INTER/E/VIEWS

Poet and author of Life of the Party Olivia Gatwood has released her long-awaited debut novel, Whoever You Are, Honey. Set in the liminal space of Santa Cruz, California (a town grasping on to tradition as modernity threatens to destroy its past), we meet Mitty, a reclusively introspective protagonist whose rejection of the world reveals a stormy interior contrasting with her unassuming exterior.

The question of what it means to be an American is currently under intense debate. While equality and liberty are foundational ideals, they are increasingly viewed through the lens of racial and ethnic experiences. Second-generation children of immigrants often struggle with their diverse identities while finding their place in a country divided by race, immigration, and societal values.