Stacey Abrams at Sixth and I. Photo Credit: Ari Strauss

By Samantha Neugebauer, Fellow Writer

Stacey Abrams spoke to a packed house at Sixth & I, last week, about her new legal thriller, Rogue Justice; the follow-up to 2021’s While Justice Sleeps. While most folks know Abrams for her time serving in the Georgia House of Representatives as a voting rights activist, and her two Georgia gubernatorial runs, others are drawn to her work as a fiction writer. Abram’s discussion with moderator, Tiffany Cross, comprised not just her writing process, the nation’s current state of division and AI, but also the intricate intertwining of her political and writing careers. 

Stacey Abrams with Commentator Tiffany Cross. Photo credit: Ari Strauss

Prior to 2021, Abrams released eight romance novels under the nom de plume, Selena Montgomery. When questioned about potential concerns regarding her political career due to publishing romance novels, Abrams elaborated on the the merits of the romance novel genre and the skillful artistry required of a writer to engage readers throughout the narrative. She takes pride in her novels, and emphasized to the audience that criticizing popular works like romance novels essentially belittles those who genuinely enjoy them. The idea of refraining from demeaning and villifying others unexpectedly became the central theme of the night.

Moreover, Abrams shared how her motivation to write, and to be politically active spring from the same desire to connect with people. In both realms, she expressed, “Be curious. Solve problems. Do Good.” When it comes to writing, doing good doesn’t necessarily imply that the characters always end up as angels. Abrams likes to create characters who embody the intersection of circumstances and the potential for various future pathways. Abrams appreciates that her character’s are willing to make morally upright choices.

“Choose to do right, even when it's not your responsibility.” — Stacey Abrams

In both writing and politics, she contemplates the unasked questions considering the issues that may not be apparent like our environment and judicial system, AI, and our fellow citizens whom might disagree on a fundamental level. In a country as divided as ours, Abrams stressed that we need to remind ourselves that our villains and our heroes are complicated — just like the ones in her books. At one point, Cross asked Abrams if she thought we live in a country with a majority of good people. Abrams responded that she could be having a great conversation with an individual, only to reach a “moment of departure” when the topic shifts to politics and it’s apparent they have different worldviews. However, she assured us that such differences in perspectives doesn’t mean we can’t find common ground. We should collaborate where we can despite our differences in motivations. We need not compromise our values, only our vision, because it's not always feasible to get all we want simultaneously.

Photo credit: Ari Strauss

Later in the discussion, Abrams underscored the need for AI regulation — “We need rules,” she stated. She touched upon her love of biographies and urged aspiring writers to read more in this genre in order to learn how people make choices. Throughout the entire program, Abrams had the crowd in stitches. What’s more Abrams, it appears, is gifted with equal measures of grace, intelligence, and humor.  

Samantha Neugebauer is a lecturer at Johns Hopkins University and a research assistant at Georgetown University in Qatar. She is also a senior editor for Painted Bride Quarterly and a podcaster for PBQ’s podcast Slush Pile. Previously, she taught at NYU in Abu Dhabi and worked in international student affairs. She lives in Washington, D.C., where she is a 2022-2023 D.C. Arts Writing Fellow with Day Eight reporting for DCTrending.