Author Sequoia Rudolph is a retired special education teacher whose first book started out as an essay that stretched into a memoir but ended up as a novel. Her debut release, In Time Out (September 2024), brings readers “a fun, sexy mid-life adventure that blends humor, heartache, healing, and wisdom” with “a powerful reflection on the challenges of education, colonization, and life’s obstacles.” You’ll find Sequoia on Medium and Amazon.
When readers turn the last page in the book, what do you hope they will take away from it?
First, I want people to realize that teaching special education is a very difficult career and rarely is there a concrete resolution to the challenges both teachers and students face. Secondly, people have a view of what living and working in Paradise is like. It is very different from staying in a resort where the locals are paid to be nice to tourists. And third, women of a certain vintage often make changes to their lifestyles and it takes a lot of courage to leave a situation that does not work.
What challenges did this work pose for you?
This book started out as a nonfiction essay about the unfair treatment of special education students and teachers in the Department of Education in the state of Hawaii. Then it became a memoir, finally I decided to write a novel because making stuff up was a lot more fun than telling the absolute truth.
Who are your main characters and what do they have to overcome in the story? Will those who know you recognize you in any of your characters?
The main character is a clueless middle-aged runaway, Cynthia Ferguson, who had never been to Maui and decided to leave her husband. Yes, people would know this is my story. However, when I landed on Maui my life was totally different than hers in that I immediately made myself explore and connect with the island and the community. Cynthia was more afraid and cautious. Matthew, her young colleague, is a composite of various people who teach in every place I have ever worked. There is always an adorable young guy who gets away with not doing his job, and everyone loves him. No one ever calls him out because he is funny and makes people laugh.
All of the students in this novel are familiar to every special education teacher in the world. They are at a disadvantage and it is the teacher’s job to level the playing field. Not always possible or realistic. The evil principal, Ms. Yamamoto, is a combination of three of the worst administrators I encountered in my 25-year career. Maui is definitely one of the main characters. She adds beauty and adventure to the story.
Tell us how the book came together.
The story came from my teaching career, not just on Maui but in Kentucky and Arizona as well. In Time Out took 12 years to write and underwent many changes along the way. When I retired three years ago, I decided to finish the book and so I devoted a great deal of my time and resources to do so.
Hawaii is one of the main settings in the book. Why did you decide to use that particular setting as the place your story unfolds?
I have a love/hate relationship with Maui and could never really leave for good. I moved back three times and tried to make it work for me financially. In all, I lived there for over ten years and have gone back to house-sit or visit countless times. I still miss living there. It is a special place, but entirely unsustainable.
Is there a scene in your book that you’d love to see play out in a movie?
From the very beginning I pictured this book as a movie. It has humor, heart, romance and, of course, the island paradise of Maui.
What was your favorite part of putting this project together?
My favorite part of the project was the actual writing of the first draft. I would get up at 4:30 am and work on it until I had to go to work and live the story. Everything after writing the first draft has been difficult. And now that the book is completed, I feel stuck and need assistance in the next step.
How did you chose the title of the book?
The titles I wanted were already used in other books and movies. In Time Out surfaced at the last minute, and I really liked it. It describes Cynthia’s time on Maui and a reference to teaching as well.
You began your writing career later in life. What did your mature self bring to the writing table that your younger self never could have?
My younger self was busy raising children and working hard in other endeavors. Writing a novel requires motivation, focus and, most of all, time.
When did you consider yourself a writer?
Not until this book was published in September 2024.
What are the hardest kinds of scenes for you to write?
Without a doubt, the romance and sex scenes were not easy and I didn’t want to add them. I attempted to make it fun and lighthearted. Various beta readers and consultants convinced me that it was necessary and more realistic. As it turns out, they were right.
What writing projects are you working on now?
I’m a reporter for the Nob Hill News. I’m also published in Unbreaking the Circle: Stories of Service (the SWW 2025 military anthology), and I have a blog on Medium.
Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
Everyone has a story to tell. I hoped to tell the story of special education in a fun and entertaining way.
KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has worked as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.
