New D.C. novel by 1A journalist follows a "messy" polyamorous journey
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There's a new novel out by a local journalist about a young woman in D.C. who enters her "messy love triangle era" when she begins practicing polyamory.
Why it matters: The author — 1A producer Haili Blassingame — is a Washingtonian who originally wrote about her own experience with non-monogamy in a "Modern Love" column.
State of play: "They All Fall in Love at the End" follows Cat St. Clair, a twenty-something D.C. native who decides to open her relationship with her boyfriend … and then catches feelings for his best friend. And his best friend's girlfriend.
What they're saying: Blassingame says she wrote this book in part because when she began practicing non-monogamy, she couldn't find any stories that resonated with her as a Black woman.
- "The main character is not me, but she's asking a lot of the questions that I was asking," Blassingame tells Axios.
- And the book was always going to be set in D.C., she says. Blassingame is a second-generation Washingtonian whose mom is a federal worker. She grew up in Southwest and attended Washington International School and School Without Walls.
Zoom in: Almost the entire book is set within the District, except for one chapter where they go to a haunted forest in Virginia, says Blassingame.
- Locals will recognize spots like Tryst in Adams Morgan, Solid State Books and H Street's Caribbean spot, Cane.
- And that rite of passage for all 20-something D.C. residents: Having to fly out of BWI because you're too broke to afford a DCA ticket.
The biggest challenge: Writing about a city and its events in real time. The book is set in present-day Washington, so Blassingame was careful to ensure all details were up to date.
- She included the DCA plane crash and captured the current vibe under Trump, and removed references to beloved tea spot Calabash when it closed.
- "It was really important for me to really ground it in this particular place at this particular time," says Blassingame.
What's next: Maybe a murder mystery set in D.C., she says — stay tuned.