Now if you’re a die-hard word nerd and fan of the show, you probably remember NoNieqa from her previous interview with us (Episode 202). I had such a blast talking with her that when I heard she had a new book coming out, I knew I had to have her back on the show. I mean, how often do I get to geek out about the literary merits of the F-bomb with a fellow writer? NoNieqa and I are definitely birds of a feather.

NoNieqa is an educator and literary activist. She’s the author of the YA novel The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary, which was named a 2018 New York Public Library Best Book for Teens, and a 2019 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection. She believes Halloween is a lifestyle, not a holiday (which I totally agree with by the way).

Today, we’ll be discussing her latest book, The Truth Is…, as well as the important (but often difficult-to-talk-about themes) that come up in this story.

In this episode NoNieqa and I discuss:

• The power of forgiveness and empathy
• Writing inclusive narratives
• The writer’s responsibility to write three-dimensional characters
• Writing invisible as well as visible marginalizations
• The power of a respectful question

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About NoNieqa Ramos

NoNieqa Ramos is an educator and literary activist. She wrote the young adult novel The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary, A 2018 New York Public Library Best Book for Teens, and a 2019 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection. She believes Halloween is a lifestyle, not a holiday. Connect with her works on www.nonieqaramos.com or on the Latinx collective www.lasmusasbooks.com.

The Truth Is

A powerful exploration of love, identity, and self-worth through the eyes of a fierce, questioning Puerto Rican teen.

Fifteen-year-old Verdad doesn’t think she has time for love. She’s still struggling to process the recent death of her best friend, Blanca; dealing with the high expectations of her hardworking Puerto Rican mother and the absence of her remarried father; and keeping everyone at a distance. But when she meets Danny, a new guy at school―who happens to be trans―all bets are off. Verdad suddenly has to deal with her mother’s disapproval of her relationship with Danny as well as her own prejudices and questions about her identity, and Danny himself, who is comfortable in his skin but keeping plenty of other secrets.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode #270

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio or Google Play and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 270: Grappling With the Uncomfortable Truth — Interview with NoNieqa Ramos appeared first on DIY MFA.

NoNieqa is an award-winning educator, literary activist, and writer of “intense” young adult literature. She is also a passionate supporter of the #weneeddiversebooks and #ownvoices movements.

Her debut novel The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary has gotten stunning reception including a  Booklist starred review that called her “a voice to watch” with “exceptional writing and compassionate realism.”

NoNieqa is currently joining us live from the school where she teaches (and where her book is set). Listen in as we chat about her amazing debut and how to create strong characters that elicits an emotional response from readers.

Also, just a quick heads up, for the first time ever on DIY MFA Radio we have a teeny bit of explicit language towards the end of the interview. Due to the nature of the discussion I decided not to bleep anything out, but I wanted to let you know in case you have small children in the room or you, yourself, are not comfortable with explicit language.

Now let’s dive into the interview!

In this episode NoNieqa and I discuss:

• Tips for getting inside your character’s mind.
• Why you should make the reader work to piece the story together.
• The art of writing a realistically flawed character.
• Using language to show a character’s true voice without losing your reader.
• The importance of knowing what you are not willing to surrender in your writing.

Plus, NoNieqa’s #1 tip for writers.

About NoNieqa Ramos

NoNieqa Ramos is an award-winning educator, literary activist, and writer of “intense” young adult literature, who plants seeds of mass creation in the minds of impressionable youngsters. She is a passionate supporter of the #weneeddiversebooks and #ownvoices movements.

She resides in Virginia with her soul mate Michael G. Richards, beloveds Margot and Lango Tango, lizard Athantas, nefarious guinea pigs Cookie Dough and Friskette, and two felines, Black Magic and Eartha Kitt.

Her debut novel, The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary, was released by Carolrhoda Lab in February 2018, and her second novel, The Book of Love, will be released in fall 2019.

To connect with NoNieqa check out her website at nonieqaramos.com.

The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary

Macy’s school officially classifies her as “disturbed,” but Macy isn’t interested in how others define her. She’s got more pressing problems: her mom can’t move off the couch, her dad’s in prison, her brother’s been kidnapped by Child Protective Services, and now her best friend isn’t speaking to her.

Writing in a dictionary format, Macy explains the world in her own terms—complete with gritty characters and outrageous endeavors. With an honesty that’s both hilarious and fearsome, slowly Macy reveals why she acts out, why she can’t tell her incarcerated father that her mom’s cheating on him, and why her best friend needs protection…

the kind of protection that involves Macy’s machete.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio or Google Play and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 202: Crafting Powerful and Authentic Characters — Interview with NoNieqa Ramos appeared first on DIY MFA.