We once knew a boy who was brave and funny, crazy smart and ridiculously good looking. He made us laugh. He made us cry. He made us better as human beings.
In honor (and now, in memory) of Matt Rupel, at least 75% of all profit from Danger at the Clone Academy (currently all profit from all three books) is donated toward research to slow, stop, and reverse Friedreich’s ataxia. My world of 3002 is basically disease-free. This is the very least I can do to help make that vision a reality.
I wrote the first Basker Twins in the 31st Century novel for my daughter, but at the time I knew very little about the children’s literature publishing world. I didn’t know how to get an agent, nor how to become traditionally published. And so, I stuck my manuscript on a shelf and began to write the next one. When my daughter was transitioning from sixth to seventh grade, we moved her into her local public middle school from a private one. She’d gone through a rough year and was anxious for a change.
What she got was a miracle. She found a group of friends that welcomed her with open arms and huge hearts. Likewise, these children’s parents offered us community as well. That year, one of the boys in her new circle, Matt Rupel, began to exhibit physical symptoms that eventually were diagnosed as Friedreich’s ataxia. This rare, life-shortening childhood-onset disease causes progressive damage to the nerves and muscles. This beautiful community that had made us feel so welcome now rallied around Matt and his family.
Print on demand was becoming an option in the industry. I had the idea that I could publish my books as a fundraiser. After some of the kids (including Matt’s sister—my daughter-of-the-heart, Katie) read the first book and gave it their blessing, I forged ahead.
Matt’s wonderful uncle, Allen Walker, designed all three book covers, using Matt and his sister Katie as the models. You can see their silhouettes on all three covers if you look hard enough. Matt and Katie Rupel will always be Elsie and Everest Basker to me.
Over the years, Matt and Sarah became best friends (Matt had quite a few of those), and we were privileged to become honorary members of the Rupel family. Matt died August 5, 2017 from complications due to FA. It breaks my heart that he and his family didn’t get to have their happy ending. It hurts to imagine way too many families in the same tragic situation.
In my books (set far in the future), Friedreich’s ataxia is a thing of the distant past. May my future become a reality SOON, so that no other families must deal with the heartache of losing their precious children. For more information about FA, please click here.