Natalia Hernandez on Storytelling, Identity, and Unfinished Conversations with Octavia Butler

My fellow wormies, 

Ali here. Boy, am I excited about this one. I want you all to meet Natalia Hernandez, superstar storyteller and all-around lovely person.

Natalia, an Indigenous, Latinx, and queer reader and writer, has lived around the world—from Turkey to Guatemala to England—and now calls Los Angeles home, along with her cheagle, Mija. Her goal? To create queer fantasy novels that highlight strong women of color in vibrant Latin American-inspired settings.

As a Third Culture Kid, Natalia brings a unique perspective to her writing, blending diverse experiences with her passion for stories that resonate with and represent her identity.

Read on to discover more about Natalia’s influences, her writing process, and her aspirations for her novels. My questions are in bold. Natalia’s responses are directly below each question.

It’s a question that I think stirs up the loveliest of responses. So, I’ve got to ask: why do you write? (Question inspired by Joan Didion’s essay.) 

I've always been a storyteller. My friends and family would confirm this, as some of the words I've uttered most often in my life are, "Can I tell you a story?" Then, I'd share whatever small vision of a different world had gripped me that day, or a random piece of dialogue I had come up with, or a snippet of a scene I had conjured. I needed to say it out loud, and only once it existed in this world, not just in my head, would it finally release me. So, as absurd as it might sound, I write because I have no choice but to write! My head is full of stories and ideas that demand to exist in this world, and if I don't find a way to tell them, they occupy too much space in my head until they do. Or worse, they leave me, which somehow feels sadder.

Tell us a bit about your book. Plot. Characters. Spice. Drama. Whatever you want to share, we want to hear. Er… read.

Let’s dive into the world of The Name-Bearer. 

In the lush, tropical kingdom of Andala, for as long as anyone can remember, the children of the monarchy have been named by giant, sentient flowers known as the Flowers of Prophecy. Considered very wise and very sacred, only one person in the kingdom is permitted and able to speak to them, known as the Name-Bearers.

Name-Bearers are chosen from the children of "commoners" and are selected before they are three years old, for they must be stripped of their own names and serve solely as a vessel to receive and deliver the names of the royal children.

This story follows the journey of a Name-Bearer, who has trained her entire life for this sacred duty. But when the queen has her first child and she is sent to the Flowers, they refuse to name him. Instead, they deliver a prophecy: another child was born more worthy of the Naming, and if he is found and brought to them, he will usher in a reign of peace to their land.

Considered a traitor to the realm for having failed in her duties, the Name-Bearer must spend the next ten years hiding amongst an elite sect of warrior women, where she trains to prepare herself for her mission to find this unnamed prince, deliver him to the Flowers, clear her name, and bring peace to her realm.

How do you know what to write? Where do your ideas come from?

I truly don’t know where my ideas originate. They simply appear in my mind, insisting on being written. Often, I don't even feel like I'm inventing the stories, but more so channeling them. They introduce themselves to me, and I do my utmost to present them to the world. This is what people might call the muses - an inexplicable force of creativity that seems almost otherworldly. While my stories are deeply influenced by my life, culture, and upbringing (they've all been very Latin!), the initial spark of an idea is still a mystery to me.

Do you find if you’re sad, your characters/plots become sad too? Do you have to be sad to write sad stuff? Conversely, do you have to be happy to write happy stuff? In love to write lovey stuff?

No, not at all! In fact, I've found that my characters take on a life of their own once they are written. They have their own ideas, emotions, and opinions. Many times, I've been surprised by how a character has acted, despite being the one writing them! They often take paths I hadn't set for them, make decisions I hadn't planned for, and even fall in love with characters I didn't intend for them to fall for. To quote Shakespeare, they are like "unbridled children grown too headstrong for their mother."

What singular piece of advice do you have to offer aspiring writers?

Write the story that YOU want to tell. Don’t feel pressured to cater to what is popular or what you think others want. While outside opinions and constructive critique are valuable, if you feel strongly about an element in your story, stay true to it. Because I promise you, there will be people in this world who want to read the story that YOU wrote.

Writing can be a solitary journey at times. How do you keep from getting lonely? How do you keep yourself motivated when going out, socializing, hanging out seems like more fun, especially on days when the words just don't flow?

One of the greatest things since becoming an author has been the writing community I've built along the way. Having a group of like-minded friends who truly understand the pressures, frustrations, and joys of the writing process has been invaluable. I have author friends who I join for writing sprints, others who I send my earliest drafts for feedback. Some friends read my ARCs* and send me theirs, or help talk through plot holes, recommend editors or cover designers, etc. The friendships I've cultivated have been one of the best parts of this journey, and I encourage all new authors to find their own communities.
*Advanced readers copy

If you could have a conversation with any author, living or deceased, who would it be and why? What would you ask them? What do you hope they’d say? 

Octavia Butler! I would want her to know how pivotal her work has been for so many authors of color, and how her writing has changed and shaped an entire generation. I would ask her to tell me stories—the ones she never got to finish writing. And I would thank her for sharing her light with the world.

Can you share a surprising or unexpected source of inspiration for your writing?

I have three: walking my dog, just about to fall asleep, or in the shower! I think what happens is that when I relax a bit and don't put so much pressure on producing words, my brain starts filling in gaps, fixing plot holes, etc. These are, of course, very inconvenient times to be struck by inspiration! But I've learned to make voice notes my friend. So, my advice is to take lots of walks, showers, and naps!

Thanks for tuning in, y’all.

Don’t forget to dive into Natalia’s Flowers of Prophecy series; it’s a YA/NA Latin fantasy set in an enchanting Latin American world. Begin with The Name-Bearer, continue with The Follower of Flowers, and don't miss the release of “The Daughter of Danray” in summer 2024. 

If you’re like me and you tend to zoom through series and then become immediately depressed when you’ve read all of what’s out, don’t fret. Natalia has another series for you to explore. It’s an adult Latin fantasy series inspired by Peruvian mythology and set in a reimagined Inca Empire. Start your journey with Asiri and the Amaru, and "Paloma and the Prince of Pisqu" comes out in winter 2024. 

Interested in hearing more from Natalia? Duh. You can find her on Bookworm, Instagram, TikTok, or on her good, old-fashioned website. 

Lookin’ to befriend her on Bookworm? Follow her here.

Yours in dirt, 

Ali