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Her call to write was a quiet, yet constant voice, that Ryan Rae Harbuck finally listened to. Her memoir, when i grow up i want TO BE A CHAIR, launched in February 2022, along with a personal essay published by the Huffington Post in January and a microfiction piece in The Birdseed in March. Although her writing career is still in its infancy, it is a ferocious little newborn.
A Colorado native, Ryan has always found solace in the mountain air and has always been up for an outdoor challenge—as far as her wheelchair wheels could take her, or beyond. She has been a teacher and a swim coach but enjoys being Mom the most. She and her husband, Andrew, live in Denver with their two mudslinging, car-vrooming young boys.
Reviewed by Foluso Falaye for Readers' Favorite
Life took a new turn for Ryan Rae Harbuck when she suffered a car accident that landed her in the hospital, unable to move around like she used to. As she learned to see herself through a new lens, Ryan experienced different challenges, including having to grow up quickly, watching her mother struggle with addiction, loss, heartbreak, and more. At the other end of Ryan's trying moments are exciting, blissful days that involve trips to other countries, discovering the joy of motherhood, getting married, and landing a dream job. In When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Chair, Ryan Rae Harbuck shares a deeply compelling and inspiring story about coming to terms with being a paralytic as a teenager and growing up to become a mother with a plethora of experiences and lessons.
What an artistic, elegant, and profound memoir! Ryan Rae Harbuck is an incredibly talented writer, and I would love to read more of her works. Many of the events in When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Chair are described creatively and profoundly amazed me, and kept me glued to the pages for more. An example is where the concept of time is described as impossible to hold but "all around you." For a nonlinear narrative, the different parts fit together quite well as it's clear to see the various factors and events that contributed to making the author the strong, wise woman she is today. You should read this treasure of a book if you enjoy true stories that touch the deepest part of your soul and motivate you to keep looking forward to the next day.
