Ask the Author: Joe Bond
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Joe Bond
Thank you for the question. It’s a tough one. I wrote Damico’s story first, and that was where I started figuring out who the other boys were and how they fit into the group. That was a lot of fun. I enjoyed writing the goofier characters like Tony, who ate the lightbulb, and Peanut, who had never ridden an escalator. Balancing humor with the more serious material in the novel was important to me. In real life, in the homes where I worked, I was also drawn to kids like Karvel, who were smarter than the adults trying to help them.
As for the adults, Mr. Watts is loosely based on my dad, who ran a group home when he was just 26 years old. He’s a favorite, and so is Ms. Matewan. I knew people like her, too, who weren’t trained in therapy or anything along those lines but could win over the boys with the sheer consistency of their presence.
As for the adults, Mr. Watts is loosely based on my dad, who ran a group home when he was just 26 years old. He’s a favorite, and so is Ms. Matewan. I knew people like her, too, who weren’t trained in therapy or anything along those lines but could win over the boys with the sheer consistency of their presence.
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Nov 12, 2026 09:34PM · flag