This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. You can watch or listen to the interview in its entirety here.
We had the pleasure of chatting with author Arriel Vinson about her highly anticipated debut novel, “Under the Neon Lights.” Set in Indianapolis and rich with nostalgia, poetry, and heart, the book is already making waves. In this Q&A, Arriel shares the inspiration behind the story, the unique format of the book, and her journey from idea to publication.
Q: Arriel, congratulations on your debut! Tell us about your new book, “Under the Neon Lights.”
Arriel: Thank you! “Under the Neon Lights” is a YA novel in verse, which means it’s told in poems. It follows Jaylen, a 16-year-old Black girl in Indianapolis who falls in love at the skating rink—but then the rink closes due to gentrification. The book explores first love, female friendship, complicated family dynamics, and community building. It’s perfect for readers who love love stories and stories about friendship.
Q: The setting is so vivid. Is it based on your own experiences growing up in Indy?
Arriel: Absolutely. I was born and raised on the west side of Indianapolis. I didn’t leave until undergrad at IU Bloomington. Throughout my 20s, I’ve lived in New York and Dallas, but Indy is where I call home again. The skating rink in the book is inspired by Skateland, which is still open today.
Q: Where did the idea for the story come from?
Arriel: Funny enough, I was in grad school at Sarah Lawrence College when a friend who is a local author—Leah Johnson—reminded me about a short story I had written about a skating rink. I was complaining there weren’t any books that focused on the Black culture of roller skating, and she said, “Didn’t you just write a short story for your writing workshop?’ And I was like, “Yeah.” And she was like, “Okay, that’s the novel.”
Q: The book is written in verse. Why did you choose that format?
Arriel: I got my Master’s of Fine Arts in fiction, and you could not tell it from reading “Under the Neon Lights” because even though it’s a fiction novel, it’s all poetry. Um, because we were allowed in that program to take craft classes and other genres. So, even though I was taking fiction workshops, I was learning so much about poetry as I was writing and for my thesis, I had to turn it in in prose. I was interning at one of the Big Five publishers in New York, and I had this little journal that I would write in on the train, and it all came out as poems. So, I was like, you know what, let’s stick to that. Let’s turn it back to poems. The story lends itself to a more rhythmic tale. I wanted someone to feel like even if they can’t skate at all, like their feet are in skates and they’re rolling around the rink. I wanted them to feel the music. I wanted them to be able to feel like they stepped into the Westside Roll without actually stepping into it.
Q: You’re celebrating the book launch with a skate party—tell us more!
Arriel: Yes! I’m hosting a launch event at Skateland on June 7th. It’s open to the public—$15 admission including skate rental—and Loudmouth Books will be there selling copies.
Q: You were a LitUp Fellow through Reese’s Book Club—congrats! How did that come about?
Arriel: That was such a great experience. It’s so funny because I did not plan on applying for the program until like one person at my grad school sent it to me, and she was like, I know you’re working on YA. You know, this is for women writers; you should apply. And I was like, I don’t know. I don’t think the manuscript is ready. And then a second person sent it to me, and then a third. And I was like, okay, all right. I will try my luck, and then next thing you know, I’m getting an email that’s like “Congratulations, you’re a LitUp fellow,” and my mind was blown.
Q: What was the LitUp experience like?
Arriel: Since it was during the pandemic, we had a virtual retreat. But they gave us funds to create a retreat experience wherever we were—I stayed at the Bottleworks Hotel in Indy. We had panels and workshops on publishing, plotting, and more. We also got a mentor who would look at our draft, give us feedback, and we would touch base with them. That was really impactful for me. Leah Johnson ended up being my mentor, and we’ve known each other since college, but it was nice because she already knew what I was trying to do with “Under the Neon Lights.” She was Reese’s Book Club’s first YA pick.
Q: How did the program help you find your agent?
Arriel: LitUp gives you a list of agents who are willing to read LitUp submissions. I saw my dream agent on there and we really hit it off. I moved a little slow in the querying process—I didn’t query when everyone else did. I queried when I was ready. I didn’t want to rush it, but I got my dream agent, and now here we are.
Q: Writing can be a solitary process. Did you find community through LitUp?
Arriel: Definitely. Even though we were virtual, our cohort stayed tight. We still keep in touch, even with fellows from newer cohorts. That sense of community really shaped me and helped me reflect on how I show up for others—something that plays into the book, too.
Q: How long did it take to go from idea to published book?
Arriel: Too long! I started writing in 2018, graduated in 2019, got my agent in 2022, and landed the book deal in 2023. So a long time, about five or six years. Part of it is because I just wasn’t as disciplined as I needed to be first. I was graduating, and I was trying to find my first corporate job out of grad school. I was trying to adjust to that.
I haven’t seen a model for what it looked at at that time. I hadn’t seen a model for what it looked like to get a book deal from for someone like me. I’m a first-generation college student. I don’t have friends who are authors other than Leah Johnson. And so, the model just wasn’t there for me. I had to watch Leah’s journey to be like, “Oh, okay. So, this is possible. This can happen.” Like, a black girl from the Midwest writing about black girls from the Midwest. People will want to read that. I needed that model first to take it seriously. In 2020, I had no choice but to hunker down.
Q: What do you hope people take away from this book?
Arriel: To learn to show up for each other—especially during this administration—we have to show each other support. We have to learn how to show up for each other. I also want people to think about the impact that gentrification has on neighborhoods and how we play a role. I want people to come away more reflective and thinking more about where we place the importance on our community and how we can really love each other. “Under the Neon Lights” is a book about finding your self-worth and finding what it means to have a voice, and sometimes that takes the love of other people.
Catch Under the Neon Lights in bookstores on June 3rd and don’t miss Arriel’s skate party celebration at Skateland on June 7th! More info at indyarts.org.
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