EP #91 Perfect Strangers, Local Voice
What does it mean to grow up everywhere and belong somewhere? We sit down with Fredericksburg author Justin Marlowe to trace the making of Perfect Strangers: Echoes of a Black Suburban Youth—a candid memoir that follows his journey from toddlerhood through 17, shaped by military moves, culture shock, and the quiet codes of suburban life. Justin opens up about race, politics, and identity seen through neighborhoods most of us overlook, and why telling this story now invites the kind of dialogue many communities avoid but need.
We explore the chapter readers ask about most: his time in Louisiana. Coming from DC roots and stops in Germany and Kansas, landing in the deep south meant learning an entirely new language of context. Justin explains how that setting sharpened his sense of self and pushed him to write with precision about what felt normal to locals and alien to him. Along the way, we talk about the craft choices that make the memories feel alive, from anchoring scenes in pop culture to pulling exact textures from vintage TV like Facts of Life that helped him rebuild timelines and tone.
The conversation also leans forward. Justin shares how memoir writing differs from his current projects—poetry accepted in multiple literary magazines and a new Black futurism novel that explores power, community, and possibility. He breaks down his creative routines—exercise, music, and the right podcast at the right moment—and gives clear advice for first-time memoirists: immerse in yourself, take your experiences seriously, and write the version of events that changed you. If you’re curious about the realities behind a Black suburban upbringing, how place can reshape identity, or how to move from memory to imagination, this one will stick with you long after the credits.
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Justin Marlowe
Local Author of Perfect Strangers
Follow on IG: @jmarlowewrites
