Q&A with DeAndra Davis

  

Photo by Briah Christia

 

 

DeAndra Davis is the author of the new young adult novel The Lovers, the Liars, and Me. She also has written the YA novel All the Noise at Once.  

 

Q: What inspired you to write The Lovers, the Liars, and Me, and how did you create your character Jaliya?

A: This book was definitely more inspired by my own experiences than any other book I’ve written. As a first-generation immigrant to a fully Jamaican family and being raised how I was, I was really interested in exploring the intersections of culture, especially with sexuality and identity overall.

 

Jaliya was created as parts of me, and parts of family members. She’s truly an amalgamation of familial history for me. 

Q: How was the novel’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?

 

A: The title is interesting as it was once something simpler, but that was already the title of a popular novel and I wanted it to stand out more.

 

I started by leaning into the tarot elements and knew I wanted to include a tarot card in the title and settled on the Lovers. It branched out from there with me focusing on all the secrets in the book and how Jaliya fits within it all.

 

For me, I loved using the Lovers card especially because I don’t always read it as love with another but also as a self-love card. There’s a duality to it that I adore that goes beyond just reading it romantically, and I loved using it to reflect both of those themes for the book.

Q: The Kirkus Review of the book calls it “[p]art mystery, part love triangle, and a whole journey of self-discovery.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: I thought that was such a fun description (and lovely review) and very true! This book does so many different things and really it all comes together for Jaliya’s coming of age.

 

It makes it harder to pin down as a capital-R romance or capital-C contemporary. I pulled from many genres to just tell her story the way it needed to be told and I love that the genre-blending could really be embraced by that description.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

A: Bravery for sure. And to know that bravery isn’t always standing up. It isn’t always speaking out. Sometimes, bravery is quieter and it looks like accepting yourself even when nobody else does, even when you aren’t coming out, even when you aren’t outspoken.

 

Bravery can be personal. Strength can be just as satisfying when you stand up to your own mind, limitations, and begin to love yourself wholly. That’s radical. That’s brave.

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: Am I allowed to say things? I don’t know how much I can reveal but I will let it be known that I’m writing more books! In YA, I’m working on another autistic character and a story that is so fun and funny while still being my typical scathing critique of the nonsense of the world. I’m hoping that hilarious but mad at the state of society will become my writing identity, haha. 

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Support authors! Especially debuts. Pre-order, request them at libraries, and hype them up. If you love stories, be vocal. Too often, powers that be are trying to take storytelling and the ability to spread stories away from us. We can stop them by supporting the stories we love, especially when they’re marginalized voices. :)

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with DeAndra Davis.