Until he was in his late teens, Morgan Talty had no thoughts of becoming a writer.
Now, the Levant resident is amazed at the success of last year’s “Night of the Living Rez” and excited to publish his first novel, “Fire, Exit,” due out in summer 2024.
Talty, a Penobscot Nation citizen and an assistant professor of English at the University of Maine in Orono, loved listening to and telling stories as he grew up. In college, he fell in love with literature and never looked back, he said. For him, it’s important for native authors to share the voices of their heritage.
“As history has shown, the easiest way to oppress a group of people is to tell their story for them,” he said Friday.
“Fire, Exit,” due for release next summer, is about Charles, a man telling the story of his daughter. His daughter doesn’t know Charles is actually her father. Turns out her mother lied about her paternity, saying her father was native, in order for the girl to be an enrolled member of the tribe and to be considered “native” by the federal government.
Charles wants to tell his daughter the truth and share the stories of her heritage, Talty said. He also wants to rekindle his relationship with his mother, who blames Charles for his stepfather’s death.
“Ultimately, the two narratives collide in what seems to be Charles’ opportunity to redeem himself and the life he has lived — or failed to live,” Talty said.
The part of the story closest to his heart is the relationship between Charles and his mother.
Talty was inspired to write “Fire, Exit” after reading “The Round House” by native author Louise Erdrich, which takes place on the Ojibwe Reservation in North Dakota. Talty wanted to create a realistic situation in Maine’s Indian country in which to place his story.
“Night of the Living Rez,” his first book, is a collection of short stories about Penobscot people living on and around Indian Island. The book has garnered a cascade of honors from around the country, including the National Book Critics Circle, New England Book Awards and Maine Literary Awards. It was named one of the New York Times’ 100 notable books of 2022.
Talty was blown away by the accolades.
“I didn’t expect all the love for the book, and I am grateful for it, not just for me, but that Penobscot characters are existing in the mainstream storytelling world,” he said.
The path to success wasn’t always visible. Talty never knew he wanted to be a writer until he was 18 or 19 and in college. In literature, he discovered that books captured the storytelling he loved so much. After that, there was no turning back despite the failures that mark a writer’s life.
The biggest roadblock was finding an agent for “Night of the Living Rez,” Talty said, because many agents favor novels rather than story collections. By the time he found Tin House Publishing in Portland, Oregon, he was “barely holding on,” he said, though he was determined to keep going somehow.
The literary world loved it, and now Talty is looking forward to introducing readers to his novel next summer.
But more than his own success, Talty is hopeful and excited for future Penobscot Nation storytellers to leave their mark on the literary landscape.
“If we’re not telling our own stories, then someone else is,” he said.
