The Memoir Land Author Questionnaire #84: Bernice L. McFadden
"Recently I heard a woman say that fear does not save you from dying, it keeps you from living. I feel the same way about writing one’s truth."
Since 2010, in various publications, I’ve interviewed authors—mostly memoirists—about aspects of writing and publishing. Initially I did this for my own edification, as someone who was struggling to find the courage and support to write and publish my memoir. I’m still curious about other authors’ experiences, and I know many of you are, too. So, inspired by the popularity of The Oldster Magazine Questionnaire, I’ve launched The Memoir Land Author Questionnaire.
Here’s the 84th installment, featuring novelist Bernice L. McFadden, author most recently of Firstborn Girls: A Memoir. -Sari Botton
BERNICE L. McFADDEN is the author of ten critically acclaimed novels including Praise Song for the Butterflies (Long listed for the 2019 Women's Prize in Fiction ) The Book of Harlan (winner of a 2017 American Book Award and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, Fiction) Sugar, Loving Donovan, Nowhere Is a Place, The Warmest December, Gathering of Waters (a New York Times Editors’ Choice and one of the 100 Notable Books of 2012) and Glorious. She is a four-time Hurston/Wright Legacy Award finalist, as well as the recipient of four awards from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA). McFadden has also penned five novels under the pseudonym: Geneva Holliday. She is an assistant professor of creative writing at Tulane University. Her memoir First Born Girls was published on March 4th, 2025. www.bernicelmcfadden.com
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How old are you, and for how long have you been writing?
I am 59 years old and I have been writing since I was 9 years old. I published my first novel at the age of 33.
What’s the title of your latest book, and when was it published?
My latest book is: Firstborn Girls: A Memoir. It was just published on March 4th, 2025.
What number book is this for you?
17.
How do you categorize your book—as a memoir, memoir-in-essays, essay collection, creative nonfiction, graphic memoir, autofiction—and why?
It’s been marketed as a memoir, but I think Firstborn Girls is better described as a bio-memoir because it’s a hybrid of first person memoir and mini biographies about family members and historical figures.
I’d been playing with the idea of writing a memoir since 2017. But it wasn’t coming together for me, so I started pouring myself into writing a novel I’d been thinking about for years. Then Covid hit and I was sheltering in place with my mother and brother in Brooklyn. My grandmother—95 at the time—was in a nursing home. I woke up terrified every day that I would lose one or both of my foremothers to that plague. And then I started obsessing about the other plague our country was dealing with—the plague of racism.
What is the “elevator pitch” for your book?
“Firstborn Girls is a memoir of many threads. It is an extraordinarily moving portrait of a life shaped by family, history, and the drive to be something more.”
What’s the back story of this book including your origin story as a writer? How did you become a writer, and how did this book come to be?
I’d been playing with the idea of writing a memoir since 2017. But it wasn’t coming together for me, so I started pouring myself into writing a novel I’d been thinking about for years. Then Covid hit and I was sheltering in place with my mother and brother in Brooklyn. My grandmother—95 at the time—was in a nursing home. I woke up terrified every day that I would lose one or both of my foremothers to that plague. And then I started obsessing about the other plague our country was dealing with—the plague of racism.
George Floyd’s death had set the world on fire—people all around the globe were protesting the deplorable and violent treatment of Black people in America. I thought—my goodness—nothing much has changed in this country since its inception, since my grandmothers were born, since I was born, since my daughter was born, and I wanted to document that. I also wanted to document how those events shaped my life from my birth up until the publication of my first novel.
What were the hardest aspects of writing this book and getting it published?
It was difficult revisiting old wounds—my personal wounds, those wounds belonging to my family members and those people who might not have been connected to me biologically but were bonded nonetheless because our lives were threaded together in this fabric that we call America.
How did you handle writing about real people in your life? Did you use real or changed names and identifying details? Did you run passages or the whole book by people who appear in the narrative? Did you make changes they requested?
I’ve been writing about my family in my novels for years. Sometimes I used pseudonyms and sometimes I used their given names. Those “characters” were easily recognizable by my family and it never caused a problem. When I set out to write my memoir, I did inform some family members about what I would cover in the book—and received their blessings. Many of the things I’ve written about in the memoir are open secrets in my family. I did change a few names of the not-so innocents.
George Floyd’s death had set the world on fire—people all around the globe were protesting the deplorable and violent treatment of Black people in America. I thought—my goodness—nothing much has changed in this country since its inception, since my grandmothers were born, since I was born, since my daughter was born, and I wanted to document that. I also wanted to document how those events shaped my life from my birth up until the publication of my first novel.
Who is another writer you took inspiration from in producing this book? Was it a specific book, or their whole body of work? (Can be more than one writer or book.)
I spent years reading memoirs before I started writing my own. Three memoirs that most influenced me were: The Yellow House by Sarah Broom, The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper and All Over But the Shoutin’ by Rick Bragg.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers looking to publish a book like yours, who are maybe afraid, or intimidated by the process?
Recently I heard a woman say that fear does not save you from dying, it keeps you from living. I feel the same way about writing one’s truth. And I always keep in mind what the late, great Maya Angelou said: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.” After writing Firstborn Girls, I felt unburdened…free and light.
What do you love about writing?
For me writing is spiritual. Writing connects me with my angelcestors. When I’m writing I’m actually in conversation with my angeclestors and I love being able to connect with them in that way.
What frustrates you about writing?
I don’t like to get stuck. Some people call it writer’s block. I’m aware that it is important for my imagination to power down. Just like it’s important for your body and mind to rest. Every part that makes us US needs respite, and the imagination is no exception. I know this, so when I still try to power through a chapter or four and I can’t—I get mad at myself because I know better.
What about writing surprises you?
I’m surprised that I am able to write across a myriad of genres. Not all writers are able to do that. It is a gift that I do not take lightly.
Does your writing practice involve any kind of routine or writing at specific times?
Sometimes I write in the evening and sometimes I write in the morning. Sometimes I write from the morning straight through to the next morning. I call that type of marathon writing: Fever writing.
I do some of my best “conjuring” in the shower and on long walks. I call it conjuring—but it’s during those two activities where I can really hear the characters speaking to me.
I don’t like to get stuck. Some people call it writer’s block. I’m aware that it is important for my imagination to power down. Just like it’s important for your body and mind to rest. Every part that makes us US needs respite, and the imagination is no exception. I know this, so when I still try to power through a chapter or four and I can’t—I get mad at myself because I know better.
Do you engage in any other creative pursuits, professionally or for fun? Are there non-writing activities do you consider to be “writing” or supportive of your process?
Sometimes I draw. I like to cook and bake, and I’ve been toying with collage art. All these activities feed my writing process.
What’s next for you? Do you have another book planned, or in the works?
Yes, I’ve returned to that historical novel I started so many years ago. I’m halfway through and fingers crossed it will find a home soon and be out in the world by 2027.
An inspiring interview. Thank you 🙏
“Conjuring in the shower”. That’s something I’ve gotta try. 🙏🏻