Recently the Brooklyn Rail met with young-adult author Ned Vizzini in his childhood neighborhood of Park Slope to discuss, among other things, his third book, It’s Kind of a Funny Story, a novel that channels an autobiographical story of suicidal depression through a teenaged narrator. Rail: In literary fiction, when a young writer comes up with a hit book, they’re expected to follow up very quickly, and there’s a great amount of pressure that can destroy careers early on. What is it like to be a young writer writing for kids? Versus literary fiction or genre fiction. Is there less pressure, or competition? Rail: I’m talking about various critics and authors who are older than us, who lament the break from slow-nurtured careers, in favor of a sped-up process, with a few instant successes. Rail: What do you think about all the stress that happens to kids who are 15, or 18, in what you call the ‘sixth-life crisis.’ Vizzini: I might have to disagree with that statement. 30 is the new 21. I don’t know. I think 12 might be the new 21. Rail: It’s true that as kids we’re asked to declare what we want to do, who we want to be for the rest of our lives; in first grade when they ask you what you want to be when you grow up, the answer can actually mean something to people, and they stick to it, through college choices and all of that. But I’m saying that maybe, after college, you don’t necessarily have to stick to it. Rail: Maybe we’re just telling ourselves that it doesn’t matter—and we’re actually ruining our lives. But it seems like we have more time that we were told we’ll have, as kids. And I’m wondering if that’s something you’ve ever considered writing about? Rail: Do you feel like talking about the Harvard sophomore a little bit? Vizzini: You want me to help gang up on this girl? Rail: I saw something in Forbes that shed a little hopeful light on her situation, in reference to the Jacob Epstein story of about 25 years ago, when he was found out plagiarizing Martin Amis, but then went on to be a successful television writer. Saying there’s hope after plagiarizing. Rail: But at the same time the conservative media will come down really hard on somebody like James Frey for doing a memoir that he embellishes. Rail: You write in the book’s press materials that in the psych hospital you were drawing with Cray-Pas. Vizzini: Cray-Pas! Yes, that was a fun aspect of my life. Rail: Did you make the brain maps there, or were you making something else? Vizzini: No, I made some art. I made some actual paintings when I was in the hospital, which I hadn’t done before. It was actually theraputic; it was fun. I have cell phone pictures of that stuff. Maybe I can put it on my website. Rail: Did you find anything there to contribute to others, as Craig makes the drawings for his fellow patients and finds enrichment? Vizzini: Well I think I found that story. It became the book. I found a tale that I wanted to tell. Rail: Everything in the book is managed; everything from social pressures to feelings are capitalized, and termed. Is that a way for, if not just the character, then our generation to cope with this stuff by making the same kind of systems that we’re put through? Vizzini: You’re saying that we cope with pressures by putting them into a system? Rail: Yeah, or at least as an attempted means. Rail: Do you want to talk a little more about the autobiographical process? Rail: Living according to the example of the book. Vizzini: (Laughter) It was all part of the plan—and love every minute of it. DAVID VARNO's writing has appeared in BOMB, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Electric Literature, Paste, Tin House, Words Without Borders, and elsewhere. Home This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page About  .  Contact  .  Donation A significant Roman archaeological site has been uncovered near the town of Vizzini in the province of Catania date back to the 2nd to 4th centuries CE and are part of a larger Roman village covering approximately 15 hectares archaeologists from the University of Göttingen have been exploring how ancient Sicilians lived and traded Johannes Bergemann of the Archaeological Institute began its research in the Vizzini area in 2022 the team employed geophysical surveys in 2023 to detect anomalies in the Earth’s geomagnetic field which provided detailed images of the underground structures without the need for immediate excavation One of the key findings from these surveys was a Roman house measuring 30 by 13 meters parts of this mosaic were damaged by agricultural plowing over the centuries there is a representative room with a mosaic floor parts of the mosaic were destroyed by plowing,” said Prof The excavation also revealed other important architectural features including rounded brick columns coated with stucco and likely painted The remains of fountains with marble ponds and fragments of Terra Sigillata These discoveries suggest that between the 2nd and 6th centuries CE the inhabitants of this region lived in relative luxury The site represents a Roman village that emerged during a period when large rural settlements and villas replaced earlier Greek cities in Sicily became a key feature of this settlement system sustained by long-distance trade routes in the expansive Roman Empire connected inland areas to coastal storage sites along the southern coast of Sicily Numerous small storage depots were established for the purpose of trade as Sicily played a vital role in the Empire’s economy “The house we discovered near Vizzini is an important testimony to this era,” said Bergemann The research team has also identified similar buildings nearby indicating that the entire village was likely an integral part of the Roman Empire’s agricultural and trade networks The Göttingen archaeological team presented their findings publicly for the first time at the Vizzini Town Hall on October 16 A more detailed presentation is scheduled for February 3 at the University of Göttingen as part of their Archaeological Lecture Series More information: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()) Learn how to describe the purpose of the image (opens in a new tab) Leave empty if the image is purely decorative LBV Magazine English Edition archaeologists from the University of Göttingen have been researching how people lived and traded in ancient times in Sicily they have made another significant discovery: in the province of Catania they have excavated the remains of a Roman house with a mosaic floor from the 2nd to 4th century AD The house was located nearly 500 meters above sea level near the town of Vizzini in southeastern Sicily Johannes Bergemann from the Archaeological Institute the entire Vizzini area was examined for potential ancient archaeological sites After surface studies of the identified sites a geophysical survey was conducted in 2023 This survey detected anomalies in the Earth’s geomagnetic field and created detailed images of the subsurface without the need for excavation These geophysical measurements led the research team to the remains of the buildings that have now been excavated and its remains are just below the current surface there is a representative room of nearly 100 square meters parts of the mosaic were destroyed by plowing The geophysical measurements also revealed that there were other similar buildings in the vicinity Between the 2nd and around the 6th century AD people lived here at a high level: there were columns built with rounded bricks We have found remains of fountains with marble ponds as well as luxury Roman ceramics known as Terra Sigillata it is a Roman village covering approximately 15 hectares The ancient Greek cities were replaced during the Roman period by a new settlement system: large rural settlements and villas Roman agricultural production facilities that often generated substantial yields This was made possible by long-distance trade in a globalized Roman Empire Numerous small storage sites emerged along the southern coast of Sicily for this purpose which was connected to the inland via roads The house we have discovered near Vizzini is an important testimony of this era Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email The Parthenon temple on the Acropolis of Athens housed a colossal statue made of gold and ivory carved by the famous sculptor Phidias in 438 BC Two thousand years before the Inca Empire extended its dominion over the Andes a much less known yet culturally influential society—known as the Chavín Phenomenon—had already developed numerous artistic expressions,… while the Byzantine Empire was mired in a succession crisis sought to take advantage and launched his conquest Archaeologists from universities in the United States and Denmark found deep within the Actun Uayazba Kab cave in Belize two small stone tools dated between 250 and 900 AD that… men and women gathered to play a game called Cuju A team of researchers has succeeded in recreating for the first time in a laboratory experiment a phenomenon that until now only existed as a theory in the realm of… the Cantonal Archaeology of Aargau carried out a rescue excavation between early May 2024 and the end of March 2025 The Egyptian archaeological mission affiliated with the Supreme Council of Antiquities announced the discovery of a group of defensive structures and a system of moats that could indicate… In the southeastern area of the city of Rome archaeologists excavating inside the Triton Baths within the monumental complex of the Villa di Sette… Why did some animals from ancient eras become fossils while others simply disappeared without a trace Receive our news and articles in your email for free You can also support us with a monthly subscription and receive exclusive content archaeologists from theUniversity of Göttingen who have been conducting excavations in this area of the island for several years have discovered the remains of a Roman domus with a mosaic floor from the 2nd-4th centuries AD The house was located nearly 500 meters above sea level near the town of Vizzini and was part of an entire Roman village.The team from the University of Göttingen first investigated the entire area around Vizzini in search of possible ancient sites The surface investigations of the identified sites were followed by a geophysical survey in 2023 Anomalies in the Earth’s geomagnetic field were detected and detailed images of the subsurface were created without excavation These geophysical measurements led the research team to the building remains now excavated The building measured 30 by 13 meters; its remains lie only slightly below the present surface “There is a reception hall of almost 100 square meters the floor of which was covered with mosaics,” Bergemann says parts of the mosaic were destroyed by the plowing of the site.” Geophysical measurements also revealed that there were other “People of high wealth lived here between about the second and sixth centuries AD: there were columns made of round bricks similar to those in Pompeii,” Bergemann says “We found remains of fountains with marble basins and fancy Roman ceramics.” It appears to be a Roman village with an area of about 15 hectares The former Greek cities were replaced in Roman times by a new settlement system: large rural settlements and “villas,” or Roman agricultural production structures This was made possible by long-distance trade in the globalized world of the Roman Empire For this purpose numerous small stacking areas were created along the southern coast of Sicily connected to the interior by arterial roads The house we discovered near Vizzini is an important evidence of this era,” Bergemann concludes The team presented the results for the first time today in Vizzini’s town hall Bergemann and the other members of the research team will present their findings on Feb 2025 as part of the public archaeological lecture series Coco LeFor offers customizations on any flower arrangement or customers can purchase a premade arrangement Thalia is a features reporter for North San Antonio Northeast San Antonio Metrocom and New Braunfels editions of Community Impact She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Texas A&M University-San Antonio hanging out with her dog Maxwell and spending time with her family Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission It hit me like an electric shock last night to find out that my friend took his own life in New York yesterday at age 32 vibrant people I knew; his classic YA novel It’s Kind of a Funny Story (which was adapted into a film in 2010) was based on Ned’s own stay in a psychiatric hospital after he was gripped by suicidal thoughts in his early twenties but that still doesn’t make it any easier to believe that those feelings bested him now crooked smile that you barely had to coax out of him I met Ned very randomly at a Human Rights Watch event a few years ago All of his books (including Be More Chill and The Other Normals) are about outsiders and at this tony private home in the Hollywood Hills packed with polished and well-heeled gay activists Ned was a shaggy outsider indeed: He was a little unkempt But I immediately sensed that I had so much more in common with him than with anyone else at the party and Ned and I hit it off so quickly that I think we were both surprised It was eerie how in sync we were on every single pop-culture topic imaginable; it felt like a variation on the mirror scene in Duck Soup where I would start a topic of conversation — “Can we talk for a second about Jennifer Connelly’s introduction in The Rocketeer … ” — and then he would flawlessly mirror me and continue it: ” … with the pantyhose and the lipstick and the eyebrows we had a habit of meeting up at one of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles to fill each other in on major life developments (Ned had begun writing a YA series with original Harry Potter director Chris Columbus and was ascending through the TV writer ranks on shows like Teen Wolf and the upcoming Alfonso Cuarón series Believe) but mostly to experience that giddy thrill that comes from talking to someone who knows every single goddamn thing that you do Ned was a family man who’d grown up in Park Slope and I was an unmarried gay guy who’d never lived anywhere but Southern California but when we would nerd out about The Girl With the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts or pore delightedly through a PDF I’d found of the first issue of Nintendo Power we might as well have shared the same brain Ned had a full-blown anecdote for every subject imaginable I remember a story he told me about the TV star who’d thrown a fit on set unwilling to say the lines Ned had written for him It was a genuinely juicy bit of news — this soft-spoken actor is the last person you would have expected to go full-diva — and yet he couldn’t help but rationalize the guy’s behavior he’s the one who has to give the performance he’s having some trouble in his life right now and maybe he just needed to lash out.” Ned was bending over backwards to make me feel sympathetic for this actor who’d dismissed Ned’s script as a piece of shit “You are absolutely ruining this good gossip right now.” But that wasn’t what it was I realized later that Ned simply couldn’t tell a story without rendering a character in three dimensions a quote about something so vivid and yet earnestly described — so quintessentially Ned — that my heart leapt up in my throat “My favorite distraction from suicidal thoughts is riding my bike,” Ned said in the interview “Bad thoughts get caught under the front wheel and good ones whiz up the back into my brain.” Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Blanche Wilhelmina Vizzini (nee Bafford), age 91, of Sykesville, died Sunday, November 22, 2020, at the Dove House in Westminster. Born January 31, 1929 in Baltimore, she was the daughter of the late Dewey and Viola (Jett) Bafford. She was the... View Obituary & Service Information Vizzini created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Made with love by funeralOne Anyone dealing with any kind of mental illness needs to read this anyone who knows anyone or knew someone who had a mental illness or saw someone with one on TV or in a movie or even just walked past someone who looked glum The novel follows 15-year-old Craig: he is depressed and suicidal He attends a prestigious school which he spent months and months studying and working towards however he's struggling to keep his head above water and admits himself into the mental health ward teenagery maybe even predictable but it's not The title sums it up perfectly: 'It's Kind of a Funny Story' because it is Never have I wanted to laugh at a character's cynical humour while wanting to cry over the bleakness of his life I felt like I could entirely relate to Craig and that he was just a male and American extension of myself Vizzini's writing was immersive and real to the point where three days since I started this review I'm still trying to write it and give it the justice it deserves Craig felt like an actual teenager instead of an adults idea of a teenager which is just plain wrong: his friends were relatable and problems were ones thousands and thousands of teenagers have to deal with I understand that nowadays mental illnesses are faked and glamorised into a perverted way of attention this book shows the harsh reality of depression self harm and so many other mental illnesses which nowadays are just worn as a token for attention by people who just don't understand Everyone needs to read this book and see what its really like to have these life preventing illnesses I especially liked the concentration on depression being an illness it's a chemical reaction and should be treated with the same care and dignity as any other I think that people forget this so much and blame other things or rule it off for you just being 'moody' Mental illness is not something to dismiss and this book showcases this in such an amazing way which needs to be shown more widely in every day life Shortly before I finished the novel I discovered that Vizzini committed suicide himself: my heart sunk and I couldn't help but cry In a way I felt like I shouldn't have benefited from the book and that I shouldn't have enjoyed it It just shows that depression has an effect which can stay with you for life and I hope that this book will continue to prevent such sad endings Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop Want to tell the world about a book you've read? Join the site and send us your review! Print Ned Vizzini was a successful YA author of books such as “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” and “The Other Normals,” who had recently expanded into Hollywood film and television We asked a few writers who knew him to share their impressions and memories of him film director and co-author with Vizzini of “House of Secrets” and “House of Secrets: Battle of the Beasts” I am stunned and deeply saddened by the death of Ned Vizzini with a brilliant imagination and a sharp sense of humor I’ve spent nearly every day over the past two years working closely with him He will be greatly missed and my prayers are with his wife Sabra co-author of the “Beautiful Creatures” novels he was the only person who bothered to come to a bookstore where I was signing alongside Melissa de la Cruz seemed upbeat – more so than the two of us who were suffering the ignominy of an empty bookstore His latest novel had just hit the bestseller list But that wasn’t my first encounter with Ned; like so many of us when my daughter brought home “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” from the middle school library one of the early tells in her subsequent battle with depression As did I; seeing the humanity and the humor in the struggle was Ned’s gift And what a gift it was — left on their own people don’t want to hear about depression I’ve had to coin the term “Big Feelings” as a euphemism about both myself and my characters But what I admire about Ned is that he never backed away from the conversation But Ned Vizzini showed up when no one else did author of the “Blue Bloods” and “Witches of East End” series I first met Ned when we were both journalists and troublemakers at the New York Press a feisty independent newspaper in the early 1990s in New York City He would attend the annual Christmas party in a flannel shirt torn jeans and still carrying his large green school backpack We “older” writers (we were in our 20s and thought ourselves so sophisticated) would tease him and he would tease us right back “What’s with the backpack?” I think our sex columnist offered to relieve him of his virginity as a joke one that we always laugh about years later His writing was honest and searing and hilarious We had lost touch over the years and our paths crossed again when Ned started writing YA novels We reconnected in 2008 at the NCTE conference during a long and boozy publisher dinner scrappy teenager I had known had grown into an affable We reminisced about our times at the Press and had a wonderful time getting to know each other again as grownups He was one of the nicest and sweetest people He expressed joy and gratitude for the small things especially to his lovely wife and his beautiful son author of “Beta” and co-author of “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist”Read carefully Ned’s writing seems pretty straightforward He wrote with great accessibility in a fairly simple style (by which I don’t mean dumb -- I mean his work had exceptional depth of feeling and thought lurking within I always thought I knew where he was going (as if I’m so jaded to know every writer’s trick) and he never failed to surprise and delight The simple style revealed sentence construction and layers of feeling that were as intense and intelligent as Ned was How it hurts that he succumbed to the very disease he’d done so much to educate readers about but his books will live on to help generations you know that he could dig deep and mention dark things and he somehow made you feel OK about your own dark places He could even make you laugh about them -- everyone in a room He was honest and he shared his vulnerability with the world The thing I’ll remember most about Ned was his generosity We did several panels together at LA Times Festival of Books and watching him light up when a young person who’d read his work asked a question was a unique experience He could talk about tough issues with a wry smile He never underestimated or talked down to his teen readers As a new writer I had many questions and Ned was also very generous with his time for me and his advice on publishing and TV alike He had a way of treating other less-experienced writers as peers He was one of the most approachable writers I have ever met I will sorely miss the instant sense of pal-ship he brought to our every exchange Writer Ned Vizzini has died at 32 David L. Ulin’s best books of 2013 Two Canadian cities have world’s best public libraries, survey finds Joy Press is the former books and culture editor of the Los Angeles Times. Lifestyle Television Books Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Packing for vacation? A stylist recommends including these travel wardrobe essentials The New York-based author of “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” a semi-autobiographical story about a teen’s battle with severe depression the city’s medical examiner’s office confirmed to TODAY.com His injuries were consistent with someone who had fallen to his death.Vizzini's editor said she was "Ned VizziniAnonymous / PR NEWSWIREBy Eun Kyung KimWriter Ned VizziniSabra Embury / TodayYoung adult novelist Ned Vizzini has died at the age of 32 His injuries were consistent with someone who had fallen to his death Vizzini's editor said she was "devastated" to learn the news Friday "Ned was a preternatural talent — a brilliant insightful writer and a dazzling storyteller who was one of the leading pioneers of YA literature as we know it," Alessandra Balzer co-publisher of HarperCollins' Balzer + Bray Balzer had worked with Vizzini since his debut novel "Be More Chill," which he wrote while still in college "He created characters who were outsiders trying to find their way He was also incredibly kind and he adored his family and friends," she said countless kids would approach him to say that he changed their lives — he gave them hope Ned's books will be read and beloved for generations to come This is a tragic loss for all who knew him and were inspired by his work.” and tributes poured in from strangers and friends alike I+only+knew+Ned+Vizzini+through+his+work,+which+I+strongly+identified+with.+The+news+is+so+sad.+His+family+and+friends.+Oh,+oh,+oh “He was a great inspiration to many students and aspiring writers And we hope he’s remembered for that legacy of being an inspiration to young people everywhere,” Alec Melman a speakers bureau that had booked Vizzini at colleges and high schools for the past several years the 2006 “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” recounts how a 15-year-old landed in a mental facility after repeatedly attempting suicide The book was adapted into a 2010 film starring Zach Galifianakis Social media users responded by noting how Vizzini had made his personal ordeals public as a way to help others battling with mental health issues Do+me+a+favor+and+read+this+book,+or+rent+this+film,+this+weekend.+Do+it+in+honor+of+Ned+Vizzini,+the…+http://t.co/ndXGsyl07J Touching+to+see+young+people+naming+Ned+Vizzini+an+inspiration.+To+me+he'll+always+be+the+brilliant+kid+who+had+me+looking+over+my+shoulder. Vizzini’s most recent novel, released earlier this year, was “House of Secrets,” co-written with film director Chris Columbus. His other books include "The Other Normals,” and “Teen Angst? Naaah…” Vizzini began writing for New York Press when he was 15, according to his bio from HarperCollins. At 17, he was asked to write a piece for the New York Times Magazine. He published his first book two years later.He also was an essayist whose works appeared in The New Yorker and the Los Angeles Review of Books. In recent years, Vizzini also began writing for television, including several episodes of MTV's "Teen Wolf" and NBC's upcoming "Believe." Apple logo® and App Store® are registered trademarks of Apple Inc The family of Salvatore Francis Vizzini created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories "The manner of death was suicide," the New York City medical examiner's office says He won accolades for his books' portrayal of teenage depression "It's Kind of a Funny Story" was adapted into a movie starring Emma Roberts '+n.escapeExpression("function"==typeof(o=null!=(o=r(e,"eyebrowText")||(null!=l?r(l,"eyebrowText"):l))?o:n.hooks.helperMissing)?o.call(null!=l?l:n.nullContext||{},{name:"eyebrowText",hash:{},data:t,loc:{start:{line:28,column:63},end:{line:28,column:78}}}):o)+" \n '+(null!=(o=c(e,"if").call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2PreText"):l,{name:"if",hash:{},fn:n.program(32,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:63,column:20},end:{line:63,column:61}}}))?o:"")+"\n"+(null!=(o=(c(e,"ifAll")||l&&c(l,"ifAll")||n.hooks.helperMissing).call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Text"):l,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Link"):l,{name:"ifAll",hash:{},fn:n.program(34,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:64,column:20},end:{line:70,column:30}}}))?o:"")+" WMU NewsWestern Michigan UniversityKalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA(269) 387-8400 KALAMAZOO--Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announced April 16 that he has named Dr. Anthony Vizzini dean of Western Michigan University's College of Engineering and Applied Sciences to the State Board of Professional Engineers the board regulated the practice of Michigan's more than 20,000 professional engineers The Michigan board is comprised of nine voting members--five professional engineers Vizzini will serve a four-year term as one of the five professional engineers on the board and his appointment is subject to approval by the Michigan Senate Vizzini previously led the aerospace engineering department at Mississippi State University for six years and taught for 17 years at the University of Maryland where he founded the Composites Research Laboratory master's and doctoral degrees in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT in 1981 He also earned a second bachelor's degree in mathematics from MIT in 1982 Vizzini is a fellow of the American Society for Composites and he is serving this year as president of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering He has been repeatedly honored for his work by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration earning Goddard Space Flight Center's Exceptional Achievement and Outstanding Teamwork awards Michigan's Professional Board of Engineers is housed in the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs which is charged with promoting business growth and job creation in Michigan by streamlining and eliminating unnecessary or burdensome regulations Ned Vizzini, whose novel “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” was adapted into a 2010 film starring Zach Galifianakis the New York Medical Examiner confirmed to TheWrap Vizzini (pictured above in 2002) also wrote for MTV’s “Teen Wolf” and worked on NBC’s upcoming “Believe.” A native New Yorker he first rose to fame with stories based on his experiences at Stuyvesant High School Naaah…: A Quasi-Autobiography,” was published when he was 19 Also read: Hollywood’s Notable Deaths of 2013 But Vizzini suffered for his success. He told the Village Voice in 2006 that he suffered a nervous breakdown after publishing his second novel, “Be More Chill,” at 23. “I guess ‘nervous breakdown’ is the right term,” he told the Voice. “Yeah, that pretty much covers all the bases.” The Voice said he fought depression and had trouble dealing with the pressure of fulfilling his contract. He also worried that people would lose interest in his writing as the novelty of his youth wore off. But he continued to have a thriving career as he aged. Vizzini had a gift for writing young, deadpan characters. He was collaborating with “Harry Potter” director Chris Columbus on the “House of Secrets” series of young adult novels, the second of which is due in the spring. “I’d never written a novel, and I needed to co-write it with an established author. I read a few samples, and I was really taken with the work of Ned Vizzini,” Columbus told USA Today. “I loved his books, loved his dialogue, and I loved the way he could write teenagers.” Vizzini also wrote the 2012 novel “The Other Normals” and wrote for ABC’s “The Last Resort.” Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. 'Watching a game of Quidditch with the man who put it on the map was surreal' I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Following success as a screenwriter on films such as 'Gremlins' and 'The Goonies', Columbus (left in picture) saw his directorial career take off with 'Home Alone', in 1990. He has since directed two of the Harry Potter films and produced the Oscar-nominated 'The Help'. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and children. I came up with the idea of a story for a novel, but realised that if I still wanted to run a film business I would need to collaborate with an author to get it written. I'd devoured Ned's books and thought he was a funny writer. I liked how he had this ability to make his characters feel complex, too. So we met in LA and I gave him 90 pages to see if he wanted to get involved. A week later, Ned had done a rough draft, which I liked. We each brought different things to the work: the fact that he's younger and closer to the characters' ages gave him insight into their internal world. And I brought with me the dialogue between the characters; I have four kids who've spent the past few years insulting, arguing and fighting one another, so I have a bank of material in my head when writing conversations. We've spent time together at my house, over in San Francisco, and got to know each other a lot better there. What do we have most in common? That we both have a fear of heights. I think we share a sense, too, that darkness is good in children's literature, whether it's the death of Harry Potter's parents, or Pip interacting with an escaped convict in Great Expectations. The darkness gives a story integrity. What I love about Ned is probably our biggest difference. He's a deep thinker, while I'm often accused of speaking before I think. I appreciate the time he takes to consider everything I ask him. An American screenwriter and author of young-adult fiction, Vizzini has also written for MTV's 'Teen Wolf' TV series and currently writes for the US television drama 'Last Resort'. He lives in LA. My family bickered a lot while I was growing up. The only movie I remember that we all saw and loved was Home Alone, which was directed by Chris. I never expected we'd end up meeting. Two years ago Chris was searching for someone to collaborate with on a book project in which an old house ends up floating on the ocean, and gets attacked by pirates. He had already read some of my work, and his agent got in touch. His films such as Gremlins helped write the collective storytelling knowledge of my generation. And even now you can't talk movies involving kids in Hollywood without mentioning The Goonies. So I felt really nervous on the day I went to meet him and tried to find common ground. He's a family man – Chris has four kids and is happily married – and with my wife expecting our first baby at the time, I felt there was a kinship there, which helped a lot in the first few meetings. I've never worked on a book with another person before, but you learn that you have to surrender your ego for the good of the work, and accept that the best idea might not come from you. I'd sometimes send him a draft and he'd say to me, "I don't think this is working," and we would have to hash things out. We disagreed on the title, too: House of Secrets was not my favourite. I wanted to call it the Page Runners, or Legacy, which I liked, but Chris didn't respond to it. He's a very funny writer, though, and has a gift for wordplay, which was visible in the Goonies script. What has he taught me? How to write cliffhangers better than anyone else; it's a movie sensibility that he has. I've learnt about the whole process of the Harry Potter films from him, too. He might have directed only the first two, but he helped pick the original cast and turn the Harry Potter franchise into one of the biggest film series of all time. We went to Comic-Con together last year, in New York, which was a lot of fun. I remember passing this live [version of] "Quidditch" being played and watching it with the man who helped put Quidditch on the map. It was very surreal. Chris went up to them and told them that he was the guy who directed the movies, but they didn't believe him. 'House of Secrets' (£12.99, HarperCollins Children's), the first in a new series of books by Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini, is out on Wednesday Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies the young-adult author who wrote It's Kind Of a Funny Story which centered on a suicidal teenager and was later adapted into a feature film of the same name News confirms Vizzini's manner of death was suicide He reportedly jumped off the roof of his parents' home in Brooklyn "he suffered blunt impact injuries of the head torso and extremities which are consistent with someone falling." was published in 2004 and two years later It's Kind of a Funny Story hit shelves NEWS: Movie Review: It's Kind of a Funny Story The semi-autobiographical book about a suicidal teenager who checks himself into an adult psychiatric hospital was loosely based on Vizzini's own experiences with depression and suicide The novel was later adapted into a feature film starring Zach Galifianakis as a patient in the hospital who becomes an unlikely mentor to the teen (Keir Gilchrest) as well as Emma Roberts an alternative teen fantasy titled The Other Normals and he most recently cowrote House of Secrets—which was published in 2013 as the first novel in a new young adult fantasy series—with director Chris Columbus NEWS: Paul Walker dies in car crash who spoke candidly about mental health and his struggles with suicide also wrote two episodes of the MTV series Teen Wolf during the show's 2012 season And he'd also been working on the upcoming NBC series Believe prior to his passing Vizzini is survived by his wife and their son PHOTOS: Celebrity Deaths: 2013's Fallen Stars Connect with our staff on topics that matter to you via email or request a reprint Place classified and announcement notices or grow your business with advertising and marketing solutions Blog dedicated to show reviews of Broadway and nationwide Community Theater Blog also discusses theatre water cooler topics and stories from personal theatre experience George Salazar in “Be More Chill” (Photo by Maria Baranova) May is #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, and Broadway is no stranger to mental health issues. Anxiety and depression have been tackled head on in recent hits like Dear Evan Hansen, and Be More Chill These shows have brought the issues out of the shadows and into the spotlight by weaving relatable stories of characters who suffer into heartbreaking raw and honest songs Dear Evan Hansen and Be More Chill share common themes: both main characters feel like losers and outsiders who don’t know how to fit in and both shows have overarching themes about the importance of being seen and believing that you matter to others While there isn’t any single factor in depression  the feeling of being inconsequential can play a part in it While Dear Evan Hansen really drives this point home Be More Chill might come off as a little more lighthearted especially if you don’t know the author who wrote the novel on which the musical is based When I saw Be More Chill on Broadway last week,  “Michael in the Bathroom” (arguably the best song) hit hard especially since I went into the show knowing the history of the author Ned Vizzini found early success writing personal essays about his middle and high school years and struggles with depression. He gave talks at schools and libraries about mental health and encouraged kids to use writing as a form of therapy. Be More Chill was his first novel, but he may be more associated with It’s Kind of a Funny Story which was made into a movie starring Atypical’s Keir Gilchrist and Emma Roberts That novel was based on the time Vizzini spent in a mental hospital Vizzini died in 2013 at the age of 32 after an apparent suicide there is a dedication that reads “Thanks to Ned Vizzini for creating these messy beautiful characters and for inspiring a generation of messy I expected to see the suicide helpline number or at least some kind of reference to mental health the actual topic of suicidal ideation was glossed over in the show treated as a dark humor punchline instead of a serious struggle any one character was facing The plot focuses more on Jeremy’s quest to be cool and get his dream girl rather than the underlying reasons for his (and other characters’) shared struggles with loneliness and the feeling of not being “seen.” However I could not help but see glimpses of the pieces of himself he might have planted in the characters the quirky Christine (who is a spot-on portrayal of a theatre geek) makes a joke about being depressed anytime she isn’t at play rehearsal and then corrects herself to say she is “not kill yourself depressed.” Using the term “depression” to describe temporary normal sadness is a common part of problematic vocabulary that only makes it harder for people who suffer from actual depression to be taken seriously I think a line like that takes away from the very real depression that some of the characters seem to be going through In the heart wrenching and all-too-relatable song “Michael in the Bathroom,” which is the only piece in the show that I really stuck with me after I left the theater Jeremy’s best friend laments with tear-jerking vulnerability: “Wish I had stayed at home watching cable porn wish I was never born” because he is alone and knows that he is not on anyone’s radar which he makes clear through lines like: “Michael who you don’t know,” “I’m just Michael who’s a loner so he must be a stoner,” and “I could stay right here or disappear and nobody’d even notice at all.” The feeling that one’s absence would not be felt The show is powerful because it shows audiences that they are not alone in feeling like they don’t belong and that they don’t need to change (or use a SQUIP) to fit in Be More Chill and Dear Evan Hansen set out to send the message that everyone matters and is important the way Be More Chill handles suicidal ideation is a bit irreverent Ned Vizzini’s legacy made Be More Chill possible and I think it is important to honor his story and remind theater-goers that help is out there Suicide isn’t a joke you can sing about in a few lines sprinkled in different songs and then never address in depth especially not when the story you are telling is written by someone who ended their own story that way “I wish there was something real I could do to make things better So I guess I’ll just do theater.” I appreciate the attempt to address mental health on stage and the gem that is “Michael in the Bathroom,” but I do think something a little more “real” could have been done If you or someone you know is struggling call the National Suicide Prevention Lifelineat 1-800-273-8255 Powered by Squarespace Ned Vizzini, who penned the popular young adult novel It's Kind of a Funny Story and wrote shows such as Teen Wolf, died Thursday in New York, Variety reports The New York City medical examiner said he had committed suicide Remember other celebrities we lost this year Vizzini wrote several other young adult novels, including Be More Chill and The Other Normals, as well as the middle school-grade series House of Secrets, which he co-wrote with director Chris Columbus (Home Alone) He wrote for Teen Wolf, Last Resort and most recently, the upcoming J.J. Abrams series Believe View original Ned Vizzini, TV Writer and Author, Commits Suicide at 32 at TVGuide.com