Jina DuVernay: Interview with Author & Librarian Maisy Card
Maisy Card, Public Librarian at the Newark Public Library, has accomplished something that most people only dream about. She has recently published her debut novel, These Ghosts Are Family, with Simon & Schuster. Her novel has been hailed as Entertainment Weekly, and Lit Hub’s Most-Anticipated Book of 2020 pick and Book Riot’s Best Book Club Pick of 2020. Kirkus Reviews describes it as “an intriguing debut with an inventive spin on the generational family saga.” Maisy now joins the likes of other librarian writers such as Nella Larson and Audre Lorde. Taking a break from writing during this time of self-isolation, Maisy answers a few questions from fellow librarian and WOC+LIb Editor, Jina DuVernay.
Jina: When did you start writing? Did you always know you were a writer?
Maisy: I started writing when I was 16. I’ve always loved to read but didn’t want to be a writer until I had a creative writing assignment in English class in 10th grade. We read “Everything That Rises Must Converge,” by Flannery O’Connor. Our assignment was to rewrite the story from the perspective of a character who doesn’t speak in the original. I chose a black character observing Julian and his mother. I felt really invested in the character and kept rewriting it, even after I handed it in and got a grade back. I decided to become a writer after that and have been working toward that goal since that moment.
J: What degree did you obtain first - MFA or MLIS?
M: I obtained the MFA first. I attended the Brooklyn College MFA program from 2006-2009. As I got closer to graduation, I realized that I didn’t know what kind of job I could do with the degree that would actually pay my bills. I knew other people taught comp, I did that part-time after, but the adjunct jobs were competitive and the pay wasn’t enough for me to support myself in NY, so I decided to get a professional degree. I finished the MFA in December 2009 and began the MLIS program at Rutgers in January 2010.
J: Did you publish any of your fiction writing anywhere before your debut novel?
M: Four chapters of THESE GHOSTS ARE FAMILY were originally published as short stories. They’ve all been edited since their publication, so the versions in the book may differ drastically.
Available from Simon & Schuster.
J: Did you keep your writing private or were your colleagues aware?
M: I told one or two people who I work with every day [once] the book sold, but didn’t make an announcement or anything until I was deep into the editing process. I had to ask for a leave of absence of a few months because some of the revisions I had to make were extensive and I wanted to focus. That’s when most of my colleagues became aware.
J: How did you find an agent?
M: I published a personal essay in Lenny Letter. My agent, Monica Odom, read it and contacted me to ask if I was working on anything else. I showed her five stories that are now in THESE GHOSTS and talked about my plans for the book. We had a phone call and I signed with her soon after.
J: Will you continue working as a librarian or write full time?
M: I’m actually under contract for another book, so I cut down to part-time a few months ago to work on it. Now all the libraries in NJ are closed so I’m working on the book full-time. I imagine I’ll still work as a librarian at least on a part-time basis in the future. Writing can be very lonely and since I work where I live (in Newark) I feel a strong sense of community.
J: What advice do you have for librarians who desire to write and publish their first novel?
M: I think just set goals for your writing at the beginning of each year. Do you want to publish a short story? Do you want to write the first rough draft of your novel? Decide what your goal is and work on that goal throughout the year. I used weekends, vacation time, personal days. When I was a school librarian, I wrote during the summers. Set a goal and figure out when the best time to work on it is. Writing every day has never worked for me. I’m not one [of those people to] wake up at 5 am and write. I’ve been juggling multiple jobs until recently, so I used my time off to write. Once you’ve done the writing, find readers to give you feedback, revise, and send your work out.
J: I am sure that you are reveling in the excitement around your debut novel, but do you already have any thoughts or plans for your second novel?
M: Yes, my second novel follows a group of immigrant women working as home health aides in a wealthy retirement community. I’m still developing the story, so I don’t want to say too much more.