In episode two, Nicole chops it up with the award-winning author of speculative and literary fiction, Rivers Solomon. Rivers writes about life in the margins, where they're much at home. Their work has appeared in The Paris Review, The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, The Best American Short Stories, and elsewhere. They are the author of An Unkindness of Ghosts, The Deep, Sorrowland, and Model Home. A refugee of the transatlantic slave trade, Solomon was born on Turtle Island. They currently live in the UK.

Rivers & Nicole explore hauntings, identity, and the impact of music and literature on personal growth. They discuss the importance of community and connection, as well as how their spiritual practices influence their art. The conversation covers enormous ground, while exploring the creative process, the influence of parenting on writing, and the significance of collaboration in literary projects. Rivers emphasizes the role of state violence in their work and the necessity of finding joy amidst adversity.

In their latest novel, Model Home, Rivers Solomon turns the haunted-house story on its head, unearthing the dark legacies of segregation and racism in the suburban American South. Unbridled, raw, and daring, Model Home is the story of secret histories uncovered, and of a queer family battling for their right to live, grieve, and heal amid the terrors of contemporary American life. Purchase Model Home at all major booksellers, including Bookshop.org.

Rivers' novella, The Deep, was inspired by The Deep (song) and in collaboration with Clipping.

Oracle Card: "Book" from the Classic Horror Oracle Deck.

Chapters

00:00 Exploring the Power of Books

03:21 Navigating Personal Narratives

07:35 Connecting with Ancestors

12:50 Creative Flow and Spiritual Guidance

22:16 Embodiment of Purpose and Love

26:16 The Challenge of Deadlines

31:50 The Journey of Model Home

36:35 Intergenerational Connections in Writing

39:38 The Influence of Place on Writing

50:40 Crafting Rich Worlds and Characters

55:05 Rivers Answers the OM Closing Five

Of Monsters: A podcast with Nicole Shawan Junior features intimate chats with speculative fiction masterminds and the characters they create.

Spread love. It's the Brooklyn way. Follow the podcast. Share it on your socials. Comment on what you hear.

Find Of Monsters on IG.

Written and performed by Nicole Shawan Junior, the Of Monsters intro music was created by Ben Ford, produced by Caits Meissner, and engineered by Tatenda Dizha.

For the very first Of Monsters Podcast ep, Nicole kicks it with Ibi Zoboi, the New York Times Bestselling author of books for children and teens, including American Street, Pride, and the Walter Award and LA Times Book Prize-winning Punching the Air, co-written with Exonerated Five member Yusef Salaam. Ibi is the winner of the 2024 CSK Author Award for Nigeria Jones. She is the editor of the anthology Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America and has written Okoye to the People, a Black Panther novel for Marvel. Born in Haiti and raised in New York City, Ibi lives in New Jersey.

In this convo, Ibi and Nicole chop it up about Ibi's latest book, (S)kin, the merging of the personal and professional life, the challenges of authenticity in the age of social media, and the importance of cultural identity and representation in literature. Ibi reflects on her journey to becoming a prolific writer, the intersection of personal experience and writing, and the role of folklore and spirituality in storytelling.

(S)kin by Ibi Zoboi is Ibi's groundbreaking fantasy novel in verse about the power of inherited magic and the price we must pay to live the life we yearn for. Purchase (S)kin at all major booksellers, including Bookshop.org.

Oracle Cards: Lies from the Classic Horror Oracle Deck & Qetesh from the African Goddess Rising Oracle Deck.

Chapters
00:00 Merging Spiritual and Professional Lives
02:57 Authenticity in the Literary World
04:23 Cultural Identity and Personal Aesthetics
06:34 Navigating Image and Authenticity
08:22 The Journey of a Prolific Writer
10:10 Contextualizing Identity in Literature
12:40 Reflections on Growing Up in Brooklyn
22:03 Navigating Identity and Expectations
27:46 The Impact of Education on Self-Perception
32:49 Discovering Literary Passions
44:03 Monsters and Inspirations in Writing
46:54 Exploring Cultural Horror and Folklore
49:38 Identity and Cultural Roots
57:02 The Power of Poetry in Storytelling
59:00 Understanding Intra-Community Issues
01:02:06 The Role of Folklore and Spirituality
01:06:51 Crafting Human Stories in Fantasy
01:09:28 15s - Ibi Answers the OM Closing Five

Of Monsters: A podcast with Nicole Shawan Junior features intimate chats with speculative fiction masterminds and the characters they create.

Spread love. It's the Brooklyn way. Follow the podcast. Share it on your socials. Comment on what you hear.

Find Of Monsters on IG.

Written and performed by Nicole Shawan Junior, the Of Monsters intro music was created by Ben Ford, produced by Caits Meissner, and engineered by Tatenda Dizha.