NoNieqa Ramos
NoNieqa Ramos is the author of the new YA novel The Truth Is.
From her Q&A with Deborah Kalb:
Q: How did you come up with the idea for The Truth Is, and for your character Verdad?--Marshal Zeringue
A: First, I had to realize I couldn’t write the book from transboy Danny’s perspective because I could never get his perspective right. It’s not my lane. There aren’t enough trans writers writing trans stories so it would have been plain wrong to do.
Ultimately, I enjoy writing characters who struggle with perception. I want them to chisel away at what they think is true and discover for themselves what is the closest approximation to reality. When I really found the voice of Verdad I wanted her to be high-functioning--going to school and succeeding in her classes--but still struggling with grief.
Verdad’s quest for truth, what is right and good--even if her own family members have told her otherwise--was what...[read on]