- What lasting impacts did jail have on you? I’ve heard it can be jarring to be back in the world after being released. Is that true in your experience? Is there a habit that you formed in jail that you continue to this day?
- What was the hardest part of being in jail? What kept you going throughout the experience (light at the end of the tunnel, etc.)?
- What’s something that you wish people would ask you when you come to places like this to talk about the book?
- What was your routine like inside jail? When did you have time to write/where did you usually write?
- How did you decide which stories to include in the book? Is there a story that’s not in the book that, looking back, you wish you could’ve fit in there?
- For Kelvin specifically: You said that, being the kind of person that you are, you shaped your world into what you thought you wanted it to be when you were younger. What world have you shaped for yourself now?
- For Terence specifically: You mention that being raised by your mother and your sisters, without a male authority figure, you felt like you were missing things that you would have benefited from learning from a father figure. But are there things you learned from your mother/sisters that you think you might not have learned otherwise? How close are you with your siblings today?
On a side note, I found a Terence quote that really resonated with me today: “There is something wonderful, blessed, blissful, almost surreal about the gift of youth. You notice, then you don’t notice. A problem can be there, confronting you, but there are big people dealing with it.” Well, like it or not, you guys, we’re right on the edge of that point in life. We’re living by ourselves, without our parents here to guide us or plan out our schedules. We’re being treated like adults, but, of course, we’re helped along by the fact that we have a dining hall, easily accessible laundry, don’t have to clean our own bathrooms, don’t have to pay rent, etc. And Terence, and Kelvin, and all of the others didn’t have those things to ease them into independent life. And they got thrown in at a much, much younger age. Honestly, I have so much respect for them because of their ability to survive in those conditions, to painstakingly carve out some sort of life for themselves, even if it led them to become involved in illegal activities. I feel a little bit overwhelmed here, in this little bubble of semi-adulthood; I know I wouldn’t have been able to survive in their circumstances. These guys have endured more than I could even imagine. And society looks down on them?? That just doesn’t make sense to me. Anyways. I guess it just got me thinking.
Theresa Dolson
Haven,
These are outstanding questions! They communicate authentic interest and I think they will generate great conversation.
Also, I absolutely love that you pulled out that quote to share with our community. It’s a really good insight, linking your experience and theirs of coming into adulthood and independence. Honestly, my own memories of making the adjustment to college are still so vivid, I think because it was a bit overwhelming for me, and I had to figure out so many things, like laundry and when to sleep and how to sleep in a noisy dorm, etc. And, as you say, in comparison with Terrence and Kelvin’s stories, it was such a safe environment!