Interview with Olivia G. Booms

I'm popping in today to share an interview with Olivia G. Booms, an author I've been following for several years now. I know every time I see one of her email newsletters in my inbox that I'm going to learn something new or see something at an angle I wouldn't have considered before. I have learned so much from her, and I wanted to share some of that with all of you! I'm so honored that I got to ask her some questions and hear her answers. 

Hi, Olivia! Thanks so much for chatting with me. To start off, I have to put a plug in for your story! How would you describe A Book Dragon’s Story?

A Book Dragon’s Story follows Bookmark, a disabled book dragon desperately working to earn her place by her mother’s side in their family library, without burning it down in the process. If you like cozy stories you can read with anyone, fantasy, bookish vibes, family relationships, and mental health/disability rep, this is the perfect story for you!

(Side note from Rachel: I have read this story, and I absolutely adored it. It brings me so much comfort whenever I read it.)

How did this story come about? What inspired you to write it? 

I wrote this story at a very creatively dry point in my life. I knew I had to write a short story in two to three months, but I had no idea what to write about. I told myself, “Okay, what are some of your favorite things?” Books and, of course, dragons were what came to mind. So if I was going to get through writing a story when I couldn’t do much else, it had to be about something I loved. That’s how the idea was born, through necessity, love, and a bit of deadline desperation.

Do you have a favorite genre to write in? And if so, what draws you to that genre? 
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I’m a genre hopper! Right now, I love cozy fantasy, which is like regular fantasy but slower paced with less of the danger and more of the magic that keeps us coming back to those stories. Think The Wind in the Willows or life before Bilbo left the Shire! 

A Book Dragon’s Story is the first story I wrote in that cozy fantasy genre. But I’ve written in multiple genres before, like fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, and historical fiction. And to my embarrassment, I used to write cringey fanfiction like every good fangirl.

Which stories shaped you when you were younger? 
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If you’ve read my bio, you’ll know I didn’t start reading for a while. I didn’t learn to read until I was ten, so book reading was limited . But that didn’t stop stories from shaping me. I was obsessed with the movie Toy Story to the point of memorizing the entire script! When I eventually learned to read, I read lots of books. The biggest that stand out are the American Girl doll books (but specifically the mystery series), the Warrior Cats series, and The Secret Garden, which I hope to write a retelling of someday!

What is the best book you’ve read lately and what did you love about it? 

Now that’s just not fair to ask. I’m an avid reader, so picking just one is hard. I’ll have to say Water Moon by Samatha Sotto Yambao. It was a beautifully lyrical fantasy that felt just like a Studio Ghibli movie, if not a little scary at times too. I love books that entertain you and make you think, so I had to have my pencil by me at all times to mark down my thoughts.

Do you have a favorite book or TV character, and if so, what do you love most about them? 

I don’t have many favorite books or TV show characters, not because there aren’t great ones, but because I was so often disappointed by how the story went when I chose my favorites. It’s why I started writing, actually, because I was so fed up with all my favorite characters with autistic traits getting the short end of the stick!

I do have one recent favorite though. I just finished watching White Collar, a crime show about a former art thief who starts working with the FBI to save the love of his life. I loved the complicated but caring dynamic between the two main characters, especially the constant banter!

What do you love to see in stories? What do you wish you could see more of? 

I’m a broad reader, so I love to see a lot of things in stories. Families working together, magic and mischief, grand adventures, and happy endings are all my jam! What I wish I could see more of (besides more well-written autistic characters) is stories that don’t take the easy way out. Stories that choose to address the hard things we struggle with every day, whether it be a disability or something else entirely, and choose to show the light and goodness as well. It’s rare to find a story that is truthful enough to acknowledge the hard and brave enough to say that the hard is not the end.

One of the things I love about your newsletter is your current series where you’re answering readers’ questions about autism. I know I personally have learned a lot about myself and about other people from reading your answers. Is there something you wish more people knew or understood about autism?

I wish more people understood the fundamentals of what autism is. Autism is, in its broadest definition, a neurological disability that affects your communication, affecting how to filter, behave, and interact within the world. People seem to misunderstand what that means. (Which is funny since I’m the one with the communication disorder.)

There seem to be two sides of the confusion; either autism is a tragedy, a disease that takes everything happy in life, or a smart, cool personality trait that everyone should have. It’s both and neither at the same time.
Yes, autism is a disability that makes my daily life difficult and frustrating, but I thoroughly love who I am and live a fulfilling life. Yes, autism affects my personality as it’s a brain disorder, but that shouldn’t downplay the difficulties. I struggle, but I love who I’m created to be, whether I’m autistic or not.

What are your go-to books and resources (fiction, nonfiction, or online) for readers who may want to learn more about autism?  

That’s a great question! For years, I read and gathered the best books with autism representation I could find. It was a difficult, almost impossible task to accomplish. I’m still scouring the new release shelves today for new books. If you’d like a full copy of my booklist, you can subscribe to my email list here! But a couple of the top of my head are The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family by Sarah Kapit and Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt.

As for nonfiction or online resources, it’s difficult to find one reliable source. Research and opinions about autism are constantly changing. You don’t need a degree to talk about something anymore, which means there’s a lot of misinformation on websites and social media that requires a skilled filter. But then even the people with degrees get it wrong! So it’s difficult to recommend one specific source for the answer because nobody has the whole thing. 

One great person to learn from off the top of my head though is Temple Grandin. Her autism research, the books she’s published, and the movie made about her life were very helpful when I was first learning about my disability.

If readers would like to connect with you or find your story, what’s the best way to do that? 

The best place to connect with me is my email list. I’m always chatting with them about autism, books, writing updates, and the occasional cat. You can find my books and writing, like A Book Dragon’s Story, on my website.

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me! I know I’ve enjoyed it. Is there anything else you’d like to add before we go?

Whether you check out my writing or decide it’s not for you, I hope you know whoever you are, wherever you come from, or what you can (or cannot) do, you are valuable no matter what.