Nichelle Tramble

Nichelle D. Tramble is the author of the critically acclaimed debut novel The Dying Ground and its sequel, The Last King.

Not long ago, I asked her what she was reading. Her reply:

I recently joined shelfari.com which, of course, made me get serious about book cataloguing. Last time I checked I was up to 1800 books. The organizing also reminded me of all the books I want to read.

I just finished Fun Home, the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel. This title came highly recommended and it lived up to all the hype. I admit to being late to the party. This was the very first graphic novel I've ever read and I was impressed by the artwork and the honest prose. Bechdel's forthright depiction of her family, their struggles and how she came to terms with her past just blew me away.

I am reading two nonfiction titles as I slowly make my way through a new novel. I've looked forward to One Drop by Bliss Broyard for a long time. Years ago, I read the New Yorker article about her father, Anatole, and how he passed as white for the majority of his adult life. Philip Roth's interpretation of the events of Broyard's life were depicted in The Human Stain (a favorite) but I was eager to hear from the Broyard family. So far the book is a an emotional journey through a troubled family history.

On the other end of the spectrum is I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon. Zevon led a colorful life, often ugly, always full throttle. I'm taking my time with this one. His last album, The Wind, and the song "Keep Me In Your Heart" led me to this book.

On the fiction front, I just cracked open And She Was by Cindy Dyson. I'm a sucker for a first novel and this one has all the elements I love. Interesting locale, troubled protagonist, a mystery element, and historical references I know nothing about.

Read an excerpt from The Dying Ground and an excerpt from The Last King.

Tramble is also a writer on ABC's Women's Murder Club.

Learn more about the author and her work at Nichelle Tramble's website and her journal. She is a member of The Finish Party, which was profiled in O Magazine, October 2007.

--Marshal Zeringue