shirleycheng

Serena: For those people out there not familiar with your plight, Shirley was diagnosed with severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 11 months. She has spent almost her entire life confined to a wheelchair and lost her sight in 2000. She has conquered her disabilities and has graduated high school and written three books. You wrote your first book, Daring Quests of Mystics, at age 20 and mentioned that it was inspired by your vision of a utopian world.

Can you share that vision with us?

Shirley: Certainly. I often dream of a world where only the kindest and warmest people reside. There is absolutely no evil, and any evil that ever shows its ugly face will be met with justice. The world is a beautiful place, not just because it has beautiful people (beautiful in the sense of inner beauty), but also because it has beautiful scenery with a peaceful ambiance and a good aura. Everyone is sweet and gentle to one another; there's not a bad thought among anyone. This is how I have portrayed the places and main characters in my first book, Daring Quests of Mystics.

Serena: As an author, what are your goals?

Shirley: I wrote my three books for one main reason: to empower, inspire, and motivate others; to bring humor, hope, and healing. Besides this reason, I wrote my autobiography to bring awareness to others. There are serious issues in our society that need to be known and fixed. In my autobiography, I detailed the trials and tribulations I have overcome, including the two senseless custody cases my mother had to fight with doctors; false medical reports from doctors and psychologists; abusive and incompetent one-to-one aides assigned to me when I attended school--all of which must be fixed so these problems will not repeat to future victims. This is why I am advocating parental rights in children's medical care and students with special needs.

Serena: As a woman, what would you like to accomplish?

Shirley: Besides my goals I have listed above, I'd also wish to positively contribute to the world in as many ways as I possibly can. I want to make our world a better place for everyone, and I can only achieve so much by myself, so I'd need all the help I can get. By uniting our power, we can move mountains. So, I invite others to take my hand to work together in helping today's parents protect and keep custody of the children of our future. I take it as one of my life's missions to help anyone in need. And the parental rights issue is the area I'd like to start first.

Serena: Did you find it hard to write your autobiography, The Revelation of a Star's Endless Shine?

Shirley: No, I actually had found it to be the easiest book to write despite its 700 pages. The entire story was there; I didn't have to dig into my imagination to think up ideas for plots or characters. I simply had to put my life into words. But I wouldn't have been able to write my autobiography without the help of my mother, who had supplied detailed information for my early years. I acted like a reporter when I wrote my autobiography, firing plenty of questions in my mother's direction!

Serena: When you compiled the stories and poems for Dance With Your Heart, you mention that you expanded some of the items, can you tell us which had to be redone and how you decided the order in which to put them in the anthology?

Shirley: I expanded the stories I wrote back in middle school because they were very short, and I wanted to lengthen them with more details. The characters and plots stayed the same. I actually had my mother look over my short stories and poems, and she had arranged them in the current order (we primarily have the same arrangement).

Serena: I've noticed that you have done a number of radio interviews. It makes sense that they would be easier for you; have you found this to always be the case?

Shirley: I have enjoyed the radio interviews immensely. They have been a piece of cake for me. And of course, their convenience is an extra plus since I do not even need to travel outside my bedroom!

Serena: You are also a proponent of parental rights in their children's medical care. I have read some of the articles about your experience and I was deeply disturbed by the things that you and your mother had to go through. Can you tell us a little about the problems you faced?

Shirley: In America, parents risk losing custody of their children forever when they disagree with doctors' recommended treatments or even when they want a second opinion. This had happened twice to my mother, along with many other parents throughout American history. My mother lost custody of me only after disagreeing with doctors' treatments, and those treatments would have ended my young life. When I was 22-months-old, the doctor gave me aspirin, which was worsening my condition and causing severe side effects. My mother told them to stop giving me the medicine, but they took her to court instead. The second custody case occurred in 1990, making international headlines. The doctor wanted to operate on six of my joints at once when he didn't even have any medication to control my inflammation. My mother refused the surgery, and they took me away. It lasted for five horrible months. Fortunately, my mother won me back both times. She is my savior!

When I attended school (for about six years because I didn't start schooling until age 11), I encountered numerous problems with 1 to 1 aides assigned to me to assist me in my physical needs (e.g. taking me to the ladies room, getting my books, dressing me). Some aides hurt me while dressing me even though they knew about my severe JRA; some bumped my feet into others while pushing me; one didn't give me my coat to wear during winter, so I developed asthma after multiple pneumonia cases. I had ill aides who gave me pneumonia and colds; I had an aide who was drunk and another one who smoked outside the school building while I needed her assistance.

So, this is the reason why I have become an advocate of parental rights in children's medical care and students with special needs. I am the voice for those who do not have a voice, literally and figuratively.

Serena: I'm sure that you've had a hard time promoting your book as an author with handicaps, but as an author with a small publisher, do you find it hard to promote your book?

Shirley: I am actually self-published, so yes, it has been difficult, not to mention the fact that traveling is extremely hard for me, not just because of my disabilities but because of my overall poor health. I am doing my best promoting my books, mainly online. I had two book signings locally and they had been quite successful. I am contacting local bookstores to schedule book signings. Anyone who has read my books loves them, so I believe my promotion will not be too hard after word spreads. Of course, my promotion will never stop.

Serena: You have accomplished so much in such a short time, what do you feel is your greatest accomplishment?

Shirley: My greatest accomplishment in life is being and remaining the happy, content person I am!

Serena: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Shirley: Never, never, never, never give up--as said so eloquently by Churchill. Follow your heart and let it guide you. I always listen to my heart and it has taken me to wondrous places.

Serena: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Shirley: I truly appreciate this opportunity to share with others my life story to bring hope and enlightenment. I invite people to visit my website and listen to some of my radio interviews: http://www.shirleycheng.com

All of my three books are available through Ingram and from Amazon.com (and their international sites) and www.bn.com . Autographed copies are available when people order directly from me through my website. People can also e-mail me to ask any questions or share comments and suggestions. Lastly, I'd greatly appreciate if people could spread the word and ask their bookstores and libraries to carry my books. Just give them the ISBN numbers (or simply my name and titles) and tell them to order my books through Ingram.

Serena: Thank you again for taking the time to answer our questions.

Shirley: Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I am most appreciative.

--©Serena Polheber, gottawritenetwork.com
May 13, 2006