Laurie Anthony
Part I

by Catherine Tudor

1963 J.C. Simmons, Math Teacher.

CT: First, I want to commend you on an excellent job, and thank you for writing such an important and inspiring book. I encourage everyone to read Have a Great One! with an open mind and heart.

You took many risks while compiling the information for your book. At times you compromised your safety and your emotions. You were a woman traipsing through Central Park alone, not a native New Yorker, interviewing a homeless man, J.C., who became your good friend. Though you both shared things in common, his life had taken a different turn than your's. He learned survival skills that included deception. This hurt you until you began to understand him on a deep level. What gave you the courage to persist in the darkest hours when you had doubts?

LA: My emotions were as diverse as New York City! I experienced fear, confusion, anger, sympathy, joy, and love. I never felt courageous. I just knew that there was a reason why J.C. and I met. Understanding him and helping him became my "mission," not just for him but also for me. My spirituality rests on the premise that nothing in life is a coincidence. I was determined to follow this through, knowing that there were lessons being taught to both J.C. and to myself.

CT: There is a lot of self-reflection in this book as you try to sort out your experiences. Did your journaling help you reach your wise conclusions?

LA: My journaling was a form of therapy for me. I wrote frantically at times, pouring all my feelings, doubts, and concerns onto the page. Although I talked to others about my concerns, no one listened quite as well as my journal. Rereading my journal at times when I felt confused kept me centered. My journaling became the essence of my book.

CT: You are an elementary and special education teacher, yet you sometimes had to think and act like a psychologist. You always knew the right questions to ask of J.C., and you knew where to turn for guidance. Where does this insight come from? How has your educational background helped you?

LA: A teacher has to have certain qualities which include sensitivity, optimism, and respect for each person. But of course, one has to ask, "How did you learn that?" It wasn't from my college courses; it wasn't from my upbringing ( I was brought up in a very strict and restrictive environment). Not given much encouragement to believe in myself when I was growing up, I became very reflective and withdrawn. Any good feelings about myself had to come from within; and through therapy, constant reading, observing and anyalzing others, I became more secure in myself. I have been able to use my sensitivity and perceptiveness in my interactions with others.

CT: How did you go about your research?

LA: I'm a very self-directed learner--when there is something I want to know about, I delve into it without restraint. I started my research where I was most comfortable--the library. I also used the Internet to learn more, and found the most current information there. I saved everything. I became a packrat with newspaper articles and books. I sent away for information from agencies. I joined discussion groups online. The wealth of information online continues to keep me informed. Sometimes I felt like I was doing a major research paper for a college course. The difference was that this "research paper" was extremely relevant to my goal: to help J.C.

CT: What did you learn most about yourself when you finished this project?

LA: By challenging my convictions and beliefs, I discovered that staying true to them helped me grow more confident and committed. I have a confidence in myself that was never there before. It's more than that--it's knowing who I am and feeling good about that. I'm at the place I want to be. Because of that, I feel a tremendous joy and vigor about life. Although I still need reaffirming from others, my good feelings about myself come from within. I can depend on myself.

CT: What did you learn most about your fellow human beings?

LA: I have learned how diverse people are in their reactions to the issue of homelessness. Most people I talked to responded with compassion and concern. Others were skeptical and cautious, feeling that a person is homeless through their own fault. The American work ethic pervades, and even if a person is mentally ill or addicted to drugs or alcohol--there is the strong belief that these individuals can also get help and deal with their homelessness. My questions was always--what if they don't? That's where one has to confront whether compassion overrides one's belief in the work ethic.

CT: How many hours do you estimate went into the writing of Have a Great One!?

LA: I worked for a year on the book, from the time I first met J.C. to the time of publishing my book. It was a job for me--I worked daily at all hours. I would spend time with J.C., do some research, and then try to make sense of it all. Then I'd go back to J.C. again with more questions. It developed into a routine for me. It's hard for me to estimate the number of hours, but I would guess that I spent at least 4-5 hours a day for a year.

CT: How is J.C. doing today? Will you continue to keep in touch? What has he learned from reading about his life?

LA: J.C. has come a long way. The steps have been small, but significant. For example, he now has a driver's license (he took the test and passed even though he hasn't driven a car for over 30 years!). He also applied for a credit card and was accepted! The most signficant challenge for J.C. is to be able to find a place to live that he can afford. His only source of income is a small social security check. He talks about getting a job to supplement his income. I don't know how realistic that is because he is almost seventy-years- old.

I call J.C. on a regular basis. I gave him a cell phone so we can always be in touch with each other. I spend time with him when I go to New York (about every couple of months). I will continue to be his best friend, although there have been times when I have found this difficult. J.C. once said to me, "Talking to you is what keeps me sane," and I believe that. Sometimes when I call him, he is depressed, angry, and irrational. After I let him vent for a long time, he settles down and we have a normal conversation. Sometimes his anger turns toward me and at those times, it is hard for me to maintain my relationship with him. For example, he got very angry with me because I gave someone his phone number.

J.C. reads the book through rose-colored glasses--he still doesn't really see the role he has played in affecting the course of his life. He is gradually taking some responsiblity for his decisions, but still maintains a wall around himself. Probably one of the most significant statements he said to me was, "I'm a different person now because of you." And when I asked him what he meant, he said, "I'm a better person. I want to help others."

CT: Has it been difficult to market your book, not having had the support of major publishers?

LA: Marketing my book has been the ultimate challenge! Although I have received favorable feedback from others, I think the topic of homelessness is not one that most people gravitate toward. A friend said to me, "I really have no interest in reading about homelessness, but I read your book because I know you. And I found that I really learned a lot." Marketing, especially through the Internet, has been a fascinating and challenging experience. I did hire a publicist but have found that the work I am doing online is actually more effective than the work he is doing (a high price to pay to learn that!).

CT: Has your Web site helped you spread the word?

LA: It is beginning to, but I am still in the process of getting it listed with major search engines. Marketing my Web site has taken a lot of time and is a big commitment but I feel that there is a lot in my Web site that will enable others to learn about the issue of homelessness.

CT: Your book is flawless. Who did the editing? The copy editing?

LA: I did all the work with the help of some friends who gave me revising and editing suggestions. My first printing of the book (that I thought was flawless!) actually contained numerous spelling/grammatical errors, which I corrected before the second printing. I would highly recommend that if one self-publishes, that they enlist the services of a reliable editor.

CT: One friend's feedback changed your direction at one point. Do you feel receiving comments from readers helped?

LA: The feedback from my friend significantly changed my book. She said, "I want to know more about you, not about J.C." At this point, I rewrote the entire book in first person. I went back to my journals and incorporated all of my thoughts and feelings that were not in the original manuscript.

Receiving feedback from readers has been so rewarding! I didn't expect my book to have this kind of effect on others. This has been a benefit I had never anticipated, and makes me realize the value of writing.

CT: I could easily see this made into a movie, or hitting the bestseller lists. Why did you make the decision to publish Have a Great One! yourself?

LA: I would love for it to become a best seller! After my book was just published, one of J.C.'s "clients" purchased the book and after reading it, approached me for an option for film. She was a movie producer. She has worked very hard presenting my story to television networks, and it looks very encouraging. However, we have not received a commitment from a network as of this time.

I self-published the book because I didn't have the time to wait for a publisher. My goal was to write a book about J.C. and sell enough copies to help him get off the street. From that standpoint, the book has been very successful. J.C. receives 50% of the profits from my book. He no longer panhandles and has been living in an apartment for over a year.

CT: This all came about because your son, Joey, wanted to move to New York City so he could study theater. Is he still acting?

LA: Joey is still very committed to musical theater. He is living in New York now and auditioning whenever possible. Our time in New York was well spent--I don't know if I would be willing to let Joey live in New York now if we hadn't lived there first (he is only seventeen-years-old!).

CT: Was your family supportive to your endeavors throughout?

LA: Always! Sometimes my husband couldn't understand why I had to spend so much time with J.C., but he trusted me. This trust enabled me to pursue the avenues I needed in order to write the book. Joey (being a teenager) hasn't quite grasped the significance of my work and when his friends would ask him if we had made friends in New York, he would say, "My mom is friends with a homeless man."

CT: What do you say to people who judge the homeless? Who might think or say, "I can work and I don't always like it, so why can't they?"

LA: Each person's situation is different. Anyone who is homeless has a multitude of problems (mental ilness, drug addiction, etc.) that go far beyond "laziness." Who would choose to be homeless if given the chance not to be? I also think that there are many misconceptions about homelessness--I've learned that there have been many people who were on the brink of homelessness after losing a job, or accumulating unforeseen medical bills. Again, each person's situation is unique.

CT: Any advice to writers who want to delve into self-publishing?

LA: Self-publishing has been one of the most rewarding endeavors I have ever undertaken! I have learned about a world out there that I didn't know existed! The most important advice I would give to someone is that you must believe in your work. The passion you have for your writing is what gets you through those times when you are not getting the encouragement you need. Secondly, be prepared to spend a great deal of time marketing your book. Self-publishing requires that commitment.

CT: You give much advice in the appendices of your book on how to help the homeless. What goals do you have for your Web site?

LA: My goals for my Web site are:

1. To provide information about homelessness, including current research, important books, and links to other resources. I feel strongly about individual advocacy and hope that my experience encourages others to take that extra step.



2. To provide educators and community workers suggestions for educating the children and adults about homelessness. My experience as a teacher has shown me the importance of starting early in developing compassion. My work has had a positive influence on my students, and I hope that this is something that will follow them as they continue through life.



3. To promote my book. I sincerely want my book to read by many, not because I want the sales, but because I feel it has a message that can help people to residscover the compassion within themselves.

CT: What's your next project?

LA: I am working on a picture book for children. It is titled, "Saturday's Cups" and tells about a young girl and her mother, who go into the city each Saturday to visit their homeless friends. I wrote this book because I wanted to explain homelessness on a level that would be understandable to children.

I am also collecting my notes for my next book that will continue the story of J.C. and me. There is so much that has happened since I first published, Have a Great One!.

Part II

Related Links:

• About the author.
• Read a review of Have a Great One! by Catherine Tudor.
• Author's Web site: Another Way to Help the Homeless
• Order or learn more about the book, Have a Great One! at Amazon.com.