It’s been a long time coming, but the much-touted new historical fiction release by acclaimed author Vanessa Riley is finally here. I recently spoke with her about Sister Mother Warrior.
Tell me about your latest book.
Sister Mother Warrior is about two women, heroes in their own right that helped shape the Haitian Revolution. The world needs to know more about the inspiring women who joined with brave men to defeat a world power.
What inspired you to write it?
I was watching Black Panther and found out that the Dora Milaje was modeled after a real African tribe of warrior women—the Minos of the Dahomey tribe. I had to discover more. I uncovered Abdaraya “Gran” Toya. She was a Minos who protected the king—became enslaved and was transported to Saint Domingue, present day Haiti. On the slave plantation, she taught a young man named Jean-Jacques Dessalines hand-to-hand combat, troop movements, and defense tactics. This young man grows up to lead the forces that win the war for Haiti’s independence.
Marie Claire Bonaire is another dynamic woman. She believed in feeding people. During one of the hardest fought battles of the war, she led women on a mule train into the line of fire. The fighting forces stop and let her and her women through to bind up wounds on both sides and feed the hungry. I firmly believe she is the first battlefield nurse, predating Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale. Marie-Claire becomes Jean-Jacques’s wife.
When did you fall in love with the written word?
That is a hard question. It could be when I read the lyrical Psalms or any line by Maya Angelou. I can tell it was not when I read Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. That long 200-line long poem challenged my mettle, but words always win.
What’s the best part of being an author?
Giving readers a moment to feel transported to a different time and place is my happy place. I love when they say they felt as if they were there, standing in the crowds watching the action.
What’s the hardest part of being an author?
Short word counts—trying to reach them. I know I just complained about lengthy Longfellow, but it is a challenge to decide how much story to tell.
What books have you read lately and loved?
Denny S. Bryce’s In the Face of the Sun
Piper Huguley’s By Her Own Design
Rhonda McKnight’s Bennet Series
What book(s) are you most excited to read next?
Vanessa Miller’s What We Found in Halleluiah
Kristin Higgins’s Pack Up the Moon
Beverly Jenkins’ To Catch a Raven
Who would you cast in a movie to play your main characters?
I have no idea. I just know that the performance must be riveting to do justice to these women.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on my next historical fiction, The Black Regency Queen. It’s about another power woman we should know better. It should be out next summer.
Do you have anything you would like to add?
Nope. Other than thank you.
Use the Black Fiction Addiction affiliate link to purchase your copy of Sister Mother Warrior by Vanessa Riley.
To learn more about Vanessa Riley, visit her website or connect with her on social media.
Website: VanessaRiley.com
Instagram: Instagram.com/VanessaRileyAuthor
Twitter: twitter.com/VanessaRiley