We chat with Pamela N. Harris about Through Our Teeth, which follows three teens as they investigate a murder—while each tries to hide their own complicated history with the dead girl.
Hi, Pamela! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi there! Thanks so much for having me! I’m a former school counselor and current college professor who writes the kinds of stories I wanted to read as a teen. You know, stories with thrills, chills, and a bit of humor for levity. I love watching and reading thrillers and mysteries and now I love writing them.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I was still in elementary school–maybe around third grade. I had written a story about a troll prince searching for love, and my teacher was so impressed that she asked me to read my story to the kindergarten class. That was the first time I realized that other people enjoyed my stories as much as I enjoyed writing them!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
- The one that made you want to become an author: Blubber by Judy Blume
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Razorblade Tears by SA Cosby
Your latest novel, Through Our Teeth, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Ooh, good question! Let’s go with: friendship, secrets, murder, mystery, and locked-room (that last one counts as one word, right?)
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect the unexpected! Okay, that’s a little cheesy. I wanted to tackle some meaty issues like grief, mental illness, and intimate partner violence in a respectful way–but integrate some suspense and mystery so that readers wouldn’t feel like they were being taught a lesson. I always joke that I integrate these larger themes into a page-turner the same way I try to hide vegetables in my kids’ food.
Where did the inspiration for Through Our Teeth come from?
This story has evolved over the course of probably fifteen years. The seed of the idea came to me while I was a school counselor. I was surprised by the responses of my students after the boyfriend of a famous celebrity couple was arrested for physically assaulting his girlfriend. I expected my students to empathize with the victim, but instead they villainized her. The story took many twists and turns to become what it is today, but that was the starting point: I wanted to write something about how society turns on BIPOC females when they speak up against a beloved man.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really knew I wanted to write a locked-room thriller. Those are my favorite stories to consume. There’s something about keeping characters in a tight space that forces their masks to start slipping. That was the fun part–when I allowed the characters to be flawed and icky and just squabble with each other.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I think my biggest challenge was figuring out what I wanted to say with this story. While I think it’s totally okay to just write something fun and twisty, I felt a responsibility to have a deeper meaning since I was tackling some weighty themes. So, though I started with the intimate partner violence issue, my editor helped me realize that what I really wanted to say centered more on the stigmatization of mental health. This sounds totally preachy but I promise, the story will entertain you!
What’s next for you?
Haha–another great question! Let’s just say I would love to lean more into horror. Through Our Teeth allowed me to play with the genre a tad bit, but now I’m ready to fully dive in.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
Ooh, I’ve loved so many books this past year! First, there is The Game is Afoot by Elise Bryant, which is the sequel to her delightful cozy mystery, It’s Elementary and just as wonderful. I’m currently reading Boom Town, which is Nic Stone’s adult mystery debut. The tension and character development is on point–I’m basically inhaling the story!
