Being a writer is a great job for a naturally nosy person

My vanity license plate reads

TUVWXY:

In California, where you can have up to 8 characters, it would read:

RSTUVWXY

So do you know what it means?

I'm nosy!

Although I like to think of it as "genuinely interested in people."

I'm starting on a sequel to Girl, Stolen. When I wrote that book, which is about a blind girl who is accidentally kidnapped when someone steals her step-mom's car, I was working full time and had a kid in middle school. I had zero free time. So I read books about what it's like to be blind and did research on the Internet.

Now I have the freedom to talk to people. Today I'm interviewing someone who is blind and here are some of the questions I want to ask:

  • Do you know Braille? How important is it? How many blind people really know Braille?

  • What apps do you use/what do you they do? Can you show me?

  • How has your life changed in the last five years in terms of technology?

  • Do you cook? How do you see how fine the pieces are when chopping or know if things are done?

  • Open the freezer - how do you know what’s in it?

  • How do you sweep or keep floor clean and know it is?

  • How would you walk in straight line across crosswalk without the cues of the sidewalk?

  • How would you find the bathroom in a strange building?

  • How would you find your locker at school and spin it?

  • Do you do any sports?

  • What smells do you notice the most?

  • Are there sayings people say all the time, like Love Is Blind or getting embarrassed about “see”?

  • What’s one thing people always get wrong about what it's like to be blind?

  • What’s one thing people don’t realize?

  • What would scare you the most?

Anything you think I should add?
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grrlpup
I have a friend who used to do research on currency design-- making coins and bills more accessible-- so that's the first thing that comes to mind. Do you avoid paying cash, do you fold your cash a certain way to keep track of what denominations the bills are, etc.
aprilhenry
They used to fold in certain ways but now he says there is a free app (I think it's put out by the Treasury Department) that will tell you your bills as well as whether it's the front or back (like if you need to use it in a vending machine)
Erica Smith
You're probably far past this because you already researched enough for one book, but a writing podcast I listen to interviewed a blind author. It might help.

http://www.writingexcuses.com/2014/11/09/writing-excuses-9-46-disability-in-narrative/
Erica Smith
Okay, so my comment got marked as spam! Round two. I listened to a podcast the other day with a blind author. You can find it by googling "writing excuses disability in narrative". Since you've already researched and written a book with a blind character, a lot of it might be redundant, but I thought parts of it were fascinating.
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