How does having a story within a story enhance the narrative?
AA: I didn’t think about it. I wrote the story the way it told itself to me. KRC: The present-day story takes place in and around a barn. Do you live on a farm, or have you spent time on one? AA: We live in a farm community. Our home is on a hill above the barn in the story. We know its occupants and the man who takes care of them — Bernie in the story. KRC: WHITTINGTON is earning comparisons to CHARLOTTE’S WEB. Were you inspired by E.B. White’s tale? AA: Yes. I’ve read E.B. White all my life. He and his hero Henry Thoreau are two writers I admire. KRC: Ben has dyslexia, and his sister and the animals try to help him overcome it and learn to read. Do you have any personal experience with dyslexia? AA: Yes. My oldest brother was dyslexic, but it was never diagnosed as a disorder you could treat. Our son, too, had reading difficulties. A reading coach named Mr. Hamilton saved him. KRC: What is it about WHITTINGTON that you think will appeal most to readers? AA: What appealed to me was
