1. What inspired you to set Remember the Nightingale during the Rwandan genocide and its aftermath?
   
   I was curious about the concept of forgiveness. Ultimately, I wanted to explore the complex gamut of emotions we go through when we’ve been deeply hurt or betrayed. Much of my work has been focused on finding joy and triumph in the midst of tragedy but I wanted to examine the question of what happens when the atrocity or tragedy is within us. How do we find triumph and joy then?
   
   

1. How did you balance the tenderness of Evariste and Gaeton’s love story with the brutality of the historical context?

A firm believer in God, my faith teaches me that true love is unconditional. It also teaches me that, as a Christian, I am “set apart.” I am supposed to be the same as what goes on around me. I wanted to incorporate that into their love story. Whenever I was writing about their love story, I focused on highlighting meaningful conversations, events, touches, symbols that cemented their love in the first place and not so much on the war. The truth is love exists everywhere, in all times, and against all odds. Jews fell in love with Nazis. To me, that’s not offensive, it’s proof that love is stronger than hate.

• Which scene was the most emotionally difficult to write?
  
  Gaeton was very hard for me. He was hard for me to connect with in the beginning because I knew what he was going to do – not only to Mamree and Evariste but to others. He is the only protagonist I’ve ever had who had some serious flaws. None of my other characters have murdered in cold blood. So, I think, instead of a particular scene (although the rape scene was especially brutal), what was emotionally the hardest was not being sure that I wanted to give a voice to someone like Gaeton. The entirety of Part Two – the 100 days of war – tested me.  I’d write a chapter, then have to break, then write a little more days later, then have to break. It was emotionally challenging to concentrate on a theme I wasn’t sure I wanted to write about.
   

4. How did you research the cultural, historical, and linguistic aspects of Rwanda?
   
   I read several books on the historical aspects including “We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families” by  Philip Gourevitch who is a New York Times journalist, survivor Henriette Mutegwaraba’s book “By Any Means Necessary”  and “Shake Hands with the Devil” by Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire of the Canadian Forces – he was an eyewitness to the genocide. I also did really hard things like listen to the speeches that aired on Radio Milles Collines in which Tutsi were called cockroaches and played music that encouraged murder. I also talked to survivors directly, including both Hutu and Tutsi. In addition to these sources, I also researched countless articles, read United Nation resolutions, watched videos of the trials and soaked in anything I could find about the era.
   
   
5. Animals feature prominently in your narrative—cattle, birds, dogs. What symbolic roles do they play?

In the Holocaust, dogs are often remembered by survivors for viciously barking and being aggressive as they got off the trains at Auschwitz. I found it interesting that dogs were also vicious during the war – but without being instructed by the soldiers. Hunger likely contributed to this. Hunger and the existence of dead bodies for weeks on end left in the open may have fueled their primal instincts. I wanted to show the effect of war and inhumanity on every living thing. In contrast, birdsong typically represents hope and Rwanda’s forests teem with wildlife. As viciousness eroded peaceful villages, the forest was a sanctuary that sheltered other animals from the brutality, thus also preserving their innate sense of belonging and peace.

• If you could spend a day with a character from the novel, who would it be and why?

Evariste. Gaeton is right: her joy is contagious. But also, I love her devotion to her family, her thirst for creativity and her instinctive desire to remember. For me, one of the most poignant moments of the novel is when Evariste tells Gaeton she doesn’t want to forget. I’ve struggled with this fear my whole life. As a trauma survivor myself, I’ve sometimes feared that “healing” or “letting go” meant saying that what happened “wasn’t that bad” or no longer mattered because I was “healed.” For a long time, I would have rather not heal than say such a thing. So, I understand Evariste. I love how she emerges as a leader during the war when she and the others are hiding, and how she says, “Ema’ma’s daughters are not quitters,” using familial strength to survive.

• Speaking of understanding Evariste, many of your books include often graphic, devastating depictions of rape followed by scenes of physical intimacy between the protagonist. In previous interviews, you’ve said that this was because true healing for rape survivors needed to include learning to trust physical intimacy. Here, Evariste is violently gang-raped, but there’s really no intimate scenes between her and Gaeton. Why is that?
  
  I almost included it. It would have deepened Evariste and Gaeton’s relationship considerably. But Evariste has arguably been through more than most of my other female characters. Her family was murdered, all in the same day, she was forced to walk and hide among corpses, she watched friends be murdered, she was hidden alive in a potato field, she lost her home, and she was raped. Ultimately, I didn’t because I didn’t want her identity to become too caught up in Gaeton’s. Evariste went from being a naïve, optimistic dreamer who developed into a leader during crisis only to then regress into an uncertain and ashamed survivor who isolated herself from people. Although I wanted her to find healing, and trust physical intimacy, I frankly didn’t think she’d had enough time since Gaeton’s release to authentically want that kind of intimacy yet. Additionally, culturally, they would have needed to be married first and, again, timeline.
  
  
• How do you see the role of storytelling and/or dance in the story?

Creative expression is a core part of who I am. I firmly believe that we all have an outlet – whether that be through the arts like storytelling or painting like Mamree or sports or leadership or business acumen or music or teaching or herbalists or something totally different – that’s meant to help us through trauma. The trick is in identifying said outlet and then nurturing it so that we ultimately come to rely on it when we’re hurting. Dance is symbolic of a voice that won’t be silenced. Evariste’s dance that she choreographed for Mamree, for instance, told the story of her sister’s birth, life, death and memory. Creative expression captures our secrets, fears, triumphs, hopes, anger and ambition. It encapsulates our character DNA and then courageously displays those strengths – and vulnerabilities – for others to see. It was important that there be several creative outlets for the characters – painting for Mamree, dance for Evariste, engineering and architecture for Gaeton – as a way of showcasing that each of these characters had within themselves tools for not only surviving but overcoming.

• What was your favorite part of the Jubilee Festival?

Obviously, the storytelling competition! Also, the sugar crystals, which are not real but totally part of my imagination. I’m still trying to decide if I can actually make them and have them taste like I think they should. The Jubilee chapter was one of my favorite chapters of the whole book I wish there was such a rich cultural tradition such as that.

1. What kind of resources would you suggest for someone experiencing crisis, domestic violence or rape?
   Within the United States, I recommend connecting with RAINN – the Rape and Incest National Network – through Whatsapp, text, phone or online chat, all of which can be accessed at www.rainn.org. I also strongly recommend connecting with your local sexual assault service provide (SASP); you can find one close to you with your zip code at http://centers.rainn.org. SASPs can connect you to support groups, help you navigate the legal field (even sometimes accompanying you to file a report or receive a SAFE exam), assist in finding free or low cost counseling options and more.
   
   
2. Where can readers connect with you and learn more?

My website, www.tiffinijohnson.com, offers a ton of information including a list of upcoming engagement opportunities, excerpts from all the books and more. You can e-mail me directly at tiffini@tiffinijohnson.com or use the website to sign up for Chapter Chats which is an online book club where we read through the books together.