Q&A with T.S. Riley, author of The Scent of the Lilies

T.S. Riley, Author of The Scent of the Lilies

T.S. Riley is the author of The Scent of the Lilies, reviewed by Ann Angel on Maverick. She called it a "novel of depth" and said that readers " will find themselves falling in love with Imari [the main character] and rooting for his growth as his new family embraces him completely." In the interview with Riley, Ann Angel explores the themes in his novel related to adoption and bullying, as well as what it's like to be a debut self-published author.

Title: Scent of the Lilies

Author: T.S. Riley   

ISBN:   9798218406721, paperback, $17.95

Publisher: T.S. Riley Books

Buy here.

Your novel deals with the open adoption of an older child. Were you planning to write about adoption when you began this work?

Not at all. Originally, the Antenellis were going to be disapproving of the relationship between their daughter and Imari and I was going to introduce race here as the reason for some of the underlying judgment. But like much of the story, I really felt like a passenger— beholden to where the story wanted to go. I was simply a witness there as a scribe. I have no personal experience with adoption in my own life except for my friends who were adopted themselves. I certainly had not planned on making any sort of statement on the state of adoption during the time period when the story takes place. When it became clear all the struggles that Imari was to face, it was imperative that I added some light to his dark journey. Otherwise, it’s just a depressing story of a bullied kid who seeks revenge. 

What do you hope readers gain from reading about Imari's adoption?

Again, I do want to be clear that it was not my intention to make a statement about adoption. For the sake of the story, I did need there to be some adult(s) who could provide anchor to Imari after his mother passes. Leaving him in the house with his father just felt too dark. I suppose, if anything, I hope that readers are left feeling hopeful about the trajectory of Imari’s life after his adoption. 

Research indicates there is a danger that older children or children of transracial adoption have to overcome the idea that their adoptive parents are their saviors. While it's clear in reading that Imari's adoptive parents are protecting him and helping him in a loving environment, you avoid making them look like saviors because they recognize they have a lot to learn about obstacles their son will face while growing up Black. Were you conscious of the risk of having Imari perceive his parents as saviors? If so, how did you navigate this in your writing?

This was something I was very aware of and was concerned that there might be some readers who felt this was a trope they were all too familiar with and might be tired of seeing in literature. I even considered a different storyline to get around this but, in the end, I felt the story had really written itself and this is how this particular story was meant to end. I did, however, address it some in a conversation I believe Mary has with Andrew even using the terminology of white savior. I hoped that by acknowledging this and having the white characters be the ones addressing it, it would at least let the readers know that I was aware of this while writing this story.

This novel deals with bullying that escalates into violence. Readers might walk away from this novel thinking bullying rarely escalates in this way. How would you respond to these readers?

In truth, I got some of this feedback within my own circle of friends and family. All I can say is that the depiction of violence related to bullying isn’t that far off from the bullying I received myself as a child. It was because of bullying that I, at the age of ten or eleven, contemplated taking my own life. While I did not ever fear for my life the same way Imari does, the consistency and the escalation of violence at the hands of my bully felt very familiar as I was writing it. While I received the feedback I previously mentioned, I also received feedback that they felt they were reading their own story in the story of Imari. That’s just it, isn’t it? There will always be people who will hold a story as a litmus to their own experiences to determine whether it feels true. When I did that test for myself, it felt very much like the truth to me.

Both of Imari’s dads recognize that he was defending himself and appear to approve of his actions in trying to scare his bully. Do you think kids need to be taught to defend themselves from bullying? What are the best ways for children to respond to bullying, particularly if they feel they can't reach out to adults?

Things are so different now from when I was coming of age in the 80s. I’m reluctant to give suggestions about how kids should behave in our current times, having no kids of my own. I will say this that I learned from years of watching the Oprah show. You teach people how to treat you. If you allow them to treat you as less than, they will take that cue from you and treat you as such. However, if it is clear that you understand your worth and refuse to allow yourself to be treated badly, then you are sending that message. That said, I had no idea of my own worth at that age. I was left to fill in the blanks myself based on the loudest voices in my life at that time, which were the voices of my bullies. I would just say to parents, be the loudest and most consistent positive voice in your child’s ear, particularly if they are experiencing bullying, and hope they choose to believe you. 

Imari chooses not to tell others about being bullied although they're all aware of the bruises and cuts he's receiving at the hands of a bully. Do you think the bullying would have escalated if he'd told on Bruce earlier in the novel?

Again, things are different now but back then, my life at school and my life in my neighborhood felt like two different and separate worlds. Pulling from that experience, had Imari made his bullying known earlier, I think things actually would have escalated faster as soon as he stepped off the school bus. It seems so hard to believe now with how closely we watch our children, but back then, we, as children, spent hours away from the eyes of our parents. And in those hours, absolutely anything could happen. It’s why, for years, I stayed in my bedroom as soon as I made it through the torturous bus ride home. These days, it would be different I think but the level and methods of bullying are way more pervasive. I really don’t understand how parents today are managing the many different ways their kids can experience bullying. For any kids who might stumble upon this story or this article, I do hope you would speak up faster. Everything feels so absolute when you’re a kid. You don’t have the understanding of perspective that comes with years of life experience. So it’s important that you speak up soon and let your parents intervene on your behalf. 

In your author's note, you talk about being bullied as a child. What do you think parents, schools, or friends can do to help protect someone who is being bullied?

Honestly, the strongest representation of saviors in my life during that time were my peers who finally said that they would no longer participate in my bullying. That I was their friend when my “Bruce” wasn’t around and that they would not stop being my friend when he was. That sends a message about what a real friend looks like and also about your value as a person and as a friend. I have so much empathy for kids going through this today. I read so many stories about the bullying that is happening online and it seems so much worse than the physical bullying I experienced because of its breadth. It’s no longer isolated to your neighborhood or your own classroom. People you don’t even know can comment on how you look or on some situation they know nothing about. Again, I don’t have any kids of my own so I feel a bit unqualified to be speaking on this matter, but it does feel like the biggest thing parents could do now is to not allow them to have any social media accounts until they are old enough to make those decisions for themselves (i.e. eighteen). But, I’m sure that’s a lot harder to try and manage as a parent in practice. 

This is your debut novel. How has the experience been of writing and releasing it? Do you plan future books and, if so, what are you willing to tell us about it?

I really loved the entire experience. It was all a very enjoyable experience and I absolutely plan on doing it again, though that’s not what I had said when I finished it. In fact, I have already started a new novel set in the same time frame and neighborhood as my first. In this story, I’ve tried to take a little more time to develop the characters and to develop the story. The neighborhood is as much a character in the novel as the characters themselves. There are some similar themes of feeling like an outsider and some themes of bullying. Again, I am using the voice of a young male character as my protagonist and much of the story I believe will be told from his perspective. I have no idea yet how the story will end but I do intend to tell some of the story from the point of view of Toby as an adult. Stay tuned!

You chose to self-publish this novel. Can you explain why you chose to self-publish it and what your experience has been in self-publishing?

It was really the only option available to me as a new author and I felt like it was a great entry point into this world of being an author (a term I’m still reluctant to use in reference to myself). I suppose it all depends on your goals. For me, I just wanted a few of my friends and family to read my little story and that they would hopefully enjoy what they had read. Of course, I had unrealistic dreams of Oprah selecting it for her book club and buying the rights to do a movie, but these were the things of daydreams. Perhaps, if I build an audience, I’ll entertain some other route. For now, I'm fine with handful of my friends enjoying my stories and getting the occasional stranger to read and enjoy it as well.