There are many sensitive and painful things going on in the world right now, and countless people have been impacted. While medical care in the US has always been a hot topic, in recent years it has become a focal point in essential conversations. Cassandra Newbould has her own personal experiences with the healthcare system, which she went on to write about in her latest book. Today, we’re speaking to Cassandra about the process behind the powerful themes of healthcare in her new dystopian novel, Climate of Chaos.
About Cassandra Newbould
Cassandra Newbould is the editor of the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection YA anthology Every Body Shines (Bloomsbury YA) and the author of Things I’ll Never Say and Climate of Chaos (Peachtree Teen). A disabled mom of three who enjoys poker, rainy days, and road trips, she’s always on the lookout for her next adventure. Find her on social media @cass_catalano_newbould.
Thank you for joining us, Cassandra. Let’s get started!
For readers unfamiliar with Climate of Chaos, could you start us off with an elevator pitch of the novel?
When the corporation that kidnapped your sister claims she’s the chosen one who will save the world from a deadly virus — at the risk of her own life — and you’re the only one who can rescue her, would you? In a world where healthcare is currency and Aegis Corp controls it all, Fox must decide if she’s willing to risk her community’s welfare to save the person she loves most.
You previously wrote contemporary YA. What motivated your shift into dystopian fiction for this book?
Dystopian and disaster books (and movies) have always been my go-to when I need comfort. There’s magic to be discovered within a protagonist who finds hope in a world of disruption. A voice against the Big Bad. They are the spark to set the world on fire. Dystopian novels take our worries about the real world and show us the very extreme possibilities of where we could end up. They reveal the worst about humans, but in doing so, they also reveal the best qualities about us.
Dystopians make you feel like even when the end is staring you in the face, there’s a chance not only to survive, but to thrive against all odds. Writing dystopian books was always my dream, but it took me a few years until I was ready to tell the story of my heart. Climate of Chaos is my rage on the page for how our failing healthcare system has treated me and other disabled people in our country.
How does the more survival-stakes social commentary narrative structure of Climate of Chaos reflect or depart from your earlier works in contemporary fiction?
Things I’ll Never Say is an intimate contemporary story told in prose and verse, while Climate of Chaos is a cinematic, loud, feral scream of a story. Although, when it comes to survival stakes and social commentary, they are quite similar. TINS focuses on the opioid crisis in America and how the loss of a loved one to an overdose can have a ripple effect for many. It shows my main character trying to survive without her twin brother. Climate of Chaos reflects our world and how people are struggling with medical debt and our changing climate, albeit in a worst-case scenario (or at least that’s what I intended; however, every day it feels more and more like reality). Like TINS, CoC shows my main character trying to survive without her sister; however, in this story, unlike TINS, Fox has a chance to save Rabbit.
Climate of Chaos weaves together themes of climate catastrophe, viral illness, and economic inequality. What sparked the idea to bring these crises together? Was there a particular headline or personal experience that helped shape the story’s main conflict?
At any given time of the day it feels like you can go on social media or turn on the news and there will be a story of a weather catastrophe that has happened, or how we’re all still feeling the economic fallout from Covid, or how people are financially struggling as our government once again slashes funding for Medicaid and Medicare for those most in need. Hospitals are closing, doctors and nurses are exhausted and in short supply, and people cannot afford to pay rent and their medical bills at the same time. Something needs to change, and until we all begin to shout for that change, it’s going to keep happening. Climate of Chaos is me using my voice to add to the others who are already fighting.
As for my personal experience, December 18, 2010, was the day I walked across Melrose Ave in West Hollywood, CA, and was hit by a cargo van. What followed next was years of pain, procedures, and recovery. During my downtime, I started writing my first book. Writing provided a balm to the new reality of living the rest of my life with chronic pain in a disabled body. Years later, when I finally felt ready to write Climate of Chaos, I used my rage and hurt to shape the story’s main conflict.
One of the most intriguing elements of this novel is how healthcare is treated as currency. What were you hoping to explore about medical access and who gets to determine the value of a life?
Medical debt and a country-wide failure to practice and provide health equity is not the exception in America; it is the rule. Lack of proper, affordable, and compassionate healthcare is one of the most relatable issues Americans experience across the board, regardless of income or location, regardless of whether they’re insured or not. I really wanted to show the path we’re headed on if we don’t reroute. Already, there are those who have to declare bankruptcy because of their medical bills. Generations who feel the weight of debt when their loved ones have a disease or disability and subpar insurance. And to be frank, even those with “great insurance” still are denied or have to pay ridiculous amounts of money for care.
Over the last almost-15 years, I’ve accrued hundreds of thousands of dollars of medical debt. I am not alone in my experience. We live in a country that purposely keeps its people hurting and financially struggling for profit. It doesn’t need to be this way — other countries have proven that — yet the healthcare/insurance system here is predatory, and everyone is suffering. Even if you haven’t experienced medical debt in your lifetime, someone you love will.
I knew that Climate of Chaos would be a story that’s relatable to the majority of those living in America. I wrote this book so people know they aren’t alone in their struggle. I think that this story shows what can happen when we don’t stand up for ourselves and allow our government to decide who’s worth saving.
Climate of Chaos does not shy away from showing corruption on all sides, from the corporate power of Aegis to the resistance group Still Alive. Why was it important for you to complicate the idea of “good guys vs. bad guys” within the context of the novel?
Because all humans are fallible and there is no such thing as “good guys vs. bad guys” when it comes to power. We are all different shades of morally gray, and hopefully, we choose right from wrong, but when power comes into play, a lot of times, you’ll find people who think they are good aren’t quite as good as they think. Even Fox faces her own moral dilemma when she chooses to save Rabbit. In this story, there are those on both sides who do the right thing when least expected and those who prefer to do the wrong thing when least expected. I wanted to keep the readers guessing, and I really wanted to show that in any given situation — especially when it comes to survival and power — sometimes the ones you love most will let you down, but also, sometimes the ones you trust least will rise to the occasion and be there for you. That’s one of the most interesting things about humanity.
You never really know the core of a person until you find yourself in a situation that’s life or death or when someone is given wealth and power. And even in those instances, the result can change from one disaster to the next.
Within the plot, Fox’s chronic pain and use of a cane are integral to her story, not something she “overcomes” but something she lives with and learns to find creative solutions to adapt to. Can you speak to how your portrayal of Fox contributes to disability representation, especially in a genre that often sidelines or erases disabled characters?
I’ve lived with chronic pain for almost 15 years now and have not found a way to overcome it, much as I’ve tried or wished to, yet I still live a full life. I purposely wrote Fox to be a disabled person existing in the only way she remembers — in pain, fighting to get from dawn to dusk so she can face another day. Sometimes the pain is less. Sometimes it’s full-force front and center. Sometimes she pushes herself beyond her means, and sometimes she gives herself grace and takes the break she deserves. Such is life in a disabled body.
The world waits for no one. I really wanted to show that for her reality. Not just in the big moments, but in the quiet ones, too. Fox doesn’t get a say in when her body decides to betray her, but she does get a say in how she faces the world. Sometimes she makes the right choices, and sometimes she pays for pushing herself to the limits.
Your disability does not define who you are, what you’ll become, or the life you will lead. It is just a part of you. But it’s a part you need to acknowledge the limits of, or you’ll find yourself struggling even more than usual. Too often, stories focus on what a disabled person can’t or shouldn’t do, if disabled people are included in the cast of characters at all. I really wanted to focus on what Fox can do within the constraints of what her body allows.
Do you see Climate of Chaos as the beginning of a series? If so, can you share anything about what readers might expect in the next installment? Are there any themes or characters you’d be excited to explore further?
Oh, they can expect a lot of carnage, chaos, and redemption! I can’t speak too much about it yet, but I can say that the sequel will live up to its name. I’m really excited to show Fox’s found family fighting the odds and reclaiming what was stolen from them, as well as showing some beloved relationships growing, while others dissolve, and how Fox uses them all to her advantage. And mostly, I’m excited for Fox to finally get revenge on a particular person for what they’ve done to her and her sister Rabbit… Trust me when I say it will be memorable.
Finally, if you could offer one piece of advice to teens who see themselves in Fox, whether it’s because of their disability, grief, or a feeling of being caught between broken systems, what would it be?
You are not alone. I know how much you’re hurting, but I promise you are worthy of a life of love and happiness. Never forget that. Although it’s unfair, the only way to change our circumstances is to allow ourselves to be the change. It doesn’t even have to be big and world-shattering. It can be in the small, day-to-day moments: helping yourself, helping others, giving yourself grace, fighting for your rights, and voting for those who will protect them and you.
Do not be afraid to believe in yourself and the life you dream of. Do not be embarrassed to ask for help or set boundaries to protect yourself. Do not be afraid to want more than our country is willing to give you. You are our future, and you can break the cycle. You deserve so much; don’t ever let anyone make you forget your worth.
Thank you so much, Cassandra, for participating in our interview. It was amazing to learn more about the process behind your powerful and complex themes in Climate of Chaos. Don’t forget to add it to your TBR, along with her other books, like Things I’ll Never Say.
Want to connect with Cassandra Newbould? Follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and her website!
Check out another interview on a fantastic dystopian novel written by Chloe Gong here.
Check out the team’s dystopian recommendations here.
