For fans of I’m Not Dying with You Tonight, this gripping YA novel digs into the historical and present-day effects of white supremacy and the depths of privilege.
We chat with Olivia A. Cole about her new release, The Truth About White Lies, along with 2022 book recommendations, writing, and more!
Hi, Olivia! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello! My name is Olivia Cole, and I’m an author and parent living in Louisville, Kentucky. I spent many years living in Chicago before I came back to my home state, and I still miss it. What else? I probably spend a little too much time on Twitter, but during a pandemic it’s the best a writer can do for people watching!
How have the first two months of 2022 been for you?
It’s been rough! We were hoping that the under-five COVID vaccine would be available by now, but it’s been pushed back to April. My daughter is four and has a friend her age who had a bad bout with COVID – we’re still pretty cautious about taking her out into the world until she’s vaccinated. Until then, we hike a lot – though February is basically the worst month for hiking, even as we simmer in the weird broth of climate change.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I think before my love of writing came my love of storytelling. Apparently in first grade my mother took my brother and me camping, and we got lost in the woods. When I returned to school on Monday, I apparently went well over my allotment in “sharing time” as I recounted this drama to my peers. (“We didn’t mind!” my teacher reportedly said. “We were riveted!” She was being nice, of course. My first grade storytelling skills likely relied entirely too much on adjectives.) In second grade, though, we got to make our own books. We wrote the story and bound it up with fancy covers. I was hooked. I thought, I love stories. I can make my own? Done.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
The first book I ever remember reading was The King’s Equal by Katherine Patterson. I still remember the line that hooked me: “[the king] breathed his last breath, and died.” I thought WHOA. You can just write that somebody…died?! Wow. The one that made me want to become an author was Redwall by Brian Jacques. As a kid who struggled with gender at a young age, I didn’t always enjoy reading books about human characters because I never felt seen by the gender expectations found there. Animals were, somehow, a suitable substition. Plus, so much adventure! Fighting! No love stories! Perfect! The book that I can’t stop thinking about is Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson. An absolutely stunning novel that made me sob – and I’m not a crier.
Your new novel, The Truth About White Lies, is out March 8th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
“Yes, you, fellow white people.”
What can readers expect?
An uncomfortable reckoning with family history, responsibility, and personal choices. A mirror that asks white readers to be their most honest when thinking about the things that shape us and all that we say and leave unsaid.
Where did the inspiration for The Truth About White Lies come from?
I’ve spent most of my adult life writing and thinking about racism and whiteness. Sitting down to write a novel about it wasn’t so much inspiration as a natural trajectory as I sought new ground to test my theories and explore personal truths, as well as lies I’d been telling myself about myself.
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
I attempted this book many times before it eventually found its rhythm. The very first draft was essentially a white savior narrative. After that, it was, at different times, episodic, supernatural, out of order. It took a long time to find what the book needed to be, and the people that needed to be in it. I also needed to find the balance between holding the protagonist accountable and humanizing her. So much balancing.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
The majority of this book was not enjoyable to write or revise. But I’m glad you said “exploring” because the whole book really was a massive exploration. What does it mean to be white? When are we, white people, aware of our whiteness? What makes us aware of it? What stories do we tell ourselves to avoid the pain of our legacies? These explorations weren’t fun, but they were worthwhile.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
The best and the worst is the same advice! “Show don’t tell.” Best, because yes, when you offer the reader nothing visual, nothing sensory, you’re missing an important part of how stories can be experienced. Worst, though, because some things must be told. Just as I wouldn’t want to read a book with all telling, I wouldn’t want to read a book that’s all showing. Balance in all things.
What’s next for you?
The Truth About White Lies will be released March 8, 2022, and after that, my first novel-in-verse, Dear Medusa, is out in Spring 2023. Cover reveal is coming soon and it’s my favorite cover so far. Truly breathtaking.
Lastly, do you have any 2022 book recommendations for our readers?
Speaking of novels-in-verse, make sure you get Nothing Burns As Bright As You by Ashley Woodfolk, out next month! A beautiful, gutsy book.
