We chat with author Amber Blaeser-Wardzala about Another Name for Red, which follows a young Anishinaabe woman who vanishes and her sister tries to pick up the pieces of her broken family, even as her investigations put her at risk of suffering a similar fate.
Hi, Amber! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Of course! I’m Anishinaabe from White Earth Nation in northern Minnesota and spent most of my childhood in southeastern Wisconsin. I’m a writer, beadwork artist, and jingle dress dancer. I’m currently a visiting assistant professor of fiction at the Ohio State University, and I squeeze writing in between the many walks demanded by my pittie-cattle dog mix, Fern.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
If my mother is to be believed, I’ve been making up stories since I could talk. However, I struggled to learn how to read on my own until fifth grade. I spent time with a specialist to work on my reading skills several times a week for years. Eventually, it clicked for me, and I fell in love with reading—mostly YA fantasies. When I was eleven or twelve, I started writing bad, rip-off novels of whatever was currently trendy. That’s when I started telling everyone I wanted to be a writer. Though my taste in both what I read and what I write has changed, I never wavered in my desire to be a published writer one day.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (The Bad Beginning”)
- The one that made you want to become an author Solar Storms by Linda Hogan (but also totally Twilight, as I was 11 years old and didn’t want to be like other girls, just like Bella Swan)
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Noopiming: The Cure for White Ladies by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson
Your debut novel, Another Name for Red, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
What happened to Older Sister?
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect a novel that’s emotional, intense, and character driven. The book is told from the perspective of the guilt-ridden, unnamed, middle sister of the family a year after her older sister went missing. Middle Sister is trying to pickup the pieces of her broken family while also figure out what happened to her sister, but her investigation may put her at risk of suffering a similar fate to Older Sister.
Where did the inspiration for Another Name for Red come from?
The novel started because of a recurring nightmare I was having about being followed by a red pickup truck. I had the dream repeatedly and worried it was a premonition. Eventually, I decided to turn the nightmare into fiction and figure out what had led the protagonist of my dream (or my novel) to be in that position. Once I started writing, Middle Sister took over.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Nookomis was by far my favorite character. Funny enough, she wasn’t in the first couple of drafts, except for a few mentions of Middle Sister having a grandmother. When I added her in, her spunk and opinionated nature made her so fun to write. She also felt nostalgic to me, reminding me of some of my great aunts which makes me love her even more.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
My biggest challenge of the book was less about the writing of it and more the emotional toll it took on me. The narrator is going through a lot and the themes of the book are heavy. It was sometimes hard to pull myself out of the space of the book and the head of Middle Sister. I eventually found it helpful to simply go going outside after writing—whether on a run or a walk or just sitting in the sun. Beading also can pull me out of that dark space.
What do you hope readers take away from Another Name for Red?
I hope readers learn about contemporary Indigenous people, as I feel we are often still reduced to stereotypes in modern pop culture. I wanted to show our reality in this book—both the good and the bad. As well as, I hope people learn about the challenges our communities face, especially the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis, and feel the call to action to help us end this senseless targeting of Native women.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
This book actually started as my undergraduate thesis project! At the time, I was viewing it as my “practice novel.” I did two drafts during my senior year, and then I set it aside and went into my MFA program. However, after the first year in the program, I couldn’t stop thinking about this novel so during the summer between my first and second year (and a little into the fall), I did two more drafts of the book before I sent it off to agents at the end of 2022. I signed with my agent in the beginning of 2023, and she and I then did several more drafts of this book before eventually selling it in fall of 2024. By the time it comes out, it’ll be nearly six years since I finished my very first draft of the book.
What’s next for you?
I have a short story collection called Deer Women that is forthcoming! Beyond that, I’m working on the second draft of my next novel.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
There are so many amazing books releasing this year, but two I cannot wait to read are The House Built on Alligator Bones by Sophia Huneycutt and Our Cut of Salt by Deena Helm. And two books I read this year that I loved were To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage and Fire Exit by Morgan Talty.
