Maurie Sween
There are so many ways to introduce oneself. Since this website is about Charlie's Rabbit it would be fitting to write about how and why the novel came to be. The reasons that I will discuss in the following paragraph might seem rather academic, but push through and you'll see the the heart behind the mind.
For most of the past 30 years I have lived in Taiwan, mostly working in a residential institution for children with cerebral palsy. Aboriginal staff would sometimes entertain the kids with tribal folklore. Interests there sparked led to academic study, with part of my research centered on how one severely disabled woman from Taiwan (Liu Hsia, 劉俠, 1942–2003; aka Xing Lin Zi, 杏林子) effectively transformed society through both her literary contributions and her initiatives in social welfare. Reflections on the power of stories, and also the strength of vulnerability, lay behind the writing of Charlie’s Rabbit.
The novel, however, has practical rather than theoretical beginnings. The first years of primary school were not easy for my son. When I would give him advice about how to get along with others his eyes would glaze over, or, worse, his voice would start to rise and he would begin arguing with this dad, who, he felt, couldn't possibly understand his stress.
So I started to tell tales, stories about a rabbit that belonged to a boy, who was also named Charlie, a rabbit who lived just up in the mountains that, on clear days, we could see through the dining-room window. The rabbit and his friends also had to face problems like bullying. My son grew attentive. In fact he enthusiastically contributed to the stories, changing the names of characters to ones more to his liking.
I have kept those names. For my son and I the characters are alive, and their adventures real. Charlie's Rabbit is a record of the tales that were created for and with my son.
My Chinese name is Muli (慕理), which can be translated One Who Longs for Wisdom. Charlie’s Rabbit has been an important part of my quest. Is there wisdom here? I hope there is, and that the pages of Charlie’s Rabbit will inspire you, and that your circle of friends will flourish, enjoy life abundant, experience real happiness.
