missdefyingTR: What inspired you to start writing?
NGK: My mom is my inspiration and a big supporter of my writing. I’ve been writing since I was a young child. Even when I couldn’t write out long stories, I would alternate endings to television shows in my mind. I remember being very young, no more than 6 or 7, playing with my dolls and crafting narratives based on what mom read to me that night or what I’d seen on cartoons.
TR: How do you feel about this renaissance Black horror is experiencing?
NGK: I feel seen! It is a magnificent time to be a Black horror writer. It is refreshing and thrilling to see so many fantastic Black horror stories. This is long overdue, so it is a bit of a relief as well. I can exhale and say, “finally.”
TR: Which Black writer inspires you the most and why?
NGK: N.K. Jemisin inspires me the most right now, and that’s because she is unflinching herself. She writes exactly what she wants to write and is living her authentic self while also giving back to the younger Black authors in speculative fiction. She is both inspiring and #goals. I’m not saying I’m as great as her, but I definitely am inspired to live my authentic self and to write the stories I want to tell.
TR: What are your favorite pieces of Black horror, whether it be literary, film, or audio?
NGK: My favorite piece of Black horror is Victor LaValle’s The Ballad of Black Tom. I also love Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye
TR: How can we support you and your work?
NGK: You can support my work via Pateron. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=19915635
You can purchase my books at Mocha Memoirs Press, at http://www.mochamemoirspress.com
You can find me online at www.nicolegivenskurtz.net
http://www.twitter.com/nicolegkurtz
http://www.facebook.com/NicoleGKurtz