Jo Miller: Days Gone Past creates believable, interesting characters to explore the concept of family. How did you approach the construction of the central relationships in this story?
It’s funny, I had this idea of writing a western for a while knowing I wanted her to be a Black female. So with that in mind, I constructed the idea of what a Black family might be going through at that time as well as any family that has older children.
When you’re in your late teens or early 20s, there’s this reckoning with trying to find yourself and the age you’re progressing into. I believe it has happened no matter the time period or race of a person.
The story was also heavily inspired by my relationship with my sibling. And seeing that we all come to a point where we must must make our own decisions, no longer fully relying on each other. The separation may be painful but it’s necessary to grow. So, this is the realization that Josephine Miller is having.
You describe your art as striving to “expand the cultural lens of [your] readers”. With respect to this, what do you hope for the audience to take away from your story?
After reading my story, I hope the audience becomes aware of the rich and rooted history that Black people have ingrained in America. Jo Miller is not just a character but a representation of real women who existed in that time period. Historically, Cowboys are depicted in one manner but it is not accurate to how it really was. Also, that family is family, we all have the same issues no matter what we look like.
What makes storytelling so important to you?
Storytelling is important because every person in the entire world has a completely different perspective from the next. We will never actually have the opportunity to experience someone else’s life completely, storytelling is as close as we can get to that reality. And frankly, it’s just fun. The joy of reading and being transported is what inspired me from the beginning.
Where can our readers find more of your work?
I’m currently in the process of compiling my work onto my website, tiffaniarnold.com. I also write essays on Medium, @tarnoldwriting.
Interviewed by Munira Tabassum Ahmed
Hyades Magazine 