Aspiring writers at Whitewater High got a boost from author Avery McNeil who talked about inspiration, writing process, and getting started.

McNeil is a special education teacher with Cobb County schools with nearly two decades in the classroom. He followed his heart to become a self-published author, and he loves sharing what drives him. He did that by visiting with the English classes at Whitewater High.

While all of his stories are relatable to broad audiences, McNeil focuses on characters with disabilities to give those students’ representation in books. McNeil self-published the book “Jump,” a story about Kayla, a child with a prosthetic leg seeing out to break a jump rope record.