1--What is the title of your latest release?
A RIGHT WORTHY WOMAN
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Do you know who the first female banker in America was? She was Maggie Lena Walker, who chartered a bank in Richmond Virginia in 1903.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
The book is based on historical facts and the city Richmond in Virginia is where everything takes place. Jackson Ward a prominent African American community was the original “Wall Street of the South.”
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Absolutely, she was amazing, and she could possibly teach me a lot about life and leadership. She had a distinct intuition about people and how to maneuver in a time when things were not ideal for women especially those of color.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Bold, Brave, Fearless and Intelligent
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Good research takes time. All facts should be validated. Also, I learned a lot about dealing with people who should be an adversary, however, in all situations it is possible to make them a supporter.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I edit after it is complete mainly, however at times it is necessary along the way to stop and make a change.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I love seafood when someone else prepares it (lol.)
9--Describe your writing space/office!
I like to write some scenes when everything around me is totally quiet. I have an abundance of books around me as I gain good energy and writing vibes from them.
10--Who is an author you admire?
I admire many because I identify with the mental strength of a writer. The discipline and focus are all to admire. So, I will not say one author at this time.
11--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I self-published a young adult novel, however my first main contract was in 2011.
12--What’s your favorite genre to read?
Historical Fiction
13--What’s your favorite movie?
The Color Purple
14--What is your favorite season?
Fall and Spring as the leaves transform in colors and as the buds’ birth from something seemingly dead.
15--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
When there is a good meal with friends and family, I am happy.
16--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I love all times of cuisine; however soul food is my favorite.
17--What do you do when you have free time?
I read and write, listen to music, attend concerts etc.
18--What can readers expect from you next?
Another historical with a little suspense and spice.
A Novel
In the vein of The Personal Librarian and The House of Eve, a “remarkable and stirring novel” (Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author) based on the inspiring true story of Virginia’s Black Wall Street and the indomitable Maggie Lena Walker, the daughter of a formerly enslaved woman who became the first Black woman to establish and preside over a bank in the United States.
Maggie Lena Walker was ambitious and unafraid. Her childhood in 19th-century Virginia helping her mother with her laundry service opened her eyes to the overwhelming discrepancy between the Black residents and her mother’s affluent white clients. She vowed to not only secure the same kind of home and finery for herself, but she would also help others in her community achieve the same.
With her single-minded determination, Maggie buckled down and went from schoolteacher to secretary-treasurer of the Independent Order of St. Luke, founder of a newspaper, a bank, and a department store where Black customers were treated with respect. With the help of influential friends like W.E.B. DuBois and Mary McLeod, she revolutionized Richmond in ways that are still felt today.
Non-Fiction Biography [Atria Books, On Sale: February 6, 2024, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781668003039 / eISBN: 9781668003046]
Ruth P. Watson is the author of Blackberry Days of Summer, An Elderberry Fall, and Cranberry Winter. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and son. She divides her time between being a business owner, writer, and educator. She has a master’s degree and is currently working on her next novel, Strawberry Spring, and a documentary. A musical stageplay, Blackberry Daze, is based on her debut novel.
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