Author & Philanthropist
| Topics: Arts & Entertainment, Charity & Humanitarian |
| Interview Date: September-27-2011 |
| Extraordinary Insights: "When the work I want to do is more important than the fear that I have of doing the work, I’m able to move forward. There are times when fear can be seductive, and a comfortable place to sit in, but if we can take that step and believe in what we’re doing it will help us to move on in our lives." |
Audio-only version:
Deborah Ellis is the author of over 20 books for young people, including the highly popular trilogy, Breadwinner. She writes novels and does books of interviews that attempt to portray the realities faced by young people in difficult situations around the world. She has written about youth affected by AIDS in southern Africa, kids caught up in wars in the Middle East and in Afghanistan, kids talking about bullying and children involved in the illegal drug trade. Her newest books are No Ordinary Day - about a girl in India affected by leprosy - and True Blue - a young adult novel about what happens when one of two close friends is accused of murder. Her books routinely deal with the choices we humans make, the outcome of those choices, and how we can learn to make better, more compassionate decisions about who we are and what we do. Deborah is also a philanthropist who donates much of her book royalties to charities/organizations who deal with the issues she writes about. She lives in Simcoe, Ontario.