My love for the romantic comedy genre and lack of characters who identify as myself (Native American) being in this genre. I wanted to see a funny, scrappy Native woman trying to get herself out of a mess of her own making and fall in love along the way. I wanted to see Native joy and healing. I work in corporate and I feel awful with how IT technicians are treated and I always knew Ember’s love interest would work in IT.
How much of Ember Lee Cardinal’s character is based on your own experiences?
There are a lot of things that happen in the pages of The Truth According to Ember that were inspired by things I encounter on a regular basis in the workforce. The premise of her getting rejected for checking the “American Indian/Alasan Native” box on the ethnicity question happened to me a lot. Can I prove that all those companies rejected me because I am Native? No, but it is very strange that with the same resume and checking “Caucasian” I could land so many interviews.
Can you tell us about the significance of Ember’s Chickasaw heritage in the story?
I am a citizen of the Chickasaw and I wanted to write a romcom heroine who identifies as I do. I have not read many major contemporary romances where there were Native Americans and the representation was not stereotypical. I think some writers believe you can make any character written and just say they are BIPOC; however, as you can read in The Truth According to Ember, our identity colors our everyday experiences. We have our own cultural lingo and body language and I wanted readers to see that.
What role does Ember’s Indigenous identity play in the plot and her struggles?
As I have touched on, Oklahoma is full of many Native tribes that were displaced and forced there. So many Oklahoma citizens are Native and Native-mix (meaning have ancestry in several tribes). Due to the erasure of Natives in major media, we are often treated as invisible. Then, we encounter microaggressions and blatant racism regularly and it is treated as if it doesn’t matter due to that perceived invisibility. Ember faces that reality throughout the story. In addition, she was not raised with a lot of opportunity, so while losing her money from her brother’s bail might not have affected some, for Ember it changes everything.
How did you balance the humor and romance elements with the more serious themes in the book?
There are a few moments I wrote that made me cry and when I have those serious notes, I try to find the funny and follow with levity, some mishap. Ember being severely allergic to cats helped with that.
Can you describe the relationship dynamics between Ember and Danuwoa Colson?
Their chemistry is off the charts. I love when two people who are destined to be together have that spark and their banter is witty and they just get each other. We have that with Ember and Danuwoa.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors, particularly those from underrepresented communities?
My advice is to be brave. I have encountered so many mediocre people in positions of power and they never second guess themselves. Get your story on the page and keep working to edit and make it right. You cannot edit a blank page and as you are in your manuscript you can really sharpen your prose, voice, and point of view. Your story matters and only you can tell your stories.
How has your own background as an Indigenous author influenced your writing?
I never felt smart enough, good enough, you-name-it-enough to be a writer and I believe that stems from the lack of opportunities I had. I was not told I could be a writer; it was something I dabbled in just for me. It took me reading thousands of books and finding friends who also wrote secretly and a push from my husband who gave me the confidence to really pursue publication. I believe my heritage colors the way I view the world and it’s unique only to me and therefore my characters and my authorial voice is unique to me.
What are your thoughts on the representation of Indigenous characters in contemporary fiction, particularly in the romance genre?
We need more! I dream of there being as many Native romances written by Native authors as there are federally recognized tribes—TO START. Romance tropes are evergreen and can be done in a million ways and never get old.
Finally, can you share any insights into what you’re working on next?
My second book with Berkley is coming soon and I am so excited for you to meet the characters. I cannot say much right now but I can give hits that it is set in Eastern Oklahoma, there are horses, line dancing, shenanigans, and off the charts chemistry with my grumpy and sunshine characters.