Writing these books made me think about the nonproductive way we polarize complex issues. And not just western society, because human nature is the same in all societies. My anger was more about OUR society, not the society in Unwind-because that society is just an allegory and an exaggeration of our own. I was wondering if you ever felt angry when writing the Unwind series, as if you were mad at your own work for creating such an in-depth, all-around disturbing society? Nicole: During the Unwind series, I would constantly feel a deep anger toward the dystopian societal values in the world, which got me even more invested in the books. What did we discover in the process? That even the darkest moments of one's life can be turned around and shed light for others. The hope is that through this book we will help people understand mental illness from the inside out, help people empathize with those who suffer, and offer some hope for those who are suffering.

Now that he's completely 'back from the deep,' we as a family can look at it with a little bit of distance. Before committing to writing the book, I asked him if it would be OK to do it and to weave his artwork and some of his experiences into the story-it was very important that he be involved and OK with the book from the very beginning. I based the fantasy element of the story on the artwork that Brendan did as a teenager while he was going through an episode-some of those pieces are in the book. Writing Challenger Deep took about four years, working slowly and doing a lot of soul-searching in the process. What can you tell us about this journey, and what did you discover in the process? Challenger Deep, such a personal work, must have been quite a journey of discovery for you, too. Jess Argarate: The Unwind Dystology sent me on a roller coaster of emotions, from fear to hope and everything in between, so you can clearly send your readers into amazing adventures (as you do with your characters).

Challenger deep shusterman