Danielle Bainbridge
Author Interview - Danielle Bainbridge
Author of Dandelion: A Memoir in Essays
Dandelion: A Memoir in Essays is a profoundly personal exploration of the complex intersections of race, gender, queerness, and mental health. Through a collection of essays, poetry, and reflections tumbling back and forth through time, Danielle struggles to navigate the precarious balancing act of Blackness and societal pressures, chronic illness and resilience. Dandelion invites readers into a raw, no-holds-barred emotional journey, offering a unique, kaleidoscopic perspective rarely seen in mainstream media.
Author Interview - Danielle Bainbridge
Author I draw inspiration from:
Authors I draw inspiration from include Toni Morrison (especially Sula), Ashley C. Ford (Somebody's Daughter), Esme Weijun Wang (The Collected Schizophrenias), and Samantha Irby (We Are Never Meeting in Real Life). I love Morrison's complexity and tenderness around Black women characters, Ford's fearless take on memoir, Wang's delicate treatment of mental illness, and Irby's fiercely funny and insightful takes on everyday life.
Author Interview - Danielle Bainbridge | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
Either in bed, on the shores of Lake Michigan with my partner, or in a coffee shop.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Might be a weird answer, but I'd love to be stuck with any member of the Babysitter's Club from that series by Ann M Martin. They taught me a lot about being a good friend when I was at a really formative age. Either them or Junie B Jones from the series of books by Barbara Park, because I imagine she would keep me laughing, so I wouldn't freak out because I was stuck in the elevator.
Author Interview - Danielle Bainbridge | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
When my 2nd-grade teacher, Mrs. Martin, told me I was a poet and taught me that William Carlos Williams was a poet and a doctor (I said I wanted to deliver babies for a living, but she convinced me I could do both, and that changed my life.)
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
I love hardback books the most for their durability and beauty, but I hate how heavy they are when you try to carry more than one at a time. Paperbacks are great plane reads and fit easily into my purse. Ebooks are good for when I have to travel because my Kindle is my best friend on road trips and train rides. I'm not too keen on audiobooks because I find it hard to focus and process things when I'm listening but not looking at anything or taking notes.
The last book I read:
When the Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris, which is a tender and lovely book about queer love and grief that I read out loud each night with my partner until we finished it. (We have a nighttime ritual of reading books together, and this one fit our list quite nicely!)
Author Interview - Danielle Bainbridge | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I always start my writing by hand, either with pen and paper or sometimes with my digital notebook. The computer is reserved for transcribing my handwritten notes, editing, and polishing drafts.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Either Sadie Green or Sam Masur from Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow because I can relate to their obsessive dedication to the creative process and their intensity when it comes to work and collaboration.
Author Interview - Danielle Bainbridge | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
I'd be an OBGYN or a nurse in a delivery room because I think I'd love to see babies being born every day, even though it'd also be stressful and challenging.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
I love the fashion of the 1950s or 1960s since there were so many styles that were introduced during those eras.
Place I’d most like to travel:
Japan or Australia, because I'm interested in going across the world. I've always wanted to visit Japan to take in the culture, and Australia, because I love the beach and think it would be lovely to vacation there. I'd also add South Africa to that list because my parents have wanted to travel there for years, and I'd love to be able to take them there one day as a gift.
My signature drink:
London Fog
Favorite artist:
I don't have a single favorite artist, but I love the photography of Gordon Parks, and the work of Carrie Mae Weems, Bisa Butler, Kara Walker, and Georgia O'Keeffe.
Number one on my bucket list:
Travel to as many countries as I possibly can in my lifetime.
Find more from the author:
@jadedibispress (Instagram for Press)
@quirkyprofessor_ (Instagram for Author)
About Danielle Bainbridge:
Danielle Bainbridge
Danielle Bainbridge is Assistant Professor of Theatre, Black Studies, and Performance Studies at Northwestern University. Her first academic book, Currencies of Cruelty: Slavery, Freak Shows, and the Performance Archive, is forthcoming in 2026 from NYU Press. Danielle has received scholarships and residencies from Tin House, the Adirondack Center for Writing, and the Banff Centre in Canada. Her web series and media work have been nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards and one NAACP Image Award. She lives and loves in Chicago with her partner and two naughty cats.
