Böcker av Sara Pyszka

New school. New friends. New Brynn. And maybe a new boyfriend? Brynn Evason had always been on the fence about going to college, but RCU's Arts for All program won her over with its accessible dorms, personal care assistants (PCAs), and independent studies in which she'll learn more about the things she loves to do, including songwriting. She's looking forward to a fresh start, especially since her relationship with Tommy came to a screeching halt during the summer. Her best friend, Randi, encourages her to keep her eyes open for cute guys on campus, but Brynn doesn't think she's ready to date again. The breakup had been her idea, but that didn't make it any less painful, and although they text from time to time, and Tommy plans to visit her on campus, Brynn isn't sure if he's part of her future, or if she should leave him in the past. It's difficult to keep memories of their relationship from popping up, though, especially when every lyric she writes for her songwriting seminar seems to be about Tommy. Luckily, her mentor and songwriting partner, Trevor, is understanding and helps her shape her feelings into songs she's proud of. Brynn can't deny her immediate connection to Trevor, and as the semester progresses, their songwriting partnership inches toward a different type of partnership. The type that Brynn had all but sworn off. Will the first semester of college bring Brynn the life experiences she's been after, as well as a bit of romance? Or will Tommy wiggle his way back into her life as a friend . . . or something more?

I was going to ask you if you wanted me to put your poem from camp to music, but you really want to do this with me? What about college?Brynn Evason never believed she would be faced with this dilemma. Her sensitive musician boyfriend, Tommy, wants her to come on tour with him and collaborate on more music!Tommy isn't discomfited by her cerebral palsy. He has proven time and again that he wants to be with her. Brynn loves him for that, and she loves her music even more. It seems like the perfect plan.Brynn's family doesn't approve. They want her to go to college, and they've found a university with specific programs for people with disabilities. Brynn doesn't want to disappoint her parents, but she doesn't want to lose this magical opportunity. She's torn between a stable future and a romantic adventure.Luckily, her closest friends are there to help, advise, and entertain her. When the group goes on a college scouting trip, Brynn begins to realize where she belongs. In this sequel to Dancing Daisies, Brynn has to decide what she truly wants from her life and where her heart is telling her to go.

Upon meeting Sara Pyszka, most people think they know what it's like to be her, regardless of what they actually know about her.They see her wheelchair. They see the computer attached to her chair. They may or may not see the bands that hold her arms down, or the buttons on either side of her head rest. They see, and probably speak with, whichever personal assistant is accompanying her that day. They see her, yes, but this doesn't mean they know anything about her.Few people can accurately imagine what it's like to be completely nonverbal, to be unable to walk or use their hands. They don't actually know what it's like to rely on strangers to get them out of bed and ready for the day, to feed them, to bathe them.Inside My Outside: An Independent Mind in a Dependent Body provides an in-depth look into the life of a young woman with cerebral palsy who cannot walk or talk but who uses an electronic device for communication. This memoir covers three full days, from morning to night, in Sara Pyszka's life, providing glimpses of past relationships, friendships, schooling, and outrageous stories about the challenges of hiring, firing, and working with personal care assistants. Sara even takes it a step further by providing the occasional comparison between her life and what she imagines life would be like if she did not have a disability.

That was really why I wanted to go to camp this year instead of sitting at home all summer with my parents. I desperately needed some new friends...Brynn Evason is, in many ways, just like an ordinary seventeen-year-old girl-she cares too much about what other people think of her, she's embroiled in major friendship drama, and she can't wait to head off to summer camp.But in Sara Pyszka's heartwarming coming-of-age drama, Dancing Daisies, readers learn that Brynn is different in one very important way. Brynn has cerebral palsy, which means she must use a power wheelchair and computer to communicate.After her relationship with her two best friends is shattered, Brynn is looking forward more than ever to her summer at Camp Lakewood. She soon learns, however, that getting away from home doesn't spare her from all of life's dramas.While some campers meet her with dismay, Brynn eventually meets friends who can see past her disabilities. One of those friends is Tommy, a boy for whom Brynn immediately falls head over heels.But as Tommy and Brynn's friendship deepens, a misunderstanding puts the new couple in jeopardy. Can Brynn find a way to clear Tommy's name?