Haiti Never Left Her: Marissa Germain's Writing Journey

Marissa Germain, who lives in the DC area and whose family ties to Haiti shaped her work and writing. Germaine discusses her debut novel, It’s Always Mango Season, begun in early 2020 during COVID after leaving her job, and inspired by her time working in Haiti and her parents’ immigration story. She explores themes of who gets to claim Haitian identity, the frictions between those who leave and those who stay, and how places and people evolve over time, including diaspora perceptions after decades away. She describes writing a romance between Saskia, returning after career failure, and Paul, who stayed, and uses the Haiti earthquake to examine responsibility, grief, and connection. Germaine reads an excerpt and explains how writing short stories helped her build tension for the novel; she also previews a second book focusing more on Paul and post-disaster Haiti. Biography: Originally from Orlando, Florida, Marissa Germain spent her time reading and trying every after-school activity in the catalogue. She has always had a bit of a travel bug which led her into a career dedicated to addressing global poverty. She’s traveled to Australia, France, England, Afghanistan, Turkey, Chile, Peru, Montserrat West Indies, Dominican Republic, and naturally, Haiti. She is now growing her work as an independent author and lives in Northern Virginia with her dog.   Website:  https://marissagermain.com/