Author Quirks: Candace Calvert

Next up is Candace Calvert, author of Disaster Status (and Critical Care). I asked her:


What's a quirky or little-known fact about yourself, your writing, and/or one of your novels?


Her answer:

Quirk is my middle name. Not literally of course (in which case it would be spelled with a C, as in Candace Cwirk Calvert), but quirkiness seems to remain a constant in my life.

One of those life “quirks” was a near-tragedy . . . turned incredible blessing. Strangely, it’s one that I share with my fabulous literary agent Natasha Kern:

We both suffered broken necks. And recovered without permanent disability.

My injury occurred in 1997 as the result of an equestrian accident that also left me with seven rib fractures, a bleeding lung, back fractures and spinal cord trauma. The inspirational story of my accident and recovery, “By Accident,” appeared in Chicken Soup for the Nurse’s Soul—and was the official start of my writing career.

This “broken-neck bond” has only further cemented the much-valued relationship I have with my agent. Though we share other interests (and laughter whenever we can!), we truly understand the miracle of our recoveries and empathize with nearly 200,000 Americans struggling to cope with the devastating effects of spinal cord injury.

At Christmas time each year I make a donation in Natasha Kern’s honor to one of our favorite charities: The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, an organization dedicated to “Today’s Care. Tomorrow’s Cure” for victims of spinal cord injury.

It’s my way of showing appreciation to her; a reminder that we’ve both been blessed enormously and that the definition of “superman” has little to do with a red cape—it’s all about caring and sharing. We can all do that.

Thank you, Candace Calvert, for sharing this awesome story.