Today, Tyler R. Tichelaar of Reader Views is pleased to interview Ashley Sanders about his new book “Facing Demons.”

Ashley Sanders was born in Adelaide, South Australia in 1984, where he has lived most of his life. He attended Eynesbury College before completing a Bachelor of Health Sciences at Flinders University. He then became a Paramedic with the SA Ambulance Service. Ashley found his love for writing throughout school and University. Although he has finished half a dozen manuscripts, “Facing Demons” is the first he has published. He has also written several screenplays, including for the miniseries “Bazza vs. Wild.”

Tyler: Welcome, Ashley. It’s a pleasure to get to interview you about your new book “Facing Demons.” To begin, will you inform us what types of “demons” we’re talking about that the main characters face?

Ashley: Hi, Tyler, and hello to the readers. The characters in “Facing Demons” face some very real and serious issues that have the potential to become life-threatening if not dealt with soon enough. They are confronting issues such as sexual and physical abuse, racism, and the loss of loved ones, which are by no means the characters’ fault. Other issues such as self-harming, drug and alcohol abuse, and gang activity have some level of personal choice and naturally can lead to other problems.

Tyler: How are the four main characters different or similar in the struggles they face? Would you briefly tell us a little about each one?

Ashley: The four characters each come from very different walks in life and have faced their own battles, and yet underneath it all they are just lost young people looking for a way out, a better direction. In the beginning, their differences cause clashes and fights. For example, Jason fights with Matthew because of their racial differences, but in the end, he realizes they both have tragically lost family members. Noticing how Matthew deals with such a terrible loss without resorting to anger helps Jason snap out of his one-track mind for revenge. As for the girls, I believe it takes them a little longer to bond, with Felicity’s out-going and quick to judge attitude clashing with Rebecca’s withdrawn, introverted personality. The moment they realize some similarities (in regards to self-harming behavior) is the first step toward an unbreakable bond and the healing process.

Tyler: Ashley, how did you settle on four main characters, rather than devoting the book just to one? Did you want to try to cover every angle possible?

Ashley: I wanted to show that no matter what problems you are faced with in life, there is always a way through it. By having four main characters with completely diverse histories, I am able to show each of their thoughts about one another and themselves and how it evolves as they begin to make progress. I think it’s important to have more than one character for readers to feel they aren’t alone in their struggles—that there are others out there in situations similar to themselves who may be able to help them.

Tyler: What made you decide to write a book about teenagers who perform self-harming behaviors?

Ashley: My inspiration for this serious subject comes from my work as a paramedic and the teenagers I often meet. It can be a very confronting thing seeing and hearing the stories of these young people, who are often just seeking a bit of help and support. I felt it necessary to give these kids a voice, and I hope to do so in “Facing Demons.”

Tyler: Will you tell us what you mean by a “very confronting thing”? As a paramedic, were you surprised by the number of young people you had to help, and would you give us some examples of teenagers or self-harming behaviors where you’ve been called to the rescue?

Ashley: It’s very confronting to see people deliberately hurt themselves because they cannot see any other way. Drug and alcohol overdoses and cutting seem to be the most common self-harming behaviors, with the majority seeking help. At the other end of the scale are hangings and fatal gun-shot wounds. Seeing any person attempt any of these acts is confronting, and it is extremely sad to know what a desperate state of mind they must be in.

Tyler: Can you explain a little bit about what causes the characters to indulge in self-harm rather than turning anger outside? Why would they want to hurt themselves?

Ashley: From the patients I’ve seen in my career, there are a couple of types of self-harmers. There are those who are desperate for some help and can see no other way to get attention, which involves turning to some level of anger externally due to frustration. And there are those who are seriously hurting inside for whatever reason, and the physical pain they inflict on themselves helps temporarily to relieve what is often a more hurtful internal pain. This is often a secretive behavior, thus removing the need for attention-drawing acts of anger. The characters who self-harm want to escape from their harsh realities for a moment. The unfortunate thing is it becomes a vicious cycle and can sometimes lead to suicide attempts.

Tyler: Jason strikes me as different from the others because he exhibits anger rather than harming himself. His anger is based in racism. Would you explain the cause of it for us?

Ashley: Jason’s anger is based on his unquenchable thirst for wanting to avenge the cold-blooded killings of his family by an African-American gang. Even though he is able to get revenge by finding the killers, his family still cannot be replaced and the anger remains. He continues to base this anger on a racist trait developed since the murders and even starts his own gang because of this. Deep down, Jason knows that what he’s doing is wrong, but he cannot stop this hatred, so he continues to fight the feelings inside with his own brand of self-harm—violence.

Tyler: Do you feel despite Jason’s being a racist, the reader will empathize or sympathize with Jason? How did you try to create a balance of sympathy for the characters so the readers wouldn’t be completely repulsed by them?

Ashley: I believe the reader will have mixed feelings about Jason throughout the entire book. Initially, there will be some level of understanding for Jason’s need to avenge his family’s deaths, but also perhaps feel there is a better way rather than fighting fire with fire. The readers may be repulsed with Jason for beating up the genuinely gold-hearted Matthew, and perhaps it will take a lot for him to redeem that act of unprovoked violence. However, deep down underneath that tough, angry exterior is a nice young man just angry with the world. Once that barrier is broken, Jason can show his true self and prove that he isn’t all bad. There are several points in the book written to show this barrier being dropped in order to gain some reader sympathy, such as when Jason guides the group to safety on their bushland expedition, or when he becomes emotional whilst holding his baby daughter.

Tyler: Ashley, most of our readers here at Reader Views are from North America, and in the U.S. particularly, there is a history of racism and slavery. Is that a similar case in Australia in terms of the racist issues you depict in “Facing Demons”?

Ashley: Unfortunately, a lot of countries have a history of racism in some form or another. The Indigenous Australians faced what is known as The Stolen Generations where up until the late ’60s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island children were taken from their families and placed in Government care. The Australian Government issued an official apology in 2008 over this.

The racist issues depicted in “Facing Demons” are more to do with asylum seeker issues that Australia continues to face, similar to illegal aliens seeking a green card in the U.S. Matthew wishes to become part of society, but knows about the detention centers for refugees in Australia so he remains on the streets. Jason’s racial hatred is based solely on what a black gang did to his family, so his prejudice is more a choice.

Tyler: As far as you know, what do the at-risk youths you depict have in common with their North American counterparts—are they the same issues, or is there anything about the book that you think will be different for North American readers, anything that is specifically related to Australia—you mentioned a bushland expedition for example?

Ashley: I think we all face the same life issues, to some extent, and have the same raw human emotions. “Facing Demons” portrays some fairly extreme circumstances but also a lot of common ground that any at-risk youth could relate to, no matter where he or she is from. As for the bushland expedition—getting back to nature, with no other distractions, around is the core of the story. There are many beautiful places in North America where people can go trekking, much like the group in this story.

Tyler: What made you decide to make the rehabilitation program central to the story?

Ashley: I’ve seen many troubled teens bounce back and forth from hospitals and care homes to rehabilitation programs because it’s so easy to be distracted by the world around you and slip back into old ways. By placing a rehab center in a remote but beautiful location with an intense program, the characters have a better chance to focus on their needs. It would be tough to focus if just outside the door of a rehabilitation center is the very thing that put you there in the first place. Therefore, it had to be central to the story in order for the characters to show some progress.

Tyler: Often movies and to a lesser extent books about crime and drugs have a tendency to glamorize the lifestyle. Did you worry about that at all; that reading about such things will attract readers to such a lifestyle rather than push them away from it?

Ashley: Showing the dim reality of some lifestyle choices will more likely push readers away from it. I meet a lot of young adults who are involved in gangs and certainly believe their lives to be glamorous. I never lecture them but like to point out the facts—crime can lead to jail, violence can lead to injuries or death, and drugs can lead either to jail or death. There’s no point beating around the bush about it. “Facing Demons” explores some very serious issues, and I did worry that censoring it moderately may glamorize it somewhat.

Tyler: Ashley, all your characters are teenagers, and here at Reader Views we had a teenager review your book. Do you feel, especially with topics like sex-slavery, that your book might be too intense or that parents may have reason not to want their teenage son or daughter to read your book?

Ashley: There are some topics that may offend some people, but the reality is these issues are out there in the world. That said, there is no explicit content, and any confronting topics are only eluded to and don’t go into detail. I believe the issues tackled in “Facing Demons” could create an opportunity for parents to discuss with their teenager/s such topics in more depth. As a teenager, not that long ago, I remember finding it difficult to accept being lectured to when I did wrong. However, I found it easier to listen to and understand someone who had similar experiences to mine, or who was of the same age. Hopefully, by readers relating to the characters, a more deep and meaningful conversation can develop.

Tyler: What responses have you received from readers so far, both adults and teenagers?

Ashley: The majority of the responses have been excellent, with most people finding it to be an emotional roller-coaster and inspirational. Reader Views reviewer Avni Gupta said it was “absolutely amazing!” For some teenagers, the stories were hard to believe but a real eye-opener. Some adults could relate back to past experiences and empathize with the characters.

Tyler: Could you sum up for us in just a sentence or two how you hope “Facing Demons” will affect your readers?

Ashley: I hope readers of “Facing Demons” will find invaluable insight into the lives of those who are perhaps less fortunate, and help to spark some inspiration for doing good to others. I hope readers who are themselves facing tough journeys will also find inspiration in taking steps to seeking appropriate means of assistance.

Tyler: Ashley, I understand you’re currently writing prequels to “Facing Demons.” Will you tell us how you decided to do that?

Ashley: I found that as the story developed and the characters grew, there was so much more left to be said. I thought putting in too much detail of the lives of each individual would distract from the storyline of facing their demons so a separate prequel could help delve deeper. Each character has his or her own unique, intriguing story, captivating in their own way, which will be displayed effectively in their own books.

I am also considering a sequel to “Facing Demons,” which will follow the stories of the characters after leaving the rehabilitation center, as it is quite easy to fall back into old habits.

Tyler: My next question was going to be asking whether there was a sequel, but will you tell us more about the prequels. Will there be one for each character, what will their names be, and will each be a separate novel?

Ashley: Yes, there will be one book for each character to provide more focus and depth, with the titles being simply the characters’ names—Jason, Felicity, Rebecca and Matthew.

Tyler: Ashley, you’ve also written several screenplays. Will you tell us about those a little?

Ashley: I’ve written several screenplays for short films for my friend Benjamin Dowie, who is the founder of Beanpole Productions—a film production company. These include screenplays for “Bazza vs. Wild”—Man vs. Wild mocumentary we’ve created together that is still in production. I’ve also written two feature-length screenplays, which we may produce in the future.

Tyler: What is a “mocumentary?” I’ve never heard of one.

Ashley: A mock documentary—a comedic take-off of another series, in this case Man vs. Wild.

Tyler: Ashley, do you prefer screenplay writing or writing novels? Is one more fun or more challenging?

Ashley: I prefer writing novels, although I love the film production side of screenplay writing and seeing my creativity and imagination become real. One of the hardest parts of screenplay writing is creating believable dialogue and plots that fit in with a film-able storyline. It is easier to let your imagination run wild in a novel.

Tyler: Thank you for joining me today, Ashley. Before we go, will you tell us about your website and what additional information can be found there about “Facing Demons”?

Ashley: My website www.ashleysanders.com contains news about “Facing Demons” and any other work I produce, including samples. There I also hold giveaways, have my contact information, and where to buy my books.

Tyler: Thank you again, Ashley, for the interview. I wish you much luck with “Facing Demons” and I hope it provides healing for many people.

Ashley: Thanks Tyler, it’s been my pleasure chatting with you today! :)