I recently had the opportunity to chat with journalist and young adult books author Nikki Barthelmess about her new novel Quiet No More, which released on October 13th 2020. Quiet No More is the sequel to Nikki’s debut novel, The Quiet You Carry which follows the story of Victoria Parker, a young girl struggling to cope with her sexually abusive father’s actions after he was arrested and Victoria was sent to a foster home.
Hi Nikki! Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Hi Catherine! Thanks so much for having me on The Nerd Daily!
As you know, I write young adult books, and it should be no surprise that I read a lot. And like pretty much everyone else during the pandemic, I’ve been watching so much T.V. Right now, my favorite show is Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
But I try to get outdoors too! I am lucky to live in sunny Santa Barbara, near the beach, and I like to jog outside with my baby in her stroller or take walks with the whole family, including my Pembroke Welsh Corgi. His name is Corgus. Anyone who follows me on social media knows I am obsessed with him!
Another thing about me is that despite growing up in foster care, I have a wonderful life. I get to live my dream as an author, and I have an amazing family now that I adore. I try to give back and help others who have been abused or abandoned by family like I was and so I’ve spent more than a decade advocating for foster youth. At times, this has involved giving speeches, writing essays or articles, and fundraising for different organizations that help current and former foster kids.
Quiet No More is the sequel to The Quiet You Carry, which came out last year. If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Survivor struggles with sharing story
Why do you think it is so important to share this side of Victoria’s story after the events of the first novel?
That’s a really good question! I feel like there’s a tendency to view people as before and after snapshots. Like, before their transformation, here’s this person who is a mess, and after, look how perfect they are! That’s not real life, especially for someone who has survived abuse or assault. Whether people are healing from trauma or just growing in some aspect of their lives, rarely do they ascend without hiccups. We take steps forward and steps back, and we keep going. In The Quiet You Carry, Victoria realizes that what her father has done to her is wrong and she turns him in, but that doesn’t mean she automatically rides off happy into the sunset.
Quiet No More picks up Victoria’s story as she begins¾what she hopes¾is her new life now that she’s in college. Wanting to make new friends, she joins a club that advocates for survivors of sexual harassment and assault. Even though Victoria is working to spread awareness and prevent assault, she has a hard time writing the victim impact statement that could affect her father’s sentencing. After she learns her dad had a horrific childhood, she wonders if she should downplay her father’s abuse so that he doesn’t suffer more in jail. But some of her friends in the club have their own opinions on what she should do. Basically, things are still complicated for Victoria, and she has a lot more trouble ahead!
Throughout the duration of Quiet No More, readers are able to see Victoria’s journey through recovery after her dad is sent to jail. Why is this version of what recovery looks like important for readers?
Emotions can be pretty confusing for people who have been abused or assaulted. Survivors often still love those who hurt them, especially if they were abused by a family member or a romantic partner. I think it’s important for readers to see this so they have a realistic picture of how complicated these situations can be.
What inspired you to have Victoria’s aunt, Audrey, come into her life and challenge her views of her father and what she should do?
There’s a saying that “hurt people hurt people” and it’s so true. It’s often the case that those who harm others are suffering from some trauma of their own. Knowing someone’s background, why they ended up who they are, is important. Although it doesn’t excuse despicable actions, it can shed light on them, in a way. Still, many people hide their deepest pain, even from their families. So, I had Victoria’s aunt show up to illuminate some things for Victoria. I knew that because Victoria is such an empathetic person, she’d feel for her dad and be conflicted about what to do about it, even after she went through the process of denial and hiding the truth for him before.
What do you think is the most important thing readers can take away from Quiet No More?
The way I see it, people don’t necessarily get over painful experiences like being abused. We learn to live with the past, or try to, but it shapes the people we become. I want readers to realize it takes courage to face pain, but it’s worth it. I want people who read my books to believe there’s always hope.
What would you say to Victoria and other sexual assault survivors like her that may read Quiet No More or even The Quiet You Carry?
I would tell any abuse or assault survivor this: You are more than what you’ve been through. You didn’t deserve it, and it’s not fair that it happened. Although none of us can take back the past, we can control how we react.
Don’t listen to anyone who tries to tell you to get over it or to think positive, if what you really need is to grieve. Surround yourselves with safe, caring and empathetic people who can love and nurture you, not only when you’re at your best, but also when things are really difficult. Find a therapist or a support group. Find ways to process what happened to you, such as journaling, creating art or being in nature. No one should demand this of a survivor, but sometimes it can be healing to help others by volunteering or doing advocacy work. Just being around people who can understand what you’ve been through, though, can help a lot.
What’s next for you?
My next book, Everything Within and in Between, comes out in the fall of 2021 from HarperChildren’s. It follows biracial teen Ri Fernandez as she fights to reclaim her Mexican heritage and her connection with her absent mother from her strict immigrant grandmother, who has kept her from both. Like Ri, I’m biracial, part Mexican-American and white. I experienced some of the insecurities and issues Ri has with her identity and am very close with my immigrant grandma. This book draws from some of my experiences, and I hold it close to my heart. I’m so excited to share it with readers!
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
How about an author instead? I love everything I’ve read by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I’m really looking forward to reading her latest, The Inheritance Games.
