Interview with Alexandra Monir, author of BLACK CANARY

Iranian-American author Alexandra Monir (Timeless, The Final Six) joins the New York Times bestselling DC Icon Series lineup of mega-authors Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Sarah J. Maas, and Matt de la Pena with her YA novel BLACK CANARY: Breaking Silence (December 29, Random House Books for Young Readers). This highly anticipated origin story is a “refreshing spin on the feminist dystopia…sure to resonate in today’s volatile climate” (Kirkus Reviews). Black Canary is an action-packed thriller told with a cathartic, personal twist.

Directly inspired by her Iranian family’s experiences during the 1979 revolution as well as family history of opera, theatre, and music, Monir breathes life into Dinah Lance, a woman who discovers that her extraordinary voice is her superpower, only to be suddenly silenced by a corrupt government. Monir delves more into her personal connection to this story:

“In these pages, I’ve imagined a patriarchal Gotham City eerily similar to what still exists in Iran. I’ve written my grandmother into the story, and I’ve infused these pages with her power, her pain, and ultimately the victory she was denied in her lifetime…For far too long, from America to Iran and beyond, powerful women have been perceived as a threat and silenced—but I believe that this new generation, filled with real-life versions of Dinah Lance and the other heroes in this story, will be the one to create lasting change and equality.”

We are delighted to feature this interview with Alexandra!

What was it like being asked to join the DC Icons lineup of authors and how did the opportunity come about? Were you a fan of Black Canary’s story and the DC Universe before you were asked to write this novel?

I’m honestly still amazed by the whole thing- it’s definitely the coolest thing to happen in my career thus far! The wheels started turning for this a couple years ago, when I was attending a bunch of events like WonderCon, Comic-Con, etc for my sci-fi YA novel, The Final Six. I got to know a couple amazing editors at DC Comics through these events, and because of my musical background, they suggested I’d be a good fit to write a Black Canary story.

I thought Black Canary was the coolest, so I was instantly excited by this suggestion and quickly wrote up a pitch. It was initially for a graphic novel, but the more I wrote, I just felt so strongly this was a prose novel in the vein of Random House’s DC Icons books. So, I decided to take a leap of faith! 🙂 I checked the Acknowledgments in the other DC Icons books and found the name of the editor who oversaw the series, and I asked my agent to submit my proposal to her.

I knew it was a longshot, but miraculously, she loved the pitch and shared it with her DC and Random House colleagues, who felt the same- and then I was signed on to write the 5th Icons book! It’s an absolute dream come true, and I’m so grateful this editor believed in me.

 Before becoming an author, you were a “teen pop star” – what was that life like? What sort of skills do you think helped you transition to becoming a writer of books?

I wasn’t actually a pop star, LOL, but I was very much in that world! I started writing and recording songs at age 14, and then at 17 and 18 I was on the road opening up for actual pop stars in these huge arenas, so it was a pretty amazing adventure, especially looking back on it.

That former life gave me so much, the biggest being the family I have now- I met my husband when my music producers brought me to Christina Aguilera’s birthday party years ago, so we have my music to thank for him and our son! In terms of writing, even though I was very young when I got my first book deal, I’d already been through so much rejection and “almosts” in the music industry that I came into publishing with a pretty thick skin, and that has definitely helped me navigate the roller-coaster ride of author life. The fact that I’m still here 10 years after my debut, publishing my 7th novel with an 8th on the way, is a testament to the grit those years in the music industry gave me!

You write songs to accompany many (or all?) of your books but “The Black Canary Sings,” the anthem featured in the book, is particularly unique given the narrative and plot of Black Canary, whose superpower is her voice and song. Can you tell us a bit about the process of writing it, especially given this tumultuous year?

“The Black Canary Sings” was one of the very first things I wrote for this project, back when it was a graphic novel pitch. The song just came to me in a flood, like a magical burst of inspiration, while I was trying to make sense of what I was seeing in the news. The song was one of the reasons I started seeing this book as a prose novel, since I knew I’d want the full song lyrics incorporated into it. Most of it was written well before this challenging year, but I did write a new verse after the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, inspired by her memory.

You dedicate your book to a few women, including your grandmother, Monir Vikili. Can you share a bit of her legacy and how she influenced the writing of this story?

My grandmother was Iran’s foremost opera singer. She was also a star who used her platform to advance women in the arts, including co-founding the country’s first coed boarding school to train young students in opera and choral singing. She was a powerhouse in Iran- but after the Revolution of 1979, the new regime clamped down on women’s rights and she lost everything.

One of the many new restrictions forced on women was that they were forbidden from singing publicly–a rule that is still enforced in Iran today. Even though I was born in the U.S. years after my family’s escape from Iran, this history was always a part of my background and identity, and something I’m sure I was destined to write about. I never got to meet my grandmother since she died in a tragic car accident before I was born, but she’s always loomed large in my mind, and this book allowed me to really connect with her on the page.

What is the key message you hope your readers will take away after reading BLACK CANARY?

I hope they come away from the book feeling and knowing that the key power we need to change the world is something we already possess: our voice. It’s about using our voices to speak up for what’s right, to make the world a more just and better place, and it’s something any one of us can do–no superskills required!

What is next for you?

I’m still pinching myself about this- after Black Canary, I get to write another dream character! I recently signed with Disney to write a historical fantasy YA novel about Princess Jasmine!! It comes out in Fall 2022, so I’ll soon be in deadline mode for the first draft. I’m also cooking up other original ideas, so stay tuned!

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Black Canary: Breaking Silence (DC Icons Series)

In this thrilling origin story of Black Canary, Dinah Lance’s voice is her weapon. And in a near-future world where women have no rights, she won’t hesitate to use everything she has–including her song–to fight back.

Dinah Lance was eight years old when she overheard the impossible: the sound of a girl singing. It was something she was never meant to hear–not in her lifetime and not in Gotham City, taken over by the vicious, patriarchal Court of Owls. The sinister organization rules Gotham City as a dictatorship and has stripped women of everything–their right to work, to make music, to learn, to be free.

Now seventeen, Dinah can’t forget that haunting sound, and she’s beginning to discover that her own voice is just as powerful. But singing is forbidden–a one-way route to a certain death sentence. Fighting to balance her father’s desire to keep her safe, a blossoming romance with mysterious new student Oliver Queen, and her own need to help other women and girls rise up, Dinah wonders if her song will finally be heard. And will her voice be powerful enough to destroy the Court of Owls once and for all?

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Alexandra Monir is the Iranian American author of the internationally bestselling novel The Final Six and five other books for young adults. Alexandra spent her teen years as a pop singer before publishing her debut novel, Timeless, and continues to write and record music. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, toddler son, and one fluffy Shih Tzu. To learn more about Alexandra, visit her online at alexandramonir.com, and follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: On Writing