Creator Spotlight - Jennifer Gennari

When I was a child, a blizzard stopped all traffic in Boston. I will never forget the quiet. The snow was so deep it was days before cars roared on the roads again. I saved that memory in a story seed folder.

Years later, I wondered, what if silence wasn’t just nice but necessary? For some people, quiet is something they need to recharge, to be able to participate in our noisy world. I began to imagine Amelia, the main character who is sensitive to sound in Muffled.

There are so many sounds around us! Trombone notes, beeping trucks, and squeaking shopping carts are some of the noises in Muffled. Paying attention and really listening can open your heart, too, and help you understand people’s feelings. What Amelia discovers, which I hope readers do too, is that a best friend is someone who accepts you the way you are.