The following is an interview with bestselling author Shawntelle Madison on the upcoming release of the historical fiction novel, The Fallen Fruit, with publisher Amistad. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Madison about bringing the multi-generational epic to life on the page, what she hopes that readers may take away from the story, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of The Fallen Fruit! For those who may be unfamiliar, how would you describe the book’s premise, and what inspired you to tell this story?
Shawntelle Madison: Thank you so much. I’m so excited. For those unfamiliar, I would say the book is a multi-generational saga about a Black family of time travelers. The inspiration for this one is special. I study my family’s genealogy. A couple year ago, I learned about my sixth great-grandmother and her inspiring story buying hundreds of acres of land in post American Revolution Charlottesville, VA. I couldn’t help but imagine her life surrounded by plantations and slavery. Her family of free Blacks thrived, and I wanted to bring them to life through the Bridges and their time travel curse.
BD: You have deftly intertwined history, fantasy, and generational storytelling into your narrative. How would you describe your creative process in weaving these elements together while bringing the story and characters to life on the page?
SM: When it comes to crafting a story, I’m a plotter through and through, but I tend to go by the seat of my pants at the scene level. During the planning stages, I learn which research topics I need to explore more, then during the writing phase, I do even more research and I let my characters drive the emotional hits. A lot of the twists in my work were definitely on the fly.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that Cecily’s story may connect with and impact readers?
SM: Cecily’s story, as well as that of the other major characters in my book, will resonate with readers on multiple levels. As a mother, I couldn’t help but connect with Cecily’s plight as she thinks about the future of her children and her place in it as a time traveler. As a woman, I thought again and again about Cecily’s circumstances after she falls in time. What she had to deal with fighting for the civil rights movement in the 1960s, only to fall back in time and witness firsthand how women were treated in the early 1900s. As a Black woman, I am thankful for what my ancestors accomplished. Just writing about the Bridge family’s experiences have made me feel grateful for their resilience.
BD: What makes Amistad the perfect home for this story?
SM: The team at Amistad is amazing. The HarperCollins imprint has a long history of uplifting voices of color. I have long admired Amistad, and just knowing they’ve been passionate about re-releasing Zora Neale Hurston’s work or Martin Luther King, Jr.’s private papers and speeches stirs within me a deep sense of pride to see them bring The Fallen Fruit to life.
BD: Are there any other projects that you would like to share with our readers?
SM: I have two project I’m actively work on. One is speculative historical fiction about a very unusual haunted house, and a non-speculative historical fiction about women attending one of the earliest medical colleges.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about The Fallen Fruit and your other work?
SM: Learn more about The Fallen Fruit at my website: shawntellemadison.com.
You can also find me online on Facebook or Instagram.
