“[M]y career as a reporter introduced me to people of all walks of life and careers and my imagination has taken what I have seen and heard over more than 20 years in the industry to create fiction by observing people and our world.”
— Maya Golden
A member of the Writers’ League since May 2022, Maya lives in Tyler, TX.
Scribe: Welcome, writer! Tell us — what do you write?
Maya Golden: I write Creative Nonfiction, Suspense/Thriller, Political Thriller, and Women’s Fiction.
Scribe: If you could choose one author to blurb your book, who would it be, and what would you want it to say?
MG: I would be honored to have a blurb from Roxanne Gay because I believe she has an understanding of both my personal and professional paths in life. I admire her boldness in speaking up and speaking out on topics that may make people uncomfortable.
Scribe: You have one book you’re allowed to push onto all of your friends, and they’re forced to read it to remain your friend — which one would you choose?
MG: Mary Karr’s Cherry would be a must read for my friends, especially those who have been with me since childhood and our challenging teenage years. Her memoir The Liars’ Club receives so much praise and attention, I have felt that Cherry has been overlooked as the follow-up novel. It explores themes that many young women will find relatable as we cope with shedding the Texas girls we are raised to be, stepping into womanhood, often awkwardly and with romanticized ideas of what our lives will be. Mary Karr wrote such a beautifully relatable story, it made me laugh, cry and nod in agreement as I continued to turn the pages.
Scribe: Tell us your WLT story.
MG: I was introduced to WLT by authors Chris J. Panatier and Alex Temblador. Chris encouraged me to join and look into attending the conference in June. Once I visited the website and saw all of the wonderful classes, author support programs as well as the conference that is offered, making the decision to join was easy.
Scribe: Where do you see your writing taking you (or you taking it) in the future?
MG: My first published release will be a memoir. I hope it opens doors for conversations in regards to trauma and healing, but also the emotional, physical and mental damage victims of crimes suffer throughout their lifetime. I am writing the memoir so that another woman does not feel alone on her healing journey and that some family member, partner/spouse, or dear friend may gain a better understanding of what survivors of sexual abuse must cope with. I would love to say that memoir will be my only one, but I do enjoy writing creative nonfiction. However, my career as a reporter introduced me to people of all walks of life and careers and my imagination has taken what I have seen and heard over more than 20 years in the industry to create fiction by observing people and our world. I hope my writing leads to a career that allows me to share both impactful nonfiction stories but also explore the art of world building and character creation that readers feel a moment of awe when they pick up each new fiction release. I want to write books that make me feel the way I did listening to my second grade teacher at Club Hill Elementary in Garland, Texas. She made every story come alive, though she was not the writer. I want to be both: a storyteller who makes the words lively, vivid and engaging.
Scribe: Here at the WLT, we love sharing book recommendations. What’s one book that has come out within the past few years that you couldn’t put down? (Bonus points if the book is Texas related!)
MG: Welcome to Midland, a book of poems by Logen Cure is an uniquely descriptive portrait of growing up in west Texas, as well as navigating sexuality, religion and family relationships. Cure weaves in snapshots of the past with poems that have historical references and I enjoyed every poem in the book. Some were absolutely heartbreaking, others made me laugh out loud.
Scribe: Is there anything else about you that you would like to share with the world? An opportunity for blatant self-promotion!
MG: Maya Golden Bethany (pen name Maya Golden) is an award-winning multimedia journalist, speaker, novelist and founder of the 1 in 3 Foundation. Her debut memoir, The Return Trip, is set to release on November 14, 2023 through Rising Action Publishing Collective. She’s been featured on WFAA-TV, KLTV, Bally Sports, Fox Sports College, ESPN 2 and 3 and other broadcast mediums and speaks for organizations such as the Children’s Advocacy Center, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and Kids Aspiring to Dream. The Texas A&M alum’s career includes experience as a sports anchor/reporter and television production editor, newscast writer, field producer and print reporter.
Scribe: Where can our readers find more of you?
Twitter: @Maya_Golden, Instagram: @goodasgolden, Facebook MGBWrites
