A Baker’s Dozen of Questions:

Q1. What does the K stand for in K. Rose Quayle?
A. Katherine. Though I’m called by my middle name, Rose, I was named after the talented and
much-missed actress, Katharine Hepburn.

Q2. What was the catalyst that caused K. Rose to write Look Left, Walk Green?
A. There were several events that cumulatively brought me to the decision to write the book including the
stigma experienced by other patients surrounding treatment and the isolation of caregivers that brought
Look Left, Walk Green to life.

Q3. What does the title mean?
A. Look Left, Walk Green refers to the saying I would tell myself after treatment ended to help sort
out which way to cross the street at a light. I’m not dependent on this anymore but I still think
it!

Q4. What books have been influential to Ms. Quayle?
A. So many! The Wrinkle in Time and Austin Family series by Madeleine L’Engle got me through those
difficult tween/ teen years, the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder came in handy after ECT ended for
practicing reading skills, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan was and continues to be a balm to my spirit and An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison showed me that it was not only possible for a person with mental illness to be regarded as
intelligent but also a leader in the field of psychology. Now that’s empowering.

Q5. How long did it take to write Look Left, Walk Green?
A. A little over 2 years.

Q6. Was there a part of the book that was particularly harder to write than the others?
A. Yes. Though all of the text is deeply personal, I found the history of mental health in the U.S.
to be very challenging both in the amount of research required and the emotional aspects involved.

Q7. If you could be any animal what would you be?
A. Tossup between an Elephant and a Sea Lion. I love the intelligence and emotional IQ of Elephants- I mean
what astounding creatures! But they can’t move too fast really. And a Sea Lion an swim and flip which I’d
love to do with some amount of grace but I wouldn’t want to smell like fish.

Q8. You’ve just been notified you’ve won the lottery. What do you do the day after?
A. Well that’s a trick question. I’m a Salvationist so I don’t play the lotto but supposing someone gifted
some obscene amount of money, I’d go to work like usual and listen around me quietly. You’d be amazed how
many people are in need around you. I would start my list of my who I would “surprise” anonymously. What
would be better than paying off a debt for someone or giving them a leg up to their dreams? I’d put some in
savings of course and pay off my family’s debts and get them some things first but you know, this is
hypothetical.

Q9. What’s the funniest thing that’s happened to you recently?
A. I have four little hens we keep for eggs and they’ve been at war with my husband and I about staying in
their pen and not tearing up all the grass in the backyard while it seeds. Every day it’s a bit different
but usually ends up with 2 stranded chickens trying to weasel into my kitchen and it can be pretty
humorous.

Q10. You live in Pittsburgh currently. What’s your favorite aspect of the city?
A. Well I’ve lived here for some years now and I don’t like most of the traditional things people identify
with the city- I’m an undying fan of the New Orleans Saints of course and I’ll throw up a cheer for the
Buffalo Sabers as they’re from my parents’ stomping grounds but otherwise I’m just not concerned with the
Penguins or Steelers or Pirates. I don’t care much for the cuisine or get a lot of the humor but I love the
architecture you can find here. There’s such a character and juxtaposition of eras in architecture downtown
and I do very much like Shadyside, the South Side, Squirrel Hill particularly with my favorite writing spot
(Te). When we go Christmas light viewing in December I most feel at home in Friendship and Lawrenceville.

Q11. What’s your top piece of advice?
A. Learn to laugh at yourself. Someone else will so beat them to it and get all of that tension out of the
way. Besides, who doesn’t love a good laugh?

Q12. Do you recommend ECT as a treatment?
A. I am first and foremost not a doctor so I cannot recommend any treatment for anything but I encourage
anyone thinking about it to get as much information as they can both in academic research and by talking to
people who have had it done because I feel there is a lack of information in this area. If you’re going to
think about a serious procedure such as ECT it’s what you owe to yourself to be forearmed if you choose to
undergo it.

Q13. Star Wars or Star Trek?
A. Despite my undying respect for the late great Carrie Fisher and all she has done for the work in reducing
the stigma of mental illness, Patrick Stewart has my heart forever in Star Trek: The Next Generation!