Ask the Author About "Always an Advocate"

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What is the book about?

A demonstration of advocacy’s power to end discrimination and disrespect towards people with dwarfism and other disabilities in volunteer leadership, entertainment, public transportation, public buildings and facilities, emergency operations, voting, homeowner associations, social security disability benefits, and schools.

How did you pick the title?

A high school student recently asked me a question following my disability sensitivity presentation. It wasn’t the typical question a person with dwarfism gets—about clothes, driving, the height of my siblings, or if I have children. No, the question was, “How long have you been an advocate?” I had to think about that one for a moment; then it dawned on me. I’ve been an advocate for as long as I can remember. Always. After toying with various title ideas, Always an Advocate emerged as the best title choice.

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Why did it take three books to tell your story?

Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses, the first book in my dwarfism trilogy, talks about my perspective on life as a single person. Because the book was published in 1988, after I was married, people were disappointed not to read about my whirlwind international romance with Robert Van Etten. We used to say, wait for book two.

My original intent was for Pass Me Your Shoes to be one book. However, the draft was too long and appealed to two different markets. As a result, I separated the manuscript into books two and three: Pass Me Your Shoes telling our personal marriage story and Always An Advocate focusing on advocacy.

Do you plan to write another book?

No! But then again, my original plan was two books so plans can change. For now, I’m quite content to write articles and weekly blog posts at https://angelamuirvanetten.com/blog.

Are there any photos in the book?

Yes, there are 17 photos supporting the text in multiple chapters.

When will the book be available?

Amazon is currently taking pre-orders on the e-book.

The official publication date is October 8, 2021 in recognition of October 8, 1997 when the six-inch reach barrier was broken in state and local building codes. Lowering the unobstructed side-reach standard from 54 to 48 inches in new or altered buildings and facilities made ATMs, gas pumps, elevators—everything activated with a push, pull or turn—accessible to people with dwarfism and other disabilities.

In what formats will the book be published?

E-book, print, and audiobook.

Who narrates the audiobook?

I narrated the audiobook myself in several two hour sessions with the support of a sound engineer.

Where can I get more information about the book?

Visit my website at https://angelamuirvanetten.com/books and Amazon’s book page to see the description, editorial reviews, product details, and biography. If you click on follow the author you’ll get updates as they become available.

Do you have questions for the author?

Please reply with your questions and I’ll answer them in a future post.