KISSING ASPHALT
Delicia Niami
GENRE: Memoir
BLURB:
Resilience isn’t inherited. It’s a hard-fought skill forged by our ability to pick up the broken pieces of our past and remake them into something new.
Meet four-year-old Delicia, a poor but carefree child who is about to have her world shattered. Along with her seven-year-old brother Nile, she is kidnapped from her Los Angeles home by her estranged father and taken to Iraq, a foreign world she has never known. This is just the beginning of a string of traumas, hardships, and assaults Delicia will endure throughout her tumultuous childhood.
Now an adult living back in California, Delicia Niami bravely recounts how she survived the unimaginable in her debut memoir. Kissing Asphalt, the first in her memoir trilogy, ResilientAF, grapples with the power of resilience, acceptance, and self-love. She revisits her terrifying past with vulnerability, compassion, and the honesty of a true survivor. Hold hands with Delicia as she faces her childhood scars and learns how to confront her fears, accept her true value and identity, and embrace her unique gifts. It’s a multi-decade roller coaster ride that is the beginning of her liberation, propelling her to live an inspired life and embrace her full human potential—a human potential she knows lives inside everyone, no matter what life has thrown at us.
For anyone who has struggled with childhood trauma, Delicia’s unflinching journey through darkness and back to light will resonate. She has decided to share her story publicly in hopes that it will serve as a guide to the many who have suffered in silence and continue to struggle against the daunting weight imposed by childhood trauma.
Excerpt:
The family was celebrating in traditional style; food lavished the tables, and the youngsters were playing around the giant firepit in the backyard. As the night was coming to an end, the celebration began to wind down. Grandmother was telling the kids to “make it happen” in Arabic before going to bed. Encircling the large firepit, the children started blowing. At first, I was perplexed, but everyone looked like they were having so much fun, I wanted to join in.
Very eagerly pushing my way in between my cousin and my brother, I began to blow and laugh, having a good time for once. Suddenly, I felt heat on the right side of my face. I watched as my grandmother bolted up from her chair, screaming in Arabic and running straight for me. By this time, my brother and cousin had backed away. Feeling heat on my head, I hit my hair with my hand, which became hot. I cried as the high-pitched screeches got louder and louder until, after what felt like an eternity, my grandmother finally reached me.
Interview with Delicia Niami
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Honestly, both. It really depends on what I am writing. Editing is pretty exhausting.
What is the first book that made you cry?
That is really delving into the catacombs of my mind. I can’t recall but I know I really loved the Flower’s in the Attic book series when I was younger…I know I was really sad for them so I imagine that book probably made me cry.
How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
Holy cow…I began with a hybrid publisher and I learned A LOT! I ended up publishing my book under ResilientAF Press in the long run. I learned so much about the writing process and that writing your story is only the first step! There are so many rounds of edits. Developmental, Line, Copy and with each edit I have to meticulously comb through them with a fine tooth comb and every time I’m happy to do it because my entire goal is always to make my books the very best they can be.
What do you owe the real people upon whom you base your characters?
It depends on the character. Some of them I absolutely don’t owe anything to. I’m certain you would agree when you read Kissing Asphalt. Especially the “Trustworthy Monster #1” chapter. However, my “framily,” which is the term I coined for friends that are family have been invaluable in my life. I owe them SO much! Without the friends I meet in the “Loneliness Averted” Chapter, I’d be lost. They are still my closest friends and whom I consider my framily.
Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing/etc. come from?
I don’t have a love of storytelling per se. The entire inspiration for my books is to help people. I want the world to know that we are ALL ResilientAF and that we can make it through anything that life throws our way. We might have to do the hard work but it’s worth it in the end to find the light and joy.
What do you like to read in your free time?
I prefer to listen to music or watch TV actually, it give me a break when I’ve been doing nothing but editing for weeks on end. Since I write, a lot, my eyes need a break every now and then.
Can you share some stories about people you met while researching this book?
It was really interesting diving into the binder that I acquired when my mother died. This binder had every receipt, every letter, every form of communication between my mother and father, my mother and the CIA, my mother and the FBI…all in an attempt to get us back from Baghdad. Once my father kidnapped us and crossed over into Iraq my mother immediately lost all rights to us. This is the first chapter in Kissing Asphalt, it’s called “We’re Going to Disneyland.”
Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre?
I have never considered myself a writer. I had been told by a variety of psychics to write my story and it would be turned into a movie. However, I never felt as if I had a positive message to share. Until I read The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van der kolk and attended a workshop through him. After this workshop I realized that I didn’t just have trauma to share, I made it through my life. Not only that, I was happy and well adjusted so I actually DID have a positive message to share. That was the weekend I started writing Kissing Asphalt.
How do you begin writing a new book?
What challenges come with it? With memoir it is hard, you have to figure out the timeline and try to keep it as linear as possible. That was virtually impossible with Kissing Asphalt. You will notice the author’s note that I wrote talking about trauma and how they come in flashes, especially from the early ages I write about in this book. I knew Not My Circus needed to be linear and the timeline was essential to make sure I got it right.
Share a place that inspires you to write.
My property inspires me to write. I am planning on having a dedicated writing space in my new home once it is ready. I currently write in a yurt that is attached to a Greyhound bus that was converted into a tiny home.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Delicia Niami is an acclaimed memoirist and LGBTQ+ advocate, whose raw and edgy storytelling has touched the hearts of readers worldwide. Residing in Santa Cruz and an alumna of UCSC, Delicia draws inspiration from her own journey of resilience and empowerment. Through her memoirs, she fearlessly addresses topics such as sexual abuse, trauma recovery, and the importance of self-compassion. Delicia's work not only sheds light on difficult experiences but also empowers others to find their voices and embrace their own resilience. Her passion for advocacy shines through in her writing, making her a powerful voice for change and healing in today's world.
Connect with Delicia Niami
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2 comments:
Thank you so much for hosting today.
This looks like a fine novel. Thanks for sharing.
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