On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve is talking to Amber McBride all about her debut YA release, Me (Moth), which is a novel in verse about self-discovery with a splash of Hoodoo, a little magic, and a lot of heart. It follows a teen girl who is grieving the deaths of her family, and a teen boy who crosses her path.
Here’s the summary…
Moth has lost her family in an accident. Though she lives with her aunt, she feels alone and uprooted.
Until she meets Sani, a boy who is also searching for his roots. If he knows more about where he comes from, maybe he’ll be able to understand his ongoing depression. And if Moth can help him feel grounded, then perhaps she too will discover the history she carries in her bones.
Moth and Sani take a road trip that has them chasing ghosts and searching for ancestors. The way each moves forward is surprising, powerful, and unforgettable.
Here is an exquisite and uplifting novel about identity, first love, and the ways that our memories and our roots steer us through the universe.
Me (Moth) is about many things, identity, first love, pain and loss, family, and the ways in which we’re all connected according to the theories of the known universe. The road trip esthetic certainly makes this more about the journey than the destination and these two kids are in search of what unifies us, how everything and everyone is connected and infinitive. This all leads to an ending that is sure to leave you feeling emotional and raw.
Steve and Amber talk about their shared love of dogs, what Amber loves about poetry, Navajo and Hoodoo magic, Me (Moth) of course, and much, much more.
To order a copy of Me (Moth), click HERE!
Cover art by Rich Deas.
About the Author:
Amber McBride is a professor of English at the University of Virginia. She received her BA in English from James Madison University in 2010 and acquired her MFA in Poetry from Emerson College in 2012. Amber has taught English Composition, English Literature and Poetry Composition at James Madison University, Strayer University and Northern Virginia Community College.
She also low key practices Hoodoo and high key devours books. In her spare time she enjoys pretending it is Halloween everyday, organizing her crystals, watching K-dramas and accidentally scrolling through TikTok for 3 hours at a time. She believes in ghosts and she believes in you.
