Laurie L. Dove is drawn to characters who have a strong sense of justice while also dealing with inner struggles. That was one of the things that inspiration her to write "Mask of the Deer Woman."
What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?
I’m drawn to strong characters who defy societal norms, have intense inner struggles and a strong sense of justice that does not always follow the law. I’m also fascinated by the complexities of identity and belonging, especially because I have Indigenous heritage and was adopted by a non-Indigenous family. When I began writing "Mask of the Deer Woman," I found myself exploring a combination of these issues in the characters I created by asking them tons of “what if” questions as the characters came to life.
What does Reading Rainbow mean to you?
I encourage myself (and anyone who will listen, ha!) to read widely and outside the bounds of one’s comfort zone. I like to read books that challenge my notions about the world, about culture, about places and people, and about mysteries and miracles that can’t be explained. The gift of walking alongside literary characters who are backed into corners, who are presented with impossible choices, who persevere and survive, and who find purpose, has offered meaningful ways to reflect on my own life and, ultimately, offered meaningful ways to move through the world with intention.
Why do you feel representation of a variety of people is so important when it comes to writing books?
Representation is everything! As a reader, I love to encounter multi-dimensional characters who deftly portray a marginalized community that has been historically underrepresented. As an author, I hope to increase visibility by including the complex experiences and histories of characters whose voices are often silenced.
Tell us a little more about the book and why you decided to write it.
After a career as a journalist, I decided to return to my first love — fiction — so I entered a master’s degree program that gave me the structure and deadlines I needed to make the transition to a novel-length project.
"Mask of the Deer Woman" began as a short story during one of my courses in 2018, and when the story was complete, I knew it deserved a bigger life. By the end of 2021, I’d finished my degree requirements and, because I’ve never been one to shy away from a long shot, submitted the now book-length manuscript to the inaugural Berkley Open Submission Program, and in early 2023 — to my great delight — learned that it was one of four novels out of more than 5,000 submissions that was chosen for publication.
As I was writing about Carrie Starr — an ex-Chicago detective at rock bottom following her daughter’s death who took a job as tribal marshal on the Oklahoma reservation where her father was raised — I discovered some shocking statistics about missing Indigenous women. There are an estimated 5,500 Indigenous women who are currently missing in the United States, according to the most recent data released by the FBI’s National Crime Information Center. However, because of jurisdictional issues and gaps in mandatory reporting between federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies, the total number of missing Indigenous women is believed to be much higher than the reported figures.
I incorporated some of this research into "Mask of the Deer Woman" so that readers can feel Starr’s frustration and overwhelm as she discovers how many young Indigenous women have disappeared over the last decade — not only across the U.S., but from the fictional Saliquaw Nation where she is the new tribal marshal tasked with solving these cases. Within days of Starr’s arrival, however, she falls into a new investigation surrounding the curious disappearance of a local college student and finds herself drowning in memories of her daughter — the girl she failed to save.
What can fans expect from your book?
Carrie Starr is a main character who isn’t always easy to love, but who has the courage to pull herself out of the abyss every day and keep going, even when faced with unimaginable loss. And when she catches a glimpse of a figure from her father’s stories, with the body of a woman and the antlers of a deer, Starr doesn’t know is whether Deer Woman is there to guide her or to seek vengeance for the lost daughters that Starr can never bring home. Ultimately, Starr realizes that to find a missing woman, she must also find herself.
Exhausted by injustice, Starr asks how the world would change if women refused to be treated as anything other than the miracle they are. Rise up, Starr says. Rise up and take account. Ultimately, "Mask of the Deer Woman" is, I hope, a call to action.
What's up next for you in the bookish world?
"Mask of the Deer Woman" is now a series! I am currently writing the second book, "Wrath of the Water Tiger," and a forthcoming third book. I am ecstatic to continue publishing with the talented folks at Berkley who have made my lifelong dream come true!
