TeenFX.com Interview with Evelyn McFarlane

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Evelyn McFarlane

Ms. McFarlane, having a degree in architecture how did you come to writing a book for teens?

While teaching for Syracuse University the younger faculty had a tradition of getting together every Friday night for dinner and we would sit around until the wee hours of the morning asking these questions. Sometimes one question would get us arguing for hours.

At that time we usually asked art and architecture related questions, such as, if you were to name the most influential architects both good and bad of all time, who would they be? But these of course would be quite boring to most people, and when we ran out of those questions we started asking more general ones.

After a few years James and I decided it was time to start recording them with the hope of getting them published and after a year and a half of writing them down on everything from napkins to dollar bills we finally collected enough for a book. We figured if we were hooked for years on playing the game of If, others might get hooked too. And the rest is history. Villard accepted our proposal and we published 'If one'!

How did you first get started in writing and what other kinds of books do write?

Well...I did not consider myself a writer before the 'If' series so the eight books I have written with James are all question books.

Other than the 'If' series we have published a book called 'How Far Will You Go and Would You', which are both meant to be read with others for stirring up discussion and debate and for self discovery of course.

Is there any difference between living in Italy and living in the U.S.?

Other than the obvious difference, which is that the food is fantastic here, yes there are many differences. Almost too many to list here. But people seem to march to a different beat. People love life here and know how to enjoy it.

The life of an Italian revolves around the family (and food), which is more important than your job, money or anything else.

Money is not valued as much as in the US nor do people spend as much on consumer goods. The down side is that the economy is not booming like the US which in turn means less career opportunities for young people which can be discouraging. It is also a safe country.

I live in the center of Florence and can walk home alone at 2 in the morning and not think twice which makes it very livable. For anyone in the arts it is a dream come true. Beauty around every corner. For someone in technology it would seem backwards.

Do you think there is a difference between the teens in Italy and the teens in the U.S.?

Yes, given the importance of the family. Teens here stay closer to the nest and grow up more slowly. Most families only have one child, so imagine that you are a child in an Italian family with mom, dad, and two sets of grandparents all running around doting on you as the center of the universe! Ok, it is a bit exaggerated, but children here are number one.

Now this may seem like a nightmare for some teens who think that even one parent is one too many.... but it also roots their lives in support system with a place to turn to if trouble hits. The down side is that they are not nearly as independent as American teens.

What do you do that most appeals to teen?

I think I'd have to ask teens! A teacher I had as a teen convincingly preached that we could do anything we put our minds to, and I took it to heart. So all I can say is that I've followed my heart to many places and into many adventures and it has never steered me wrong. I had vowed to never get stuck in a rut in life. As a teen myself that is what scared me most, so maybe this appeals to teens today.

James also taught me the beauty of following ones dreams and heart and my life would be different today had I not had him as a friend.

What advice would you give a teen that would one day like to be a successful writer?

Never say never, never settle for a compromise and never give up.

What do you feel is wrong with teens today? What do you feel should change?

I can't imagine anything being wrong with teens. The environment they grow up in is a problem. We tend to under estimate teens.

Problems and worries that they have are real and adults seem to trivialize them given that they are teens. But it is an age when you are to old to live a life of just play and too young to gain respect the way adults would, so what I have gathered from teens is that they feel lost.

I honestly think that we need to make children and teens a priority in the US. We need to value them more, period. We also need to spend more money on giving them the resources to prepare themselves for life.

I know it sounds old fashioned and I would never claim to have the answers but I do feel that teens are often neglected when they are in fact the population that will hold the world in their hands next.

TeenFX.com has very active message boards where teens can discuss topics that range from relationships to politics. Do you think these sounding boards add to or help teens deal with today’s stressful environment?

I can only imagine it helps. I would have loved such a thing as a teen. What I needed was a way to talk and get advice anonymously.

In a world where you are supposed to be perfect it is hard to talk about fears and failures and stress with friends and family, so these sounding boards must be a comfort of some kind. Talking can only help and I hope some of these questions can be used for getting the discussions going.

What would you like to tell teens about yourself?

Nothing that I have not already mentioned except that I was painfully shy up until my mid twenties and wish that I had thought of If questions to ask as a teen to get myself out of my shell and to spice up some painfully silent dates.

But really I am more interested in what people have to tell me which is why we ask all the questions. And we would love to hear interesting answers from people as well. On our website ifbooks.com you can send them on to me.

Do you have any questions that you would like to ask the teens?

Well I would love to hear from teens themselves what you asked before which is what do you think should change to improve the lives of teens? After all, only teens really know.

Post a Comment
	chelsie	06-18-09

my dad made me and my boyfriend breakup in im bout to kill some one.jus playin. i wnt kill any one but thats how i fill.omg.....i hate it..


	GO DJ THAT'S MY DJ!	11-23-04

that was soooooooo uncooollll MANNNNNNNNNNNNN!


	Carma	07-26-04

that was awesome!!!! i you!


	tracy	01-28-03

I'm going out and getting your book.


	Stacey	08-20-02

im really impressed you can juggle the two jobs so well. Good Luck!


	Kelly	09-12-01

that was wrong. just plain uncool. you should learn a little respect, man.


	VIV_acious	08-06-01

Man, you people suck! Can't you get better people to interview, instead of some boring, ugly, fat housewife?! get some celebrities or someone who people actually CARE about! I got bored as soon as I read the first paragraph! Come on!


	jennifer	08-06-01

sorry to long for me to read! teens these days.


	Jennifer	08-05-01

that waz great im gonna hafta go and read that book sumday


	TIM	08-02-01

I would like to see what kind of questions are in that book.


	kristina	06-29-01

Wow u taught at Syracuse University......omg i live right by there and i really want ot go there! thats sooooo awesome, and u live in Italy!!!!! wow id love to do that!


	sarah	06-12-01

Wow thats cool, you live in Italy. I hope i get to work and live were i want to later.


	Mr.aDAm	05-01-01

no I didn't read the interview. In fact I dont even know who that women is. All I have to say is that really dont care.


	Melissa	05-01-01

I think the way we can improve life for teens, is to have more for us to do. I live in a really small town (pop. 1,853 or so) and we have nothing to do, so all the teens go out and have sex and get pregnant, and we have a high pregnancy rate here! if you walked into the classroom half of the girls have been or are pregnant, and mostly all of them have had sex before! I think if we had more activities, we'd stay out of trouble and focus more on the fun things! I think this article is cool. I would like to read the book because I like to hear answers to teens questions because I have began to notice that life is getting more hellacious every day


	rockerchic	05-01-01

Hey! Thats pretty cool