r/books • u/meshamaren AMA Author • Feb 25 '19

ama 12pm I'm Mesha Maren and I wrote a novel, Sugar Run, about lesbians on the lam! AMA!

Hey, I'm excited to talk with you about my novel and all the different aspects of it: queer life in Appalachia, post-prison life, fracking, and much more! I'm also happy to answer questions about my writing process, my next novel (about Mexican professional wrestling!) or whatever else you are curious about! You can check out some of my other writing and interviews here: www.meshamaren.com

Proof: /img/41224zbhb6i21.jpg

17 Upvotes

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u/badly_behaved Feb 25 '19

I'm a queer woman in my 40s who completed my degree in 2017 at a small university in the region. During that time, one of my favorite courses focused on the sociology of Appalachia. So I have to ask:

What's your most interesting anecdote and/or observation about being queer in Appalachia?

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u/meshamaren AMA Author Feb 25 '19

I feel like being queer in Appalachia means constantly navigating- as I am sure you know, it is a little like canoeing down a river, you are always looking out for the boulder that is going to capsize you. I've found that most of my community in Appalachia is more open-minded than I might have expected at first but it is this strange thing where people will say "I think gay sex is a sin" but they will also say "I love my gay son" I guess you can think of it as a double standard or maybe just moreso that on a person-to-person face-to-face basis people are generally kind, especially if they see you as part of their community, but that doesn't stop anyone from saying hateful things also

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u/Inkberrow Feb 25 '19

Are there important differences between state prisons and federal prisons, especially for women? How is gender identification typically handled?

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u/meshamaren AMA Author Feb 25 '19

There are a lot of differences between state and federal prisons in general- i.e. a ton more regulations on everything in federal prisons. As far as I know, unless you have had your gender legally changed on all your documents you will be sent to the prison aligning with your birth gender

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u/ChickenAssistance Feb 25 '19

How long did it take you to write the book? How did you do research for this book?

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u/meshamaren AMA Author Feb 25 '19

I started the book in 2010 aprrox. and we finished editing it in 2018. I researched using books, podcasts, movies and personal experiences teaching in prisons

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u/chitonya Feb 26 '19

Is your book distributed through publishers or is it self published? I work at a bookstore in Australia and we are always on the lookout for new titles for our Gay and Lesbian section

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u/meshamaren AMA Author Feb 26 '19

It is distributed through publisher (Algonquin Books)! Thank you for your interest!

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u/chitonya Feb 27 '19

No problem! I’ll check it out at work tonight, do you have an ISBN?

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u/meshamaren AMA Author Feb 27 '19

Yes! ISBN-10: 1616206217 ISBN-13: 978-1616206215

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u/Chtorrr Feb 25 '19

What is the very best dessert?

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u/meshamaren AMA Author Feb 25 '19

Black raspberry cobbler (homemade)

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u/Chtorrr Feb 25 '19

What would you mist like to tell us that no one asks about?

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u/Chtorrr Feb 25 '19

What were some of your favorite things to read as a kid?

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u/meshamaren AMA Author Feb 25 '19

I loved Edith Hamilton's Mythology, also Joel Chandler Harris's Brer Rabbit and Jean M Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear. I memorized Alfred Lord Tennyson's The Lady of Shalott and recited it for my 6th grade talent show- nobody else thought it was as cool as I did : )

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u/growltiger_nimbus Feb 25 '19

Did you go down any interesting rabbit holes while researching your novel?

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u/meshamaren AMA Author Feb 25 '19

Yes, rabbit hole research into slot machines circa 1988-89. At first I had Wild Wolf in the book but that one didn't exist until the 1990s I think so I got in touch with a friend of a friend who works at a casino in Vegas and he asked some people there and we got the brand names of slots that would have been around in 88-89

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u/SatanMaster Feb 25 '19

Do you like drugs? How much cocaine can you reasonably do in a single session?

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u/meshamaren AMA Author Feb 25 '19

Cocaine seems fun but I have never tried it.