Interview with Monica West

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I'm happy to kick off the month of May with an interview. If you have not heard of this author yet then get familiar! Her novel Revival Season releases May 25th and it's already getting rave reviews. I didn't grow up Baptist though I did grow up attending damn near every place that called itself a church so I've definitely been in some. It's well known the church has always been a gathering place for the Black community. And I'm happy to see so many books popping up exploring that.

What is Revival Season about? What inspired it?

Revival Season is the coming-of-age story of 15-year-old Miriam Horton who suffers a crisis of faith after witnessing her father perpetrate an act of violence on the revival circuit. When she returns home, she discovers a secret about herself that forces her to question everything that she has been taught in church. Over the course of the year, Miriam begins a painful process of discovery that distances her from her family and her faith. Ultimately, the book is about patriarchy, gender, religion, and power. I was inspired to write it because I have always been bothered by how sexist, outdated, and hierarchical religious structures imprison women. Because I am a storyteller, I wondered what that problem would look like in action in a family.

Is this book going to be heavy on the drama like the popular show Greenleaf?

It’s not heavy on drama, per se, but it does have family secrets and complicated family relationships. Most of the conflicts are quiet, though, as Miriam learns how to re-see her world and fit it into what she previously thought she understood. 

Did you grow up in the Baptist Church and if so what role did it play in your own coming of age?

I grew up in the Baptist Church, and I struggled with traditional gender roles and what girls were taught vs. what boys were taught. I didn’t have language for it as a child, but I do now. Much of Revival Season came from that frustration about watching women do so much hard work behind the scenes in church but never get credit for their leadership. Then it feels like a double-edged sword because women are not allowed to lead in traditional ways. I still have so many doubts and questions about how patriarchy corrupts religious practice, and I used Revival Season to illuminate much of that frustration.

Which writers have or continue to inspire you? And were there any books that made you want to become a writer?

I love Toni Morrison, and her books are etched in my psyche so deeply, particularly Sula, Song of Solomon, The Bluest Eye, and Beloved. Morrison was also the person who said: “If there's a book you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” That has been my mantra forever, and she made me want to become a writer. (I even paid homage to Song of Solomon in Revival Season.) Other current writers who inspire me are Jesmyn Ward, Brit Bennett, Celeste Ng, and Yaa Gyasi.

Do you still teach high school English and has your experience with high schoolers influenced your writing?

I still teach high school English, and it is one of the biggest joys of my life. At this age, I watch my students dip their toes into adulthood and discover what they believe. I get the privilege of watching them differentiate themselves from their parents and forge their identities. In some form or fashion, I will always write about young people and how they see the world.

What is your writing process like?

 

I make a schedule and try to write 1000 words a day. There are some times when that’s easier to do (when I’m not teaching or when I don’t have a ton of grading). On the days when it’s hard, I try to write anything to stay connected to the new piece I’m writing, even if that’s just a 

How do you stay focused writing and launching a book during this time?

I’m pretty organized and disciplined, so that has been my anchor during this year. There have been awful things about being cooped up at home during the pandemic, but it has also meant that I’m not commuting every day or taking vacations. Thus, I’ve been using that “free time” to write. The book launch hasn’t been all that time-consuming yet, but I’ve heard that it will ramp up. I anticipate using some of the designated writing time for book launch stuff when that time gets closer.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve been given?

“Write what you can.” During my first semester at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, I had my first novel workshop with Paul Harding. I didn’t know how to start a revision of Revival Season based on all of the feedback that I’d received. Paul told me that I didn’t have to start at the beginning, but I could write whatever I felt like I could, whether that was a scene from the beginning of the novel or a section of dialogue in the middle. It made me rethink how writing and revision could work and showed me that the process doesn’t have to be linear. Another great piece of advice was from Ayana Mathis who said: “Make your characters be mean to one another.” I had the habit of avoiding conflict in my novels, and Ayana’s advice forced me to lean into conflict rather than seeing it as inherently scary.

 

I understand you also worked in publishing for a few years. What was that experience like?

I worked at HarperCollins for about 6 months where I learned about how books get published, from the publicity and marketing sides to the editorial and sales sides. Then I switched to educational publishing and worked at Macmillan/McGraw-Hill. Trade and educational publishing are like night and day, but it was gratifying to work on textbooks that teachers would use in their classrooms and books that people would read for pleasure.

From your Instagram it looks like you love to travel. What country was your favorite to visit?

That is such a hard question! I have great memories of several places where I’ve traveled. Greece was my first overseas destination and it was beautiful, so I remember that fondly. I loved Colombia (my last international vacation before COVID), but I also loved Amsterdam, Bali, and Costa Rica.

Since you were born and bred in Cleveland can you recommend some of the best spots to visit once we’re out of this pandemic? 

Yes! A trip to Cleveland isn’t complete without a trip to the West Side Market. The downtown area has changed a lot since I moved, so some of my favorite places to go downtown are The Butcher & The Brewer on East Fourth Street and Azure Rooftop Lounge at Metropolitan at the 9. For great corned beef, you must go to Slyman’s. And for incredible ice cream, you have to go to Mitchell’s.

If you could have one superpower what would it be?

I asked my students this question in one of our remote learning check-ins, and one of them said “The ability to speak every language.” I never thought about that as a superpower, but I would absolutely want it!

Are there any books releasing this year that you are excited about?

My friend Dawnie Walton just released The Final Revival of Opal & Nev. I read it as a galley and am so excited it’s in the world. I’m also really excited about Gabriela Garcia’s Of Women and Salt, Zakiya Dalila Harris’s The Other Black Girl, and Kelsey McKinney’s God Spare the Girls. 

Do you have any upcoming projects you would like to mention?

I’m working on a new novel about a group of Black women living in a commune under the watchful eye of a charismatic guru who starts to abuse his power and become monstrous. 

You can connect with Monica West via Twitter @monicalwest and be sure to pre-order Revival Season!