1–What is the title of your latest release?
2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
A grief-stricken woman is convinced her boyfriend’s death was an accident despite strange circumstances suggesting suicide until horrors from her family’s past waken traumas that make her question everything.
3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
Indian Burial Ground follows up on my debut novel Sisters of the Lost Nation. Since the stories take place on the same fictional Native American reservation, the setting was a given. I was happy, however, to return to the Takoda Reservation, where Native mythological entities are as real (and dangerous) as the rattlesnakes and alligators that inhabit the land.
4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
I would. Indian Burial Ground has two key figures: Noemi and her uncle Louie. Both are down on their luck and struggling to come to terms with traumas in their lives, but they are genuine people who are more resilient and inspirational than they know.
5–What are three words that describe your protagonist?
I would describe Noemi as steadfast, headstrong, and bold. Louie is loyal, conflicted, and resilient.
6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I learned that suicide, sadly, impacts Native and Indigenous communities far more than I’d originally thought. Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that in the last handful of years firearm related suicides have gone up 66% among Natives, and that Natives suffer suicide at higher rates than any other cultural or ethnic group in the United States. These stats are at an all-time high.
7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I tend to edit once I’ve completed the first draft. I do, however, keep a list of things I want to rewrite, remove, or improve so that I know what to work on once I reach the editing stage.
8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I think I’m pretty boring when it comes to food. Cookies are a great indulgence.
9–Describe your writing space/office!
I work best in clean, clear spaces. My office is very organized with just a desk, a couch, and a couple pictures on the wall. I have an “I WANT TO BELIEVE” poster framed as well, just like Mulder in The X Files, which is one of my all-time favorite shows.
10–Who is an author you admire?
There are many. Shoutout to Cody Lakin. His first two novels, The Family Condition and The Aching Plane are moving, deep, and beautifully written.
11–Is there a book that changed your life?
A recent book I read, Neena Viel’s Listen to Your Sister, changed my understanding of societal issues impact black families. The book is a horror story that educates in a way you might not expect. It’s masterfully done.
12–Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
It’s a bit blurry, but I think my agent called to let me know that multiple editors were interested. At that point, we were confident the book would be published. It was a great feeling to know the hard work had gotten us to our goal.
13–What’s your favorite genre to read?
Currently, horror. I love being unsettled. It keeps me reading to find out what’s going to happen next and how the conflict is going to be resolved. Horror also tends to be rather hopeful in the end. It shows us that even the darkest, scariest situations in life can be conquered.
14–What’s your favorite movie?
The Talented Mr. Ripley, based on the incredible novel by Patricia Highsmith, is a film I always enjoy. It’s visually stunning, the performances are compelling, and the story is so nuanced that on repeated viewings, I always find myself noticing something I hadn’t before.
15–What is your favorite season?
Autumn. Maybe because I was born in October. Or because of Halloween. In my neck of the woods, it’s a beautiful time of year.
16–How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Dinner with the family usually. Nothing crazy.
17–What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I watched the film All of Us Strangers last week. Pain, trauma, ghosts, and love come together within it in an unforgettable way.
18–What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I don’t know if I have a favorite…tacos are a good go-to.
19–What do you do when you have free time?
I like to keep fit, play guitar, spend time with family, and travel when I can.
20–What can readers expect from you next?
A follow up to Indian Burial Ground should be out in 2025, and my fourth novel is planned for 2026. I’ll post updates online.
INDIAN BURIAL GROUND by Nick Medina
A man lunges in front of a car. An elderly woman silently drowns herself. A corpse sits up in its coffin and speaks. On this reservation, not all is what it seems, in this new spine-chilling mythological horror from the author of Sisters of the Lost Nation.
All Noemi Broussard wanted was a fresh start. With a new boyfriend who actually treats her right and a plan to move from the reservation she grew up on—just like her beloved Uncle Louie before her—things are finally looking up for Noemi. Until the news of her boyfriend’s apparent suicide brings her world crumbling down.
But the facts about Roddy’s death just don’t add up, and Noemi isn’t the only one who suspects that something menacing might be lurking within their tribal lands.
After over a decade away, Uncle Louie has returned to the reservation, bringing with him a past full of secrets, horror, and what might be the key to determining Roddy’s true cause of death. Together, Noemi and Louie set out to find answers…but as they get closer to the truth, Noemi begins to wonder whether it might be best for some secrets to remain buried.
Horror [Berkley, On Sale: April 16, 2024, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593546888 / eISBN: 9780593546901]
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About Nick Medina
Nick born in Chicago, Illinois, Nick Medina’s interest in local and Native American folklore inspired his debut thriller, Sisters of the Lost Nation, which earned a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection award. His latest novel, Indian Burial Ground, about buried traumas that come back far more frightening than when they were laid to rest, puts a new spin on the Indian burial ground horror trope, and his short story Quantum is featured in Never Whistle at Night, a 2023 Bram Stoker Award nominee for superior achievement in an anthology. When he’s not writing, he enjoys playing guitar, chasing Windy City ghosts, and spending time with family.
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