Welcome, I’m Reenita Hora, and on this episode of True Fiction Project, I talk with debut novelist Anika Fajardo about her new women’s fiction release, The Many Mothers of Dolores Moore. Born in Colombia and raised in Minnesota, Anika opens up about writing a memoir, two middle-grade novels, and now a magical-realism story about a woman haunted by the voices of her deceased female relatives. We dig into grief, identity, and the long road to finding her Colombian father, a real search that inspired this family saga novel. Tune in to hear Anika read an excerpt describing the fateful 1989 meeting between Dory’s parents in Rome.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✅ How magical realism rooted in Colombian author Anika Fajardo’s heritage shapes her voice and storytelling style.
✅ Why Dory hears a chorus of ancestral voices left behind by her deceased female relatives.
✅ How Anika’s publishing journey, from memoir to middle grade fiction, led to her women’s fiction debut.
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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Anika Fajardo introduces the premise of her women’s fiction novel The Many Mothers of Dolores Moore
01:59 Anika discusses her memoir, Magical Realism For Nonbelievers, and the story behind its title
03:44 How Anika stumbled into writing middle grade fiction with her novel What If a Fish
07:08 Anika explains the ancestral voices that follow her protagonist Dory throughout the story
13:10 Anika reads an excerpt describing her parents’ fateful 1989 meeting in Rome, Italy
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
💎 Dory’s chorus of deceased relatives illustrates generational grief and how women absorb the messages of those who raised them.
💎 The novel weaves a present-day female protagonist story with a 1980s Colombian setting, featuring flashbacks of her parents’ romance.
💎 Anika’s life as a Minnesota author, teacher, and reviewer shaped her lifelong love of adult fiction and storytelling.
ABOUT THE GUEST:
Anika Fajardo’s debut novel is The Many Mothers of Dolores Moore. She is also the award-winning author of Magical Realism for Non-Believers: A Memoir of Finding Family, and the middle-grade novels What If a Fish and Meet Me Halfway. Born in Colombia and raised in Minnesota, she currently lives with her family in Minneapolis.
Gobblefunking with Words – Website
The Many Mothers of Dolores Moore – Book
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