2021 Mentee Interviews

Tell us a little about yourself. Who are you, what do you write, and what are you working on right now?

My name is James Moore. I studied English at Davidson College; Anthony Abbott (Leaving Maggie Hope) was my Creative Writing professor. I was editor of the campus literary magazine, Hobart Park, as well as a contributor. I am now a cybersecurity analyst for Wells Fargo.

I write literary fiction; my current project is about a Black college student who is also a Sherlock Holmes-style amateur detective, solving minor campus crimes. When a freshman coed is assaulted, he is drawn into the case.

What kind of stories are you interested in exploring in your career as an author?

I want to write stories about people who are clearly out of place in their community—whether due to their intelligence, race, religion, worldview, etc.—and come to realize the absurdity of trying to fit in.

What's the best thing about you as an author?

I LOVE to write! Novels, stories, poems, songs, plays, even a webcomic—there are so many ways to tell a story and connect to an audience, I’ll never run out of things to write.

How have you developed as an author during this mentorship period? Is there anything that you didn't think before about the craft that you think now?

My mentor showed me how everything in the novel connects to the main character and his goal. I had certain plot elements that purposefully had nothing to do with the MC, and my mentor showed me how much narrative strength I could gain by weaving them all together in a cohesive story. I realize now that everything in a novel should connect to the main character, even things that seemingly have nothing to do with him.

If every book is a book baby, then it takes a village to raise a book. Are there any people who stand out to you as people who helped you in your writing journey?

In addition to my mentor, I had several beta readers who each brought fresh ideas to my writing: a professional proofreader, who helped me hone in on my narrative voice, and a group of writers I met during the Author Mentor Match program—several of whom have read the whole book and given me great ideas to improve it.

What do you think is the biggest necessity for a group of writing friends?

I think the biggest necessity for a successful writing group is commitment to the group. Reading and giving feedback takes time and effort, and you need people dedicated to investing that time and effort.

Any parting words for young writers looking for guidance, or a community?

The #writingcommunity on Twitter is a great way to connect to fellow writers; they will help keep you informed of writing competitions, mentorship opportunities, and ways to pitch to agents, such as #pitmad.

What about your own craft, interests, and abilities drew you to your mentee and their work?

I love mysteries set in academia, but James’ character work and captivating prose are what first drew me to This Grand Looking-Glass Hotel. Our primary character, Elliot Thorn, is a Black Sherlock Holmes-type figure who we slowly come to understand through narration from one of his closest friends, John-David. As John-David learns more about his enigmatic friend, the story unfurls in an episodic way, involving minor mysteries about Reidman’s history and student body that all tie into a larger mystery of a woman who’s sexually assaulted on campus. Elliot has a connection with this woman. The story is vividly written and intellectually developed. There's a minor plot element where John-David feels haunted by a certain character from his past. When I saw that being brought in I knew this book had potential to do so many things at once and still feel cohesive and original. I felt James and I had similar genre sensibilities and similar goals in contributing to the broader landscape of literature. I'm interested in continuing in the dark academia genre, and I knew I could learn a lot about crafting vibrant settings and complex characters by working with him. 

Do you have a message for anyone interested in your mentee's work?

The story satisfied my cravings for a Black Sherlock Holmes story and I think it will do that for other readers too. It taps into the vibes from the rollicking mysteries many of us consumed growing up while bringing Black thinkers and academics into the fold. But James' work doesn't feel hyperfocused on trauma or struggle. Race is present without it feeling over-politicized. I’ve never seen anything like this story, which combines mystery elements with academia for an adult audience with such elaborate character studies. I feel really lucky to have seen the story in an early stage because I think it has the potential to be very popular.