mindwalker by AJ Steiger – review
‘So believable it’s a little bit frightening to even think about’
smileyblondeee
Guardian children's books site teen reviewer
Wed 16 Dec 2015 07.00 EST
Last modified on Wed 20 Sep 2017 06.18 EDTMindwalker is a science fiction, dystopian novel with a difference. I don’t know about anyone else I’ve started to steer clear of dystopian novel as I’m finding they’re all merging into the same type of narrative. Teenagers in a future with some sort of separation system and a hidden violence or secret of some sort. Mindwalker is different. It’s got something about that made me really stop and worry about which way our future technology is heading. So believable it’s a little bit frightening to even think about.
Lain Walker is seventeen and lives in a future (not too far away) with technology that can literally change the way we think. Lain is a mindwalker, on the way to following in her fathers footsteps of being able to change people for the better… or is it all just a lie? Mindwalkers have the ability to explore and experience the memories of their clients and then simply take them away so they can’t remember. Everything changes when she meets the ambiguous Steven. Everything Lain thought she knew begins to crumble, it’s her choices now that matter.
Mindwalker by A.J. SteigerFirst of all WOW. I loved this book. I’m just so for such a unique new take on dystopian fiction! Lain is a pioneer in my opinion, she knows that what she does can help people but she knows it can be viciously harmful if not so much it ends up in the wrong hands just if it’s missused for the wrong or selfish purposes. She’s such a fighter, like a strong female protagonist; she’s not had the harshest of lives (to be fair she sounds pretty privileged) yet she’s a pivotal example of labeling. Everyone assumes she’s got such a good life, works hard, good grades, type 1, career sorted. Except no one considers that poor Lain is normal and has major inner demons.
Steven. Eye description makes me love him alone; the number of times his eyes have been said to shield fear yet so such passion or conceal a vulnerability. His smirk, laugh, hair – the hair reminded slightly reminded me of Jace in TMI and my obsession for Jace is unreal, it’s fictional love.
Imagine a world where our memories could be wiped. We’d be blank canvases – as troubled as our passed might be they shape who we are. What if an inspirational person like Malala had her mind wiped, who would have shown the world how to fight and done it for the girls? I can see the appeal of ridding society of the evil minds who take innocent people lives and do some heart breaking things. However, I can’t say I’d be for it so much.
Please read this book! It’s a sci-fi fantastic with a dynamic dystopian element. 5/5!! Mindwalker follow-up… Yes please, ready and waiting for 2016 eagerly!!!
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TopicsChildren's books
Teen books
Dystopian fiction (children and teens)
Sci-fi books for children and teens
children's user reviews - Rising Shadow
https://www.risingshadow.net/library/book/52428-mindstormer
Word count: 253Mindstormer
(Mindwalker, #2)
by A. J. Steiger
Released: June 1, 2017Type: speculative fiction
Genres: fantasy, young adultWhen Lain Fisher wakes up in a hospital bed she can't remember anything of the last few months. As a mindwalker herself she knows about erasing peoples memories. She just never thought it would happen to her. Before she can get any answers to her questions she is rescued by two young men. Ian she remembers, but Steven is a complete stranger. Through accessing her memories, Lain relaizes that IFEN isn't at all what she believed and that before her memories were erased she had fallen violently in love with Steven.
Soon the battle for survival is personal. Lain and Steven join a group of rebel fighters to take on IFEN. But does she love or mistrust Steven? And are the rebel group as bad as IFEN? A twisting, intelligent, enthralling adventure about a future world that might just be on our own horizon.
Edited by Seregil of Rhiminee (2017-06-02)
About the Author :: A. J. Steiger
A. J. SteigerA. J. Steiger graduated from Columbia College in Chicago, where she majored in fiction writing. She has lived her whole life in the Chicago suburbs, though she enjoys regular visits to other galaxies and dimensions in her mind. She’s a freelance writer and transcriptionist with an enthusiasm for anime and pancake houses. Mindwalker is her first book for young adults.