W.R.I.T.E Club hosted an author chat with New York Times bestselling author of “Firekeeper’s Daughter” Angeline Boulley over Zoom on Feb. 18 in Charlie’s Cottage.
Members asked several questions, ranging from “Why did you feel it was important to write and publish ‘Firekeeper’s Daughter?’” to “Were there any characters that were inspired by or picked out of people in real life?”
“I just really wanted to write a story that I wished I could have read when I was in high school,” Boulley said. “I struggled with my identity in terms of not feeling native enough when I would visit my reservation, but then, being aware that I am native. It was just kind of going back and forth. I just wish I could have read a book with a character like Daunis to identify with.”
In “Firekeeper’s Daughter,” protagonist Daunis Fontaine is an 18-year-old Ojibwe girl with a French mother working undercover for the FBI in order to investigate a meth ring in her community. Other characters include Levi Firekeeper, her half-brother, Lily, her best friend and Jamie Johnson, her love interest.
Boulley said that she was proud of writing a character who was a larger girl and had no issues with her self-esteem, describing it as a “strength” for Daunis.
“I struggled with body issues as a teen, I was always kind of a big girl and I always played sports,” Boulley said. “Daunis also [is] physically imposing, she’s almost six feet tall. She’s sturdy, muscular, strong, athletic and it’s never an issue for her. Anytime it gets mentioned, it’s flashbacks about what Grand Mary used to say.”
Boulley wrote the novel over the course of 10 years, waking up half an hour earlier than her children to write.
“I would write at the family computer before I would get the kids ready for school,” Boulley said. “That was kind of my peak creativity time, because once my day got started at work, I would come home exhausted. So, I had to take advantage of that morning time.”
Sophomore Micah Love attended the author chat and said that it was “wonderful” getting to meet Boulley.
“It was awesome getting to hear her thoughts behind it, her creative process and just what inspired her to write the book,” Love said. “She was really big on making a voice for those who don’t have one so they feel like they have a story that they can see themselves in, and I find that wonderful.”
W.R.I.T.E Club president Hannah Turner said she was happy that a “lot of people” showed up to the author chat.
“‘Firekeeper’s Daughter’ is one of my favorite books, so to see everyone enjoy it as much as I did was amazing,” Turner said. “My favorite part was hearing her describe how she writes. She was effortlessly cool and I learned a lot about the publishing world.”
To stay updated on W.R.I.T.E Club’s activities, follow its Instagram page at @bellaire_write_club.
