I wish every American explored the importance of novel writing, identity, honesty, character and place in fresh-ass ways.

I'm also, than anything else, a teacher and a student. And without the four hours, I'm pretty monsterish. For real.

I wanted to create a book that was unafraid of black bodies, yet super interested in thinking about the relationship of love to body and sexuality without relying on tired understandings of "gay" "bi" or "straight."

I'm accountable - this sounds emo - to black American writing, Southern writing, Southern black American writing, American writing and my people. That's kind of what keeps me accountable.

In essay writing, I'm trying to push the form of expository writing. I'm trying to remember, trying to reckon, trying to find connections with the world, the nation and me, but I'm always trying to push the form, too, without being too obvious that I'm trying to push the form.

I wish every American explored the importance of novel writing, identity, honesty, character and place in fresh-ass ways.

Black is not a vice. Nor is segregation a virtue.