Malaika Horne

INTVW BY SARAH ANNE

NRM: When did you fall in love with writing? Did you always want to be a writer? Which writers influenced your style in writing? Malaika Horne: I fell in love with writing after falling in love with reading. Mother Wit is mainly about my mother’s love of reading & how she foisted it on us. We lived at the library and were surrounded by books at home. After attempting to write prose, I found out how difficult it was. Reading others, who were much more proficient, influenced me to write better.

NRM: What was your creative process in writing Mother Wit? How long did it take you to write it? MH: The creative process was trying to tap into my memory bank and trying to remember the stories my mother told us about how to really make it in American society. Flora Dell Horne was a raconteur or story teller. Without these stories I probably wouldn’t have been able to write a book. It’s mainly a book about Flora’s stories. It took me ten years to write. First, I would put it down for months at a time and pick it back up—I was so determined to write about her exceptional parenting skills. Second, it was rather emotional for me as I realized even more how hard she worked to secure our future.

NRM: In writing your books, are your themes or style consistent? MH: I’ve only written this book. Journalism is more my avocation where I was able to sharpen my skills and hone my craft. My themes in journalism as in the book concern women’s rights, civil rights, and the empowerment of people.

NRM: What do you think is the role of a writer in society? MH: I can’t say a specific role. I can tell you that most writers want to influence; to get the word out about an important point, knowledge, skills, etc. It's more about readers reading the book than readers buying the book.

NRM: Are you working on something else right now? MH: No, I’m still pushing this one. But I do intend to write other books.

NRM: What is your message to all aspiring writers out there? MH: Read as much as you can. Read all types of materials, such as literature, newspapers, even technical writing. Tap into your style and your passion to keep you going. You must be a self-starter and have the commitment to finish whatever you started out to do.