Jas Hammonds’ debut novel, We Deserve Monuments (Roaring Book Press, Nov. 29), is a spellbinding tale of queer romance, racism, and dark family secrets. Our starred review calls it a “love story—romantic and familial—that is a must-read.” Hammonds answered our questions via email.

How did you land on the title for your book? 

This book had several different working titles that I always knew deep down weren’t right. None of them encapsulated the bittersweet feelings that thread my main character’s journey of getting to know the horrible and beautiful truths rooted in her family history. We Deserve Monuments does. The title can be taken literally. Yes, there are so many important people who will never see the pages of a history book, but it’s also a nod to the way we as Black people often have to give ourselves flowers and recognition because other folks won’t do it for us. And also recognizing how certain physical places can hold more significance than a simple statue, such as the patch of wildflowers where you first fell in love. Or that rickety swing on your grandma’s front porch. A treehouse hidden deep in the woods for only you and your friends. Those places matter, as do the people who inhabited them.

Who is your ideal reader for We Deserve Monuments?

We Deserve Monuments is ultimately a love story for queer Black girls, biracial girls, and Black families, so I hope my novel finds its way to them first. But ideally, this book is for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider in their own family. It’s for the ones who attempt to isolate themselves because they think they’re not worthy of friendship or love. It’s for anyone who has experienced the anticipatory grief of knowing you have limited time with a loved one left—the ones who anxiously keep glancing at the clock ticking away.

Were you a big reader as a kid? Are there any formative books you remember from your youth or any adults who influenced you as a reader or writer?

I was a huge reader as a kid. My mom would set a one-book limit whenever we went inside a bookstore, but I’d always find a way to bargain for more! My most formative books were always the contemporary novels of regular teens falling in love, navigating high school, and balancing family, friendship, and growing pains. Sharon M. Draper’s November Blues, Jodi Lynn Anderson’s Peaches series, Jason & Kyra by Dana Davidson, and the Alice McKinley series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor were all books I read over and over and still have on my shelves.  

What fall release(s) are you most looking forward to reading?

There are so many! Britney S. Lewis’ debut, The Undead Truth of Us, is a beautiful story about grief and zombies. I’m excited for Aislinn Brophy’s How To Succeed in Witchcraft because Sapphic witches? Yes, please! Also, Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution by Kacen Callender. I’ve been a fan of Kacen’s work for years, so all of their books are auto-buys for me.

Francesca Vultaggio is a former editorial intern.