Q: Why did you decide to
write this book, and how did you choose "Twice As Strong" as the
title?
PN: My brother and I wanted
to write the book to share our story. We had so much support from
strangers and this community (in Boston) that we wanted to give something back
to them. This allowed us to show them how much it meant to us and offer
them insight into our lives. We also hope this book will inspire others.
Both JP and I were fortunate enough to meet so many inspirational individuals
over the last year, we wanted to pay it forward. For the title, we were
both so proud of each other’s strength, we decided on “Twice As Strong!”
DS: I had heard about the Nordens after the
tragedy and was amazed by how they were affected and how they were dealing with
the challenges they faced. Then a few months later my agent contacted me to
help two Boston Marathon survivors with a book, and it turned out to be JP and
Paul Norden. I was excited to help them tell their story, and I thought their
choice of a title was perfect and played nicely on the Boston Strong mantra.
Q: How difficult was it to
revisit the events of and following the marathon as you wrote the book?
PN: For me it was quite difficult revisiting the
events after the marathon. I did not like seeing my brother or my
girlfriend injured and hearing about that was hard on me. I was in a coma
for the first week so I learned about their injuries and difficulties as we
wrote the book and it was heart wrenching. I could handle hearing about
my own injuries, but hearing about people you love is very hard.
DS: When I interviewed
everyone involved, I could tell it was still very emotional and difficult, but they
were eager to tell their story, their way, and they knew a book was the best
way to achieve that. The book is written in their voice, but in a third-person
perspective to give a complete picture of all of the people involved.
Q: How did the three of you
collaborate on the book? What was the writing process like?
PN: It was easy to share our story with
Dave. There was a lot of talking and interviewing, but Dave made the
process relaxing and fun. Every time I would remember something new, I
would send him a message because I knew it should be in the book. From there,
he would ask about all the details and emotions from that moment.
DS: While working on the book, I talked with them
a lot on the phone, through email, and even text messages. Then I flew to meet
them and spend time learning more about them. It was interesting talking to
everyone and getting their reflections on that day. There are so many emotional
angles to their story that to me it was very important to provide a complete
picture of what they have experienced.
Q: What message would you
like readers to take from your book?
PN: The message I would like readers to take away
from this book is – to never give up. In our book you hear how truly
devastating our injuries were: legs were amputated, burns covered most of our
bodies and shrapnel littered the rest. It was a very hard road when I
first woke up -- my own injuries, my brother’s injuries and the injuries of our
friends -- yet we never gave up, and pushed forward. We worked hard through the
physical and emotional pain, but we never gave up. Now almost a year
later, we are enjoying our ‘pretty normal’ lives.
DS: The Nordens are such a humble, down-to-earth
family that readers will be able to relate to them and their struggles. People
will find themselves wondering what they would do if they found themselves in a
similar situation. How would they respond? Would they rise to the challenge?
Would they have the same support system?
Q: What's next for you?
PN: For me, I am planning a wedding… my fiancée
and I got engaged a couple of months ago, which we are very excited
about. For JP and I, we hope to start our own roofing and sheet metal
company so we can work together again. We will run the shop and business
since going back on the roof is still very questionable at this point.
DS: Since their story is still evolving, a
paperback version of the book will come out in the fall with updates and more
surprises.
Q: Anything else we should
know?
PN: We always like to say
thank you to everyone for all of their support over the last 11 months.
It truly meant the world to us and each person has had an impact on our
recovery. The prayers, the support, the donations – Thank you from the
bottom of our hearts.
DS: Theirs is a timeless story that is not so
much about the Boston bombing as the Boston bonding.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
No comments:
Post a Comment