Q&A: Bsrat Mezghebe, Author of ‘I Hope You Find What You’re Looking For’

We chat with author Bsrat Mezghebe about I Hope You Find What You’re Looking For, which  is a loving ode to an immigrant community on the cusp of a new age and delves into the secret lives of three women on the eve of Eritrean independence.

Hi, Bsrat! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

I’m a Washington, D.C. native born to Eritrean immigrants, a longtime reader, and a first-time author.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

As soon as I could read, I was glued to books. I was never without a book in my hand.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: I have no idea! But A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein looms large in my memory.
• The one that made you want to become an author: Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Out of Egypt by Andre Aciman

Your debut novel, I Hope You Find What You’re Looking For, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Women trying to get free!

What can readers expect?

My novel delves into the lives and secrets of a family of Eritrean women in the Washington, DC suburbs on the eve of Eritrean independence, achieved in 1991. It explores the stories we tell ourselves about love, motherhood, and freedom, and how we can create our own.

Where did the inspiration for I Hope You Find What You’re Looking For come from?

I was inspired by my upbringing in metropolitan Washington’s massive Eritrean community. The Eritrean story is the greatest story never told. I grew up in awe of the dramatic (and often hilarious) experiences recounted to me and felt the urgency to capture them.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

Zewdi, hands down. She is the larger-than-life matriarch of the family, but has never married or given birth. The book finds her on the cusp of turning 50, considering whether to pursue love for the first time or a business opportunity she’s longed for. She gives voice to those who do much of the labor in families but don’t always get to pursue their dreams or desires. She was a joy to write.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

Of course, I did! It was a maddening and sometimes demoralizing experience to produce drafts that were far from the flawless novel I envisioned in my imagination. But the more I wrote and revised, the gap narrowed. That led to a kind of virtuous cycle where I wasn’t as intimidated by writing blocks or challenging sections, since I had proven to  myself that I could get on the other side of them.

What do you hope readers take away from I Hope You Find What You’re Looking For?

I hope readers think about how personal and political intertwine.

Readers will be left wondering how they would respond if their homeland was no longer safe. If they would be a hero or only save themselves? If they had to start all over, where would they go? What would they do?  How would they cope with the memory of what they left behind? And how would they still find themselves in their new lives?

What’s next for you?

I want to write a nonfiction book about the Eritrean war for independence and the diaspora it created in a narrative style similar to The Warmth of Other Suns, Isabel Wilkerson’s masterful account of the Great Migration. I’m also interested in exploring some film and video archival ideas.

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?

Lots! Judy Blume’s biography, Lena Dunham’s memoirs, On Morrison by Namwali Serpell, and Kin by Tayari Jones.

Will you be picking up I Hope You Find What You’re Looking For? Tell us in the comments below!