Watch the October 2016 Winning Novel Reading.
Reading performed by actor Michelle Alexander
The Pessary by Juliet M Nevins, MD
Get to know the winning writer:
What is your NOVEL about?
This novella was inspired by the many women, family and friends, whose lives have been touched by sexual violence. It is about a young physician struggling with her past. As a child Sophia was raped by her mother’s boyfriend, while her mother who had discovered this act, did nothing. Sophia finds escape through education, and as a young physician she meets Debra Little. Debra Little is an old woman from Jamaica who, with the help of two Americans, fled the island after her tenure with domestic abuse ended with the death of her child. The two find healing in each other’s stories. Debra Little finds forgiveness. Sophia finds courage.
What genres would you say this novel is in?
Fiction (women’s interest)
How would you describe this story in two words?
Hard. Transformational.
What movie have you seen the most in your life?
Interestingly, I love action films. I can’t say that I have one that I have watched the most–as long as there is a good fight scene.
How long have you been working on this story?
More than 10 years.
Do you have an all-time favorite novel?
Sula by Toni Morrison
What motivated you to write this story?
I wanted to tell a story: victims of abuse are found in the most unlikely places. The story was a narrative that would lead to healing, my healing and that of many others.
What artist would you love to have dinner with?
Oprah. She is so good at speaking the truth and I think that she is an excellent actress.
Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Health education. I have always enjoyed teaching, translating medical lingo into a language that non-medical people would understand. I have seen how this makes a difference.
WILDsound Writing Festival 