Author Snapshot: Vanessa Riley
Book jacket biographies don’t tell us nearly enough about the authors we love. That’s why Zibby Mag launched the Author Snapshot, giving readers an inside look at the lives and work of our favorite writers.
This week we are featuring award-winning author Vanessa Riley whose latest novel, Queen of Exiles, publishes July 11th!
We’re so excited about the release of Queen of Exiles. Can you tell us a little about where the inspiration for the story came from?
I love researching Caribbean history, particularly its intersection with the trade and money of the old world. When writing Sister, Mother, Warrior about the Haitian revolution and the two women who shaped it, I came across Marie Louise. She’s the wife of the number two man of the revolution. She’s mentioned a few times in narratives about history, but I hadn’t seen an in-depth look into her life. And then, by happenstance, I started seeing blue plaques showing up in London to celebrate the places she lived when she went into exile. I was so confused because modern-day historians somewhat dismiss Louise and her achievements as a wife of a powerful political man and how she survived in exile. Learning the truth about this woman, her strengths, her character, and how she boldly forged a future for herself and her daughters in a foreign land amazed me. Her story had to be told.
We love how you reimagined history and empowered a Black woman to take control of the story. What do you hope readers will take away from this narrative?
What I hope readers will take away from the Queen of Exiles is that Louise was a real person. That she rose from obscurity to claim a place on the world stage. And even though she had intense newspaper scrutiny over every aspect of her life and was constantly followed by fortune chasers who were trying to get a piece of her money, she was able to thrive and maintain a lifestyle of dignity and grace. Under the worst circumstances, she lifted her head and held it high, even in exile. We should get a sense of her strength and that she’s an imperfect vessel, full of vulnerabilities, the capability to make mistakes, the willingness to trust again, and yet able to rise from her disappointments.
You have written quite a number of books, most of which have elements of historical fiction in them. Why did you choose to write in this genre, and what is most exciting to you about this writing process?
I love history, and I love powerful, misunderstood, or obscured women who need to be returned to us. As an African American, a woman of Caribbean descent, and a scholar of West Indian Georgian history, I know our human story is more than a brutal tale of enslavement. For every hardship, there are still moments of joy. For every struggle, there are days, months, years of success. For every heartbreak, there are instances when the soul is again able to sing. I write to share these moments with everyone. Historical fiction allows me to shine a spotlight on a person who actually lived; it’s like watering the roots.
What do you think is the most challenging aspect of writing and publishing a novel?
The most challenging aspect of writing and publishing a novel is effectively conveying to readers that these stories are for them. Learning of a woman like Queen Louise, who was a mother, a leader, a wife, a widow, a revolutionist, and a fashionista—this is a story for all of us. Sometimes it feels as if these finer points are lost. Division or fear wins.
Are you working on any new projects that you can share?
I am currently editing my next historical fiction. Pirates, anyone? Also, I’m working on my next historical mystery, The Lady Worthing series. 1806 London is the perfect mashup for murder. Think a young diverse Jessica Fletcher and a mysterious Remington Steele solving mysteries with shades of Dynasty and Dark Shadows.