Opus Exclusive: Wiley Cash

We’re so thrilled that Wiley Cash will join us as Emcee for this year’s virtual Opus & Olives gala. In preparation for the big event, we asked Wiley a few questions to help you get to know him better.

How have the challenges of the past year and a half affected your writing? 

I wrote the final drafts of When Ghosts Come Home in the early days of the pandemic. Like many people, my life had grown smaller and quieter, and while the world raged in chaos and tragedy and turbulence, I put my head down and channeled all of the discomfort and sadness I was feeling into the novel and the characters’ lives. I think it made for a richer writing experience, which I hope translates to a richer reading experience.  

What do you hope people learn or take away from this book? 

That we cannot assume that the people in our lives – even those closest to us – agree with the ways we see the world. Some of the most uncomfortable conversations are the conversations we need to have. What do we believe about democracy, humanity, equality, and equity? Are those beliefs borne out in our lives? Are there conversations we can have in our families and communities that might make life better for others?  

Tell us something that people might not know about you. 

I’m currently nurturing a secret desire to start painting.  

Tell us what you love about libraries. 

Everything, because libraries offer us everything. We learn there, study there, use technology there, connect with our communities there, and we often vote there. Libraries are perhaps our last bastion of democracy.