Adelaide Literary Magazine No. 46, March 2021

Revista Literária Adelaide

8. D id you ever think about the profile of your readers? What do
you think – who reads and who should read your books?

I have gathered some marketing data from Face Book since the book has had a page for 6
years. The biggest surprise is that the Middle East is one of the largest group of readers and
they ask questions constantly. It has 83000 followers on Face Book. I think it has something
to do with Royalty. Italy is a close second.

9. Do you have any advice for new writers/authors?
Passion. It was passion that drove me for over 8 years. If a publisher said I need you to write
another book in X amount of time I would have a problem. I need something that consumes me.

10.  How many books you read annually and what are you
reading now? What is your favorite literary genre?

2-3 books a month since I was 9 years old. Science, Philosophy, History, Medicine.

11.  What do you deem the most relevant about your writing? What
is the most important to be remembered by readers?

Well I have found that accuracy using more than one reference in history is crucial. Some-
times I have had many references that were all wrong. I have been persistent when my gut
tells me something is not right, I keep digging looking for novel sources.

12.  What is your opinion about the publishing industry today and
about the ways authors can best fit into the new trends?

I think the advent of self-publishing has allowed many non-traditional writers to get their
works out there. Unfortunately, many don’t have the experience with marketing, and getting
their book out to a large number of readers. That is why I never considered self-publishing.
First, I don’t do this full time. Second, I don’t know anything of the ins and outs of the business.

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FATOUMATA

FOFANA

Author of SADJIO

1. T ell us a bit about yourself – something that we will
not find in the official author’s bio?

Well, a key aspect of me that you won’t find in my official author bio would be accepting and
pursuing my purpose. The trust is, identifying my calling was pretty easy. However, a tiny
voice inside me was diverting me toward everything else but my natural calling.

As a child, I had a soft spot for folktales and tricky riddles. My mom was an effective folk-
tale teller. She tucked us up in bed each night with tales passed down to her by her parents.
On nights when the moon was very bright, we stayed up late, listening to mom tell one
enchanted folktale after the other. On such nights, we sat in u-shaped or half circles, out in
the open air. I admired the fact that every story had a unique song that blew life into every
character.

I made a mental note of nearly every tale told to us by mom. Yet, the small voice inside
me had me doing everything to suppress my love for storytelling. Though I couldn’t tell
whether this voice was trustworthy, I found myself desiring to be everything else but a ra-
conteur. Ironical, right? I enjoyed listening to tales but never imagined myself telling them—
either verbally or in writing. And that’s because I wasn’t listening to my life. I was busy telling
my life what I wanted to do with it instead of listening to what my life wanted to do with me.

But my mom was very observant and had a creative way of guiding me [back] to my natu-
ral calling. She encouraged me to start journaling using a very cute traditional diary she had
kept for decades. All I had to do was to write down my thoughts anywhere, anytime for a
prize. She would review my journal weekly, smiling through the stories documented on each
page of this 100-page, golden book. Soon, she became an addict. She looked forward to
those moments; they entertained her. She would occasionally invite an audience that con-
sisted of my siblings to listen-in. Their positive reactions to my narratives eventually birthed
a sense of calling, and I couldn’t help but pursue a career in print journalism. In high school,
I specialized in Literature-in-English; this laid the foundation for my passion for prose.

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2.  Do you remember what was your first story
(article, essay, or poem) about and when did you write it?

Oh, very well. It was back in 2004, and the article was about women war survivors. As a
journalist, I enjoy amplifying the stories of others. My first article told the stories of wom-
en survivors of the Liberian civil war. Liberia, a small state situated along the west coast
of Africa, fought one of the continent’s bloodiest battles for 14 years. As a roving report-
er in 2004, I focused my reportage on the various internally displaced camps dispersed
across Monrovia, the country’s main city. There, I spent most of my days actively listening
to, documenting, and sharing the stories of women’s struggle for survival through the war,
the atrocities meted out to them, the use of rape as a weapon of war, and their bodies as
frontlines. Though the guns had fallen silent at the time, the drums of war never stopping
playing in the minds of these women. Thus, telling their raw, emotive stories was somehow
psychotherapeutic.

3. What is the title of your latest book and what inspired it?

As you may probably know, my debut novel’s title is SADJIO, inspired by my childhood hair-
dresser, in whom I was exceedingly pleased. I loved her name and bugged my parents to
change my name to that of Sadjio’s, a very beautiful, brave, and devoted young woman.
The book touches on multiple themes, including gender disparity, commodifying women’s
bodies, ongoing battles being fought by women in traditionally and culturally blended so-
cieties, among many others. It primarily traces the life of a young girl who shattered every
socially-prescribed rule to pursue her passion and purpose. SADJIO is a story of resilience,
resistance, and resoluteness.

4. H ow long did it take you to write your latest work and
how fast do you write (how many words daily)?

I started writing SADJIO in 2018 but quickly got sidetracked and abandoned the project. I
returned to it in early 2019 only to take another prolong pause from writing until mid-2019.
Long story short, I wrote the bulk of my novel in 45 hectic days. Yes, it took me roughly one
month and fifteen days to complete my manuscript’s first draft. My mentor, Prof. Momo
Dudu provided me with some encouraging feedback, so I proceeded with the project. My
goal is to write three solid pages per week.

5. Do you have any unusual writing habits?

Well, when it comes to unusual writing habits, I can safely say that I am the queen of sticky
notes. I don’t always trust the notepad on my iPhone. I prefer to jot it down, handwritten.
No wonder I am always moving with a journal and I don’t hesitate to pull my pen out when-
ever an idea flashes through my mind. It doesn’t matter where I am or what I am doing. In
a nutshell, my writing is not limited to me sitting at a desk with a computer. My sticky notes
and journal are my go-to.

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6. I s writing the only form of artistic expression that you utilize, or
is there more to your creativity than just writing?

Of course, there’s a lot to me than just writing, but I will highlight only one for you. I am an
awesome culinary artist committed to preparing a sumptuous dish and producing incredible
edible pieces of art that do an effective job at hitting the right spot on the tongue map while
being pleasant to the eyes.

7. Authors and books that have influenced your writings?
Growing up, I enjoyed reading Things Fall Apart, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Snow
White, and so forth. At the moment, some of my favorite authors are Barrack and Michelle
Obama, Niccolò Machiavelli, Chinua Achebe, Vamba Sherif, Prof. Momo Dudu, Poet John
Donne, only to mention a few. Books that have influenced my writing include Bound to Se-
crecy, Harrowing December, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American
Dream, Dreams from my Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, Becoming, Land of My
Fathers, The Prince, among many others.

8.  What are you working on right now?
Anything new cooking in the wordsmith’s kitchen?

Of course, there’s always something cooking in the wordsmith’s kitchen. I am 107 pages in
my next novel, SOULLESS. The story is set in a small city along the northern cape but moves
along with its main character, Manatou, to larger cities worldwide. It explores her relation-
ship with life at various stages of her existence and a subtle mystery that grew along with her.

9. D id you ever think about the profile of your readers?
What do you think – who reads and who should read your books?

I target my writing to diverse audiences. Readers of SADJIO are a direct reflection of the
book’s main character’s story. They are as diverse as the themes contained therein. My cur-
rent readers are men and women, young and old—it’s such a diverse group. Readers tell me
that Sadjio’s story is relatable at every level, and they see themselves in the story from start
to finish. SADJIO is targeted at everyone; everyone should read it.

10. Do you have any advice for new writers/authors?
To emerging authors, I say be open-minded and willing to explore along with your characters.
You will find yourself outstaying in the minds of some characters. Don’t panic; it’s all part of
the deal. Reach out to established authors for guidance.

11. What is the best advice (about writing) you have ever heard?
Read the works of fellow authors, keep writing (could be short pieces) to further shape and
sharpen your writing skills.

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12. H ow many books you read annually and what are you

reading now? What is your favorite literary genre?
I average 1-2 books per month. I am currently reading The Promised Land, a memoir by
Barack Obama. My favorite literary genre is fiction.

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JANET MASON

Author of
THE UNICORN, THE MYSTERY

1. T ell us a bit about yourself – something that we will
not find in the official author’s bio?

One thing that is not in my author bio is that I’ve followed a healthy plant-based diet for the
past year. I went to the diet for health reasons and was right there when my acupuncturist
suggested it. My partner and I had been thinking about going vegan for several years out of
compassion for the animals and my need for emergency surgery for a kidney stone, a year
and a half ago, pushed me right over the edge into making some changes.

After I went plant-based, I found out that the Unitarian Universalists have an animal min-
istry – and they advocate going plant-based for the animals and for environmental reasons.
There are a number of reasons to go to a plant-based diet and a growing awareness. I’ve
been a Unitarian for about six years and am a worship associate (lay minister) at the Unitar-
ian Universalist Church of the Restoration in Philadelphia, Pa.

After a year of refining my diet – actually after two weeks of giving up dairy – I feel so
good, that being plant based is the thing that I’m most excited about – apart from the fact
that my novel The Unicorn, The Mystery was recently released from Adelaide Books.

There is a connection between my diet and my writing, of course. I have better mental
acuity and more energy which is always good for writing!

2.  Do you remember what was your first story (article, essay, or
poem) about and when did you write it?

When I was in about second grade, I wrote a story about a canoe floating down a river. I
don’t remember much else about it – if there was anyone in the canoe or where the person
might have been going. But I do remember that my teacher didn’t like it very much because
nothing happened. When I was a young adult, I learned that the story was a Zen koan which
in its simplest form is reflecting on the sound of one hand clapping.

Perhaps the point of the story was that it’s okay not to have a point or to disconnect from
reality or from what is perceived to be reality. Maybe my meaning, if I had one, is that some-
times we just have to drift and be in the moment.

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3. What is the title of your latest book and what inspired it?

The Unicorn, The Mystery is my latest published book (from Adelaide Books in 2020). I was
inspired by a visit that I took to The Cloisters, which is in Manhattan and is now part of The
Metropolitan Museum of Art. I was in what is commonly called “the unicorn room” when
the Muse descended on me. There were seven tapestries hung in that room telling the story
of what is called “The Hunt of the Unicorn.” I was standing in that room when the thought
struck me that, here’s an untold story.

I found out later that the story of what happened is still referred to as an “unsolved mystery.”

I wanted to know what happened, so I solved that mystery in fictional terms by having
the unicorn tell the story in the unicorn’s own words. The other narrator is a young monk
who lived in the abbey in the French countryside during that time in the late Middle Ages
(around 1491) when the unicorn tapestries were designed and made. The tapestries were
found in a barn – they were used to wrap potatoes – during the French Revolution and even-
tually they were bought by the Rockefeller family who donated them to The Metropolitan
Museum of Art in 1938. The tapestries are worth seeing and the novel, The Unicorn, The
Mystery is worth reading.

My last book that I finished writing is titled The Lens of Eternity: Love from Two Pan-
demics. I had always known that I was going to write about the photographer Berenice
Abbott but, of course, I didn’t know that we were going to have a pandemic in 2020. I
started the memoir in July of 2020 and am just now finishing it (in the fall of 2020) – giv-
ing it the final of several very careful edits. I was inspired to write about Berenice Abbott
(known for her photographs of Manhattan in the 1930s many of which were published in
her book Changing New York.) I knew very little about her and yet I was intrigued by her.
When I started reading about her, I learned about her falling ill in the influenza pandemic
in 1918 and being hospitalized for two months. She went on to live into her nineties but
was sickly with lung ailments for her entire life. It was interesting how The Lens of Eternity
came together.

My inspiration for The Lens of Eternity was my interest in the life and work of Berenice
Abbott and her long-term relationship with the art critic Elizabeth McCausland which I found
out about in my reading and research. I wrote the book so that the reader could learn about
the highlights of Abbott’s photographic career and I also wrote about the politics of love:
how do you say goodbye to a beloved partner? I also felt that the historic moment of the
2020 pandemic needed to be recorded. In the process of writing, I became a better partner
and a stronger person.

4. H ow long did it take you to write your latest work and
how fast do you write (how many words daily)?

I wrote The Unicorn, The Mystery in a year. This was a far longer time period in which I have
written most books. Before I started writing, I spent a lot of time doing research. I had a lot
going on during this time, so I don’t remember exactly how long I was doing the research.

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It was probably close to a year. My father was dying and I’m an only child and was close to
him. The fact that he was ninety-eight when he died, and I was in my late fifties just meant
that I spent more time with him and grew more attached to him. I started writing the book
a few months after his death. In a way, the writing – and creating my own alternate reality
– got me through this difficult time. I actually owe the book to him. When he was still living,
he knew I would be spending the week in New York on business – and he suggested that I
go to the The Cloisters because he and my mother had gone there shortly after they were
married.

There is a scene in the book where the unicorn talks about the old lion dying (historically
the unicorn and the lion had a strong allegiance) and I remember feeling that the writing
went deep and the emotions behind the words were strong. Because the writing took so
long, I think of The Unicorn, The Mystery as my biggest canvass meaning that it took the
longest time for me to write and research.

Some of the things that I was researching was everything about the Middle Ages (from
how people thought and lived, down to what they wore and what their favorite gems were);
the gnostic gospels (the Thunder Perfect Mind passage in particular); the literature of the
time including Chaucer; and everything factual, historic, and imaginary about unicorns.

My novel THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders (published by Adelaide Books in 2018)
only took three or four months to write in comparison. I was taking a class at the Unitarian
church that I ended up joining and started reading the Bible. Reading the Bible wasn’t re-
quired but I had always wondered about it. I’m glad I read it because it explained so much
of what our western society is based on. But then my mind started wandering and I started
writing. THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders was born and then published by Adelaide
Books. I received good feedback on THEY from all over the world. It was a novel whose time
had come – and people were ready for it. I also received a fair amount (more than I thought
I would) of online harassment. Ultimately, I think that was a good thing. It did show that
people heard about the book and that it irritated them. I put all my responses to the harass-
ment on my blog and sent posts out on Twitter. You never know when someone who needs
the book is going to hear about it. This might include the relatives of the harassers. Some of
them probably really need THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders.

I remember in my outspoken twenties, I declared that the Bible needed to be rewritten.
This was before I was a serious writer, but I suspect that THEY was building up in me for a
long time.

So, every book is different it terms of the time I spent writing it. When the muse descends,
I honor it. I write books that need to be written. I teach writing part time at various places,
and I always emphasize that it’s important to cultivate your inner voice and to follow your
intuition.

5. Do you have any unusual writing habits?

One thing that I have overlooked when teaching but which has just occurred to me is to
allow yourself to have obsessions and to follow them. For example, when I was thinking

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about The Unicorn, The Mystery, I was in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the main muse-
um which has a section on medieval art, when I told someone who worked there that I was
looking for unicorns. The person may have thought that I was odd, but she took me exactly
to where I needed to go.

6. I s writing the only form of artistic expression that you utilize, or
is there more to your creativity than just writing?

Years ago, I went through a period of drawing. I let the images enter my words. But the draw-
ing kind of dropped away. Now I take regular walks and sometimes photograph interesting
sights with my phone – so I guess I still am in the visual world. For the past five years or so I
have started a regular yoga and meditation practice. The practice puts me in a healthy and
creative frame of mind.

7. Authors and books that have influenced your writings?

There are so many authors I’m inspired by that it’s hard to pick just one or several. Of the
author that I mention the most when I’m teaching, it would be Willa Cather, James Baldwin,
Toni Morrison, and Truman Capote. If had to pick just one favorite writer, it would be Sappho.
I’m learning Greek now so that I can read my book of Sappho fragments and poems that I
picked up in a bookshop in Athens twenty-years ago. Half the book is written in modern
Greek and the other half is written in classical Greek. I started out as a poet.

8.  What are you working on right now?
Anything new cooking in the wordsmith’s kitchen?

As I mentioned, I’m finishing up the edits on the memoir I started writing in July – The Lens
of Eternity: Love from Two Pandemics. However, toward the end of this project another
idea came to my awareness with a feeling of intense irritation that suggests to me that I
am going to be writing another book next year. That’s something to pay attention to – that
intense feeling of irritation. I don’t want to talk about the subject of the book because I
consider it bad luck to talk about a future project. In practical terms, a writer never wants
to “talk out” a subject.

9.  Did you ever think about the profile of your readers?
What do you think – who reads and who should read your books?

The Unicorn, The Mystery has a large pool of people who would be interested in it. Readers
should be open minded to the LGBTQ community. The unicorn is actually a symbol of the
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer community because of its association with
rainbows. I made up a partial listing of readers:

anyone interested in the Middle Ages;

anyone interested in unicorns – they were commonly thought to be real by people in the
Middle Ages;

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anyone interested in art – the book was inspired by the tapestries at The Cloisters (part
of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art);

anyone interested in Greek and ancient Egyptian mythology – people in the Middle Ages
were fascinated by the ancient myths;

those interested in alternative views of religion including the gnostic gospels – which
were known in the Middle Ages;

those interested in nuns and cats; and
those interested in a good mystery and a good read.

10. Do you have any advice for new writers/authors?
It’s important to show up. If you want to write, put yourself on a schedule and stick to it.
Remember to give yourself credit for what you do. The hours you spend on research counts
to your writing time.

11. What is the best advice (about writing) you have ever heard?
The late poet and prose writer Audre Lorde once said (rather fiercely) to her students, “don’t
wait to be inspired.” I would add that when you are inspired, don’t ignore it. Write down
your ideas and then follow up on them.

12.  How many books you read annually and what are you reading now?
What is your favorite literary genre?

I read books on the subject of what I am writing. So, I just finished a slew of books about
Berenice Abbott – and also looked at and read books about her photographs. I also review
books for This Way Out, an international radio syndicated LGBTQ newswrap that is based out
of Los Angeles. The last book that I reviewed was Armistead Maupin’s memoir titled Logical
Family.

I read all types of genres, but I guess my favorite would be literary fiction and memoir.
I’m always reading, and I never thought to add them up. But I guess I read about five
books a month so that would come to sixty a year, at least. Sometimes, I read the same book
over and over. I always suggest reading a book that speaks to you twice – the first time to see
what happens and the second to see how the author did it.

13.  What do you deem the most relevant about your writing?
What is the most important to be remembered by readers?

I think curiosity is the most essential part of my writing. I write because I am intrigued by
something – and usually I learn a lot in the process.

I want readers to remember to be open and curious to the writer’s journey – and also to
their own.

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14.  What is your opinion about the publishing industry today and

about the ways authors can best fit into the new trends?
Write what’s in your heart and write the books that are important to you. Writing is a
time-consuming endeavor – and you are going to stick with what’s most important to you.

I don’t consciously pay attention to trends. If there is a book that you want to read it and
you can’t find it, then write it.

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