Girl On the Fly

This week I bring you ... an interview with an author ...

Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl is the author of Girl on the Fly, published by David Fickling Books, she is also a writer and editor. Her recent books include BEYONCÉ (Knowles-Carter) and NELSON (Mandela), in DFB’s First Names series of illustrated biographies. Nansubuga has also worked on international development programmes, primarily in East and Southern Africa, for over a decade. I am thrilled she had time to talk about her book.

When did you know that you wanted to be a writer and can you tell us about some of the ups and downs of the journey to get there? What lessons would you share with wannabe writers?

To be honest, it’s hard for me to pinpoint exactly when I wanted to be a writer, but I’ve always been a reader first and foremost. I guess the shortest answer is that I started writing in earnest when I was pregnant with my first child. At that time, I wanted to find picture books about Uganda (where my parents are from) for her. When I couldn’t find one that I felt captured the beauty of the place, I decided to try and write it – and that became my first published book in 2017. My journey since then has been steady, but not necessarily straight. Getting my first book published was relatively easy in hindsight. I had no clue at all about the publishing industry. Armed with a little bit of internet research, I simply followed my heart. Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to publish another picture book, two middle-grade autobiographies, and now my first middle grade novel, all of which have been tremendous growth experiences. But I’ve also written manuscripts that have gone nowhere, have doubted my place in an industry driven by comps/formulas/the familiar, and have been frustrated by how sluggish publishing can be. At the end of the day, however, I’ve had to constantly re-center myself around my motivation – which is to tell stories from and of my heart, hopefully in an informative and delightful way, for all readers. For wannabe writers, I would say understand your true motivation and let that guide you. Also, seek as much advice as you can from others, which I have tried to do along the way.

You’ve travelled quite widely and been lucky enough to live in many places around the world. I am sure our readers would love to know of any favourite locations and if Philadelphia, the setting for Girl On the Fly was one and why.

Indeed, I have been lucky. I’ve just been to Oman and so that is top of mind. It was an absolute delight. I live in Dar es Salaam now, on the Indian Ocean, and that is also quite remarkable. But South Africa, where I was married and my children were born, will always have a special place in my heart. I set Girl on the Fly in Philadelphia because I studied there for my undergraduate degree and in many ways came of age in that city.

What was it that inspired you to write a story rooted in Tanzanian culture and yet set in the USA? 

This is a good question. I currently live in Tanzania, a place that I love. The culture is all around me and it felt very natural to draw on my surroundings. But I was born in the US, which is why the book was set there. In addition, my parents are from Uganda. So, as a child, I knew Uganda from stories and visitors. I thought it would be interesting to write about a girl who was from a place she had never been because I know that experience (and the tension that comes with it) intimately. Doing so offered me the opportunity to discuss the ideas of culture and place and home.

And following from that last question: why have you set the story in 1992, is there a significance to that date?

I grew up in the 1990s and I was eager to revisit the music from that time. Too many songs that I love to this day came out in the period between 1990 and 1992. It was such a joy to be able to reference them. I suppose music was the primary motivation for setting the book in the year 1992 specifically, along with a few other cultural references (e.g. the 80s/90s track star Florence Griffith Joyner and the 90s T.V. show, A Different World). It was also the year of the Olympic Games, which allowed me to tie that in nicely. These elements were such important parts of my childhood, and I never got to read about them in a fiction book when I was a child. Now, at least, they are on record, with my particular slant.  

Girl On the Fly is beautiful, heart-warming, heartachingly beautiful at times too. Did you approach it wanting to share with readers the struggles we can face as we grow up to reassure them they are not alone?

Oh, thank you so much. Indeed, I did want to reassure readers. The book centres joy and connection, family and friendship precisely for that reason. And while Kam, the main character, also has to learn how to fly with her own wings and find her own rhythm, she comes to realize that she is always surrounded by a flock and the rhythm of her heart syncs with others. I think it’s important for young people to remember that they are not alone – and if they feel alone, they should reach out to someone.

Girl On the Fly is, at its heart, a story about family, friendships and change. Do you feel we need to be reminded that these are constants in our lives that we should embrace?

Yes, I do. I think sometimes we can undervalue our relationships with family members, especially elders. Yet there is often so much we can learn from intergenerational relationships. At least, that has been my lifelong experience. The value of friendship goes without saying. It is probably the most valuable thing we have. And that is not to say friendship is more important than familial relationships. They are of a piece. The “friendships” we hold with family members are equally as valuable. I am someone who truly values friendships. I don’t take them lightly. An honest-to-goodness friendship? Whew! I can’t think of anything better.   

When you were Kam (your main character’s) age what were your biggest concerns – related to themes of the story (if you don’t mind sharing an example)?

I love this question. In no particular order, when I was Kam’s age, doing well in school was really important to be – so grades were a thing! I ran track and so running fast was a thing. And so was winning! I also remember being very concerned with feeling like I had to be “original”. I wanted to have my own style – hairstyle, sneakers, ways of thinking, etc. Being very much not like anyone else was a huge concern. There are traces of that in Kam (with her sneakers, wanting her chant to be original). And last but not least, my best friend and I spent hours (and I mean hours) in my basement practicing dance moves. You had to have moves. Being a good dancer was hugely important to me then – and still is! But not only just for the sake of dancing (which certainly has its own joys and merits). When you dance with people in the way that I grew up dancing, you can achieve a certain level of synergy and connection. Like running together in a relay. It’s that communal connection that I have always been concerned with, I suppose.

Your writing career is incredibly varied. Would you to like, one day, to settle on just one area and if so, which would you choose and why? Or are you happy with the breadth you have?

Thank you for asking this question. I’m not sure that I’ve ever properly thought about it. Upon reflection, I think my writing career reflects my reading style. I read across genres – always have. On my nightstand I have a few biographies, a book of literary short stories, a non-fiction book about how the earth formed, a YA set in Brooklyn, books of poems by Audre Lorde and Amanda Gorman, etc.  And those are just the books I remember right now (there are about 5 more books there!). I typically read 4 to 5 books at once and usually across genre, discipline, etc. I also write for international NGOs for my day job, which is an entirely different sort of writing (and reading). I am fascinated by the world we live in. I’m always searching for answers. And because writing is a place for me to think about all of this – I naturally move in all directions. Long way of saying I am happy with the breadth! It’s the only thing that makes sense to me.

What, for you, is the most important message that readers could take from this story?

I think there are a few ‘most important’ messages, but the one I am landing on today is that we have joy around us and we have joy in us – if we take the time to stop, look, listen and feel it – and all of that joy can be amplified by great, solid, and true relationships.

And finally, any hints about what we might expect to see on our bookshelves, written by you, in the future?

Well, not only do I read 15 books at once, sometimes it feels I am writing 15 books at once, too. I have a middle-grade fairytale adventure that I’m polishing and a YA that I’m thinking about, along with about 3 other stories in various stages of completion. Hopefully they’ll be on bookshelves one day soon!