We had the great privilege to interview author Ravi Howard. Mr. Howard’s first book “Like Trees Walking” tells the story of Michael Donald’s 1981 lynching through the fictional eyes of 18-year-old undertaker Roy Deacon. After writing the book, Mr. Howard moved to Mobile with his family, which now includes a 2 week old son (Congrats!).
Doc: Can you tell us your background before moving to Mobile?
RH: I was born in Montgomery, and both of my mother and father were born in Mobile and Daphne, respectively. The Mobile Bay area was a second home. After high school I moved to the East Coast. I attended college at Howard University in Washington DC, and I attended graduate school at the University of Virginia. I moved around quite a bit, living in Maryland and New Jersey. I had a chance to explore different writing jobs, from travel to sports television, and that broadened my view of the field and what was possible with my narratives.
During that time I wrote short stories and essays, and looked for an opportunity to start and complete a novel. I won the Hurston/Wright College Award for a short story rendition of Like Trees, Walking. After researching further I decided to craft the material into a novel.
Doc: What inspired you to write Like Trees Walking?
RH: The murder happened when I was in the first grade, and I remember hearing stories of the crime and the trials that followed. Unlike other stories about Alabama racial history, this incident happened in my lifetime. I thought it would be interesting to overlap my personal memory of that moment with imagined scenes and concrete facts to create a unique take.
Doc: How have you found Mobile politically and culturally?
RH: I like much of the progress that is happening downtown. It’s good to see interest in the heart of the city and not just the newer retail corridors.
The Mobile Arts events and Museum of Mobile events give people affordable downtown entertainment. While it’s good to attract tourists with Mardi Gras and football, I’m also glad to see an interest in the cultural events that entertain citizens the rest of the year.
Doc: Tell us about your next book.
RH: I am working on a novel based in part on the Alabama roots of Nat Cole. He was born in Montgomery in 1919, and his family moved to Chicago when he was still very young.
Doc: Any future public appearances?
RH: Mobile and Baldwin County communities have been supportive of the local readings I’ve had over the past two years. I probably won’t have any public readings until there is a firm release date for the new work.
Doc: Any thoughts for Mobilians – spiritual or philosophical?
RH: We just passed the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and we have to consider where we might be if that kind of damage happened here in Mobile. We have all gained so much from Gulf Coast culture, and we should appreciate and support efforts to keep it alive and well in the aftermath of tragedy.
www.ravihoward.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Like-Trees-Walking-Ravi-Howard/dp/0060529601
Google Books: http://books.google.com/books?id=we2yGwAACAAJ
NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7754928
APTV Bookmark: http://www.aptv.org/Schedule/showinfo.asp?ID=235564 (Although we were lucky to catch the show – unfortunately we have not seen the video available)
