11 Questions for Ben Hinson | Author Interview

Ben Hinson is a relatively new author about to burst onto the literary scene with his ambitious novel, Eteka: Rise Of The Imamba. Here he is in an exclusive interview with Incessant Scribble. Enjoy!

1. Tell us about yourself. Your background. Your education. Who is Ben Hinson?
BH: I am a hybrid of many cultures. I was born in Nigeria, and have lived in Nigeria, Ghana, England and numerous locations in the United States. My academic background involves training at the Carson Long Military Institute, and earning my bachelor's degree from Montclair State in business administration. I am a student of life, and many of my experiences have played integral roles in my projects.

2. Your first novel Three Months  was released in 2008. Could you tell us about it? What were the challenges you experienced then as a first time author?
BH: Three Months was a novel I wrote and published back in 2008. The novel revolved around the subject of HIV/AIDS, and was based on the experiences of a man and woman who come into contact with the virus through various characters and situations I created. The novel was written from a male and female perspective, and within the novel I touched on many themes around HIV/AIDS including stigma, drug abuse, sex, medication and so on. Back then I collaborated with many academic institutions, advocacy groups and scholars for research, including the Guttmacher Institute and AVERT. My experience writing and selling that project was painful and priceless, and a feat I am especially proud of. It was an eye opening experience for me in many ways. For instance I learned a lot about the power of negative stigma first hand, which was unique considering the fact that I personally do not live with HIV. Yet the mere fact that I chose to write a novel on what many would consider a taboo subject earned me a lot of backlash from places I did not expect. Outside of the social aspect, the project in its entirety was a business failure from an investment standpoint. I was not as experienced as I am now, and there were a lot of things I did not understand about being an Indie author in the publishing industry. I invested a lot of time and money in the Three Months project, and at the end of the day all I got in return was a $20 royalty check! Doing anything independently or as a start-up, no matter the business model or industry, will always be tougher than going the corporate route. I had to learn many hard lessons with that project, and I'm grateful as the challenges I encountered made me a better businessman and author. Three Months is no longer in print, but I have plans to rewrite and re-release that novel from a fresh perspective based on who I am now. I don't think I gave that project the best of myself, so there is definitely unfinished business there.

3. Your soon to be released novel Eteka: Rise Of The Imamba sounds ambitious. On your blog you wrote: "The core story begins in colonized Nigeria...and takes its diverse set of characters on a journey spanning three continents and two generations." Your locations include the USA, Africa, England and Asia. The time period of the novel spans the 50's and the 90's. I can't wait to see how you weave this story. What is the inspiration behind this book? What do you hope to accomplish?
BH: Thanks for the compliment and your enthusiasm. I cannot tie the inspiration for this current project to one particular thing. The inspiration was driven by a number of factors: my love of history; my attraction to gritty, original literary plotlines; my background with martial arts; my heritage and my experience with different cultures around the world. The first goal I had with this project was to successfully tell an original, exciting, action packed story with tons of historical relevance from a 'non-western' perspective. I wanted to expose my audience to the world from a lens not commonly used, and also introduce them to the many complex characters I created that I believe can survive and thrive in mainstream media.

4. In your online synopsis of Eteka: Rise Of The Imamba, Eteka comes off as a badass. Is this a thriller novel? What can we expect?
BH: Ha, Eteka is a badass! But he is not the only one! I created a whole universe filled with some very interesting characters, and you can view a few of them at this link. In my story you're going to meet arms dealers, assassins, pimps, witches, warriors, mercenaries, philosophers, teachers, prostitutes, cult leaders, dictators and so much more! I took my time to create an exciting thriller that falls in the historical fiction genre, and you can expect one hell of a ride! You're going to learn about different cultures and key events in Asian, African, American and European history while experiencing an adventure unlike any other!

5. I've seen your blog, your website and all the promotional material you have online and I'm impressed. It's a lot that you've done and it's all very well done. Did you do all of this yourself or did you contract it out?
BH: Thanks for the kind words. I believe in teamwork, process and structure. No worthwhile endeavor can thrive without a collaborative, respectful environment. I hired great talent who made enormous contributions across different parts of my project. These are resources I found across the United States, Canada, and Germany. I have learned so much from working with these awesome individuals, and I appreciate them all. My vision could not have reached the stage it is in now without them.

6. You have a company called Musings Press. Tell us what you do.
BH: Musings Press LLC is a publishing company I own. I set it up as a way to breathe life into my visions on my own terms. My first collection of poetry was published through Musings Press. For now we're focused on literary projects.

7. You recently released a poetry collection, Chapters Of Me: Deep Thoughts Vol. 1. I love the videos you made for them. They are well directed and edited. Do you feel you've been able to reach your audience better with these visual aids to your poetry?
BH: Absolutely! I've received a lot of positive feedback regarding my work in the visual realm. Shooting and editing videos is something I really enjoy. Visual media is known to register high engagement rates with properly researched target markets, so it is vital from a marketing perspective to hit such channels.

8. What advice do you have for aspiring authors? Advice on writing the manuscript, getting it published, and promoting their work.
BH: Everything starts from an idea. So dare to dream. Be original and don't follow the crowd. Having an idea is not enough, you have to plan and execute. You also have to be consistent with your efforts over extended periods, and take rejection and criticism well. Editing is everything across any medium, so devote the time and resources needed to make sure you have a professional product. Decide well in advance which route you want to pursue, whether traditional or independent. Both have pros and cons, not any different from other industries. If you go traditional learn about literary agents and publishers that fit your genre. Learn how to write a good query letter. Try and attend as many publishing conventions as possible. If you go the Indie route you may have to wear more business hats than a traditional author. Understand how bookstores manage inventory. Understand how book clubs and other target markets react to Indie versus traditionally published projects. Develop a solid marketing plan across relevant channels. Depending on the goals you set for your project, be prepared to pitch your work to as many bookstores and review outlets as possible. Understand that to see any kind of success, whether Indie or traditional requires some out of the box thinking and a tremendous amount of hard work, so set realistic expectations for yourself. Most importantly, exercise patience and put out a good, professional product. Marketing beings and ends with your product.

9. What are your thoughts on life, love & music?
BH: Interesting question. My thoughts on these three themes are subject to change as I mature, and there are many ways we can dissect each area, but for now...Life? Life is full of ups and downs, and no one knows what tomorrow will bring. I do my best each day to have the right perspective, so come rain or shine, I am at peace. Love? Love is selfless, love is kind, love is pure with no agenda. Music? I love music. I love the art of creating music, and have some experience with music production and technology. I write to music, walk to music, cook to music, edit to music...music is a currency of praise between us and God.

10. Name some books you've read more than once
BH: Outside of research journals I don't think I've read any book more than once. If you want to know what books/novels I have high respect for...Stieg Larrson's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is a great novel that got adapted into a great movie. I enjoyed reading Paulo Coelho's "The Fifth Mountain" many years ago. "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a classic. The "Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis is another very interesting novel. From a Non-Fiction perspective I enjoyed reading Richard Wright's "The Color Curtain", Odd Arne Westad's "The Global Cold War" and Patrick Chabal's "The Revolutionary Leadership and the People's War."

11. What do you do to relax?
BH: I haven't yet learned how to relax, I'm always working!

Click the image to learn more about Eteka: Rise Of The Imamba. Visit Ben's website, his blog, and "like" his official Facebook page for continuous updates.  

11 Questions for Jude Dibia | Author Interview

The Nigerian author Jude Dibia needs little introduction. He has penned three absorbing novels - Walking with Shadows, Unbridled, and Blackbird - and with each book he has shown remarkable prowess in tackling human complexity. He won the 2007 Ken Saro-Wiwa Prize for Prose and was a finalist in the 2007 Nigeria Prize for Literature. Here he is in an exclusive interview with Incessant Scribble. Enjoy!

1. It has been almost 10 years since your debut novel Walking with Shadows dared to confront the taboo subject of homosexuality. You got a lot of people talking. What were the initial responses you received when you sent out the finished manuscript to publishing houses? Did you have any fears while working and promoting this book? What were your expectations for Walking with Shadows?
JD: Time does fly! It almost seems like yesterday that Walking with Shadows was released. The responses I got were mixed, but mostly positive in the sense that people were genuinely interested in the subject matter and wanted to have a proper dialogue on what it really meant to be gay and Nigerian. Only a year before the book was released Bisi Alimi, who now happens to be a good friend of mine, came out publicly as gay on a national television talk show and the backlash was devastating for him. I was not privy to watching that show but I heard about Bisi when my book was released and I saw some parallels in what he went through and what I wrote about. Surprisingly, I received a lot of feedback from women. Many said that unlike Ada, the protagonist's wife, they would have stayed with Adrian. However, getting the book published was challenging. No single publishing house in Nigeria was ready to take on the book. I got some encouraging words from a particular publisher but was told categorically that the subject matter was too controversial in spite of the fact that I did not portray any form of sexual engagement in the story. 

There was always the fear that the book would not sell or that I could be ruined as a writer for writing a book that did not condemn homosexuality but rather showed tolerance and non-judgment of homosexuality. Yes, and then there was the talk that quickly spread about my own sexuality. But the truth was that I could not allow fears dictate how I write or what I choose to write about. One of the roles of a writer is to be as objective as humanly possible as well as being truthful and honest to the stories we write. Writers can't afford to censor themselves. In that light, my number one expectation was that it would reach as many people as possible, especially people who felt their stories were not being told or not told with any semblance of truth. 

2. Could you share some positive and some negative feedback you've received over time from readers of Walking with Shadows? 
JD: I remember one email I received from a reader in Benin City; he was grateful that he found my book to read and felt that finally someone understood he was. He told me that after he read the book he was brave enough to give the book to his parents and told them to read it if they really wanted to understand who he was. There were other such appreciative feedbacks as well as some bad feedback as well. A few people have preached to me about "repenting" and accepting Jesus and stop promoting homosexuality! Some have wished me worse things including the hope that I am arrested by the government for the views expressed in the book. I have come to realize that a number of people who express such negative and harmful comments have not read my book but simply depend on hearsay and what they believe is a "gay book". 

3. With your second novel Unbridled you switch your focus to another topic people aren't eager to discuss. Abuse. There's physical and sexual abuse. There is incest. This time your protagonist Ngozi is female. How were you able to narrate as a female character and what steps did you take to do it authentically?
JD: The first draft of Unbridled was written from the third person point-of-view and when I was done, I realized that the book did not carry the weight I intended and seemed so detached. So, when I started work on subsequent drafts I decided to experiment with writing from the first person perspective. Many people are not aware that I started a blog and started posting chapters of Unbridled as  a woman's personal account of her journey from being a victim to becoming independent and visible. The blog received a lot of visitors and comments and, there was one particular visitor who contributed a lot to how I arrived at Ngozi's voice. I found myself reading narratives from female writers and studying how they use words to describe feelings etc. I had to practically rewrite Unbridled from scratch and forget all my experiences as a man and reimagine everything as if I were a female. I also had a great substantive editor who worked on my finished manuscript. 

4. In Blackbird, Omoniyi deals with a lot as he struggles to make ends meet. What was you inspiration for Blackbird and what do you hope to achieve with this book?
JD: With Blackbird, my main interest was how the government was discharging with the sale of some assets, especially Federal Housing Estates such as 1004, Eric Moore Towers and other structures. My research drew me to the Maroko incident of the early 90s and how in a move by government to gentrify the neighborhood thousands were displaced and till today a lot of these families have not been compensated or adequately resettled into new homes. The existing dichotomies present in Nigeria was hard to ignore and the image of one poor family with an out of work father and a very sick child against that of a wealthy family of a mixed race couple who seemed to have everything was an image that haunted me for a long time. As a writer, I write knowing that different people will draw different conclusions to a story. So, for some, it is a story of contrasts and for some it is a story that draws attention to the abuse of power. 

5. You also touch on homosexuality in Blackbird. In handling this topic two times in three novels, don't you worry about being typecast?
JD: There was a graphic scene, a recollection actually of one of the main characters, Omoniyi, where he was taught how to fight and defend himself by another character, Scorpion, who he admired. People have said it was homoerotic in nature especially the way I described Omoniyi's fascination with Scorpions toned physique and how it elicited a hard-on by Omoniyi. I like to think of it as playing with words and showing how words can paint different pictures. Was my description homoerotic in nature, I can't say the final outcome did not seem so, however, it was not my intention. If one reads closely, you will see that I was making a direct connection to the character succumbing to power. I don't worry too much about "typecasting" in that way, as very few established Nigerian writers bother to write about sexual diversity in any form. 

6. Your books are currently being published outside of Nigeria. Let's talk about the money. A lot of people don't think writing can put food on the table. Are you able to live comfortably off your royalties? Do you have a career aside from writing?
JD: I do have a professional career, yes. But one can make tons of money from writing. There's this belief or idea that writing does not pay, but well it depends on the writer. Writing books may not be as lucrative as one may imagine, but there are other forms of writing that actually pays. Nigeria is a growing market and if you do some research you will find out that the media i.e. TV, radio, and cable are in dire need of fresh content. Writers provide the content and are getting paid for it. I make a modest turnover from my books. 

7. If someone came up to you and said they were done with their manuscript and they want to get it published, what would you say the next step is?
JD: Hmmm. I will say that they should first get a seasoned and professional editor to work with. Most publishing houses don't have the patience for sloppy submissions. The writer should also be confident in his/her work; have an idea of his/her target audience and have an understanding of the market forces that influence publishers in his/her environment as well as the foreign market (this is not necessary, but helps with expectations et al). 

8. Let's get you to play the game of "Borrow, Buy, Bury".  Looking back at all the books you've read, choose one book you'd rather borrow; one book you'd shell out your money for; and one book you think was a considerable waste of time.
JD: This is not a very nice game. Most of the books I have read, I bought them. And I don't believe it is right to belittle the effort of any writer, regardless! So, let me refrain from this sport. 

9. Name two novels you've read twice.
JD: Toni Morrison's Paradise and James Baldwin's Another Country. 

10. What do you think about: Life. Love. Music
JD: We all have just one life to live and so must do so knowing that we are responsible for the decisions we make. People will have many opportunities to love and be loved and I believe there are different kinds of love among consenting adults that must be respected. Music is like food to the soul. 

11. What's NEXT for you? Are you working on anything currently?
JD: Yes, I am working on several writing projects at the moment and really cannot discuss them until they are ready for public consumption. 

[Image via Facebook]

11 Questions for Tolulope Popoola | Author Interview

In our dreams it’s much simpler getting our manuscripts published. In the real world however, it is less straightforward thus a growing crop of writers are turning to self-publishing to actualize their dreams of getting published. Tolulope Popoola, aka Favoured Girl , is the creator of the blog series “In My Dreams It Was Much Simpler” which she coauthors with seven other bloggers, all of them characters in the gradually evolving tale of six successful young women who juggle their careers, friendships and the ups and downs of life. That blog series is now a book and Tolulope discusses her journey and how it all began in this revealing interview with Incessant Scribble.

1. You quit Accounting and a paying job to become a full-time writer? A lot of people worry that writing alone cannot pay the bills. Parents nag and children discard their dreams and head into the sciences. Do you regret your decision? Has writing been financially rewarding for you?

I left my accounting job in 2008 because I realised that I would be miserable if I remained an accountant for the rest of my life. I started getting bored with my job, my long commute and the stress of the 9 to 5 routine in 2007, and I started thinking about what job I could do that will bring me fulfilment. Blogging had rekindled my love for writing and the more I thought about it, the more I realised that I will always be happy when I am writing. From then on, it was only a matter of time before I left accounting. I don’t regret my decision at all; because I am now doing something I’m excited and passionate about. In terms of surviving as a fulltime writer, it hasn’t been easy. I’ve had to make some financial sacrifices and let go of a regular income. I’m very blessed to have the support of my husband and my family; otherwise it would have been a much bigger risk.

2. Why did you begin blogging?

I started blogging to express myself and document my thoughts. I used to keep diaries when I was younger, so my first blog became my online diary. I enjoy blogging because it allows me freedom of expression, a place to share my ideas and experiences, and a place to interact with people I might never meet in other circumstances.

3. Don’t you ever worry that the poetry, short stories and other intellectual properties you share with the public on your blog site will be plagiarized? What steps have you taken to forestall that?

No I don’t worry at all. The benefits of having people read my works online far outweigh any risks.

4. When and why did you decide to use different people to write for the different characters in the series instead of just spinning the tales yourself?

I decided to collaborate with other writers because the story has different characters and I wanted each of the characters to have a different voice. I thought it would be more interesting if each character had a very different point of view, but their stories still fitted together. Each writer brings something different to the table, so the end result is better than what I could have done on my own.

5. Your coauthors: Latifat, Icepick, Ayodele, WriteFreak, Flourishing Florida, Diamond Hawk and Jaycee have undoubtedly lent the story an originality and slant that one person’s writing could not have done. How do you all decide where the story is heading, ensure uniformity and smooth out tensions that arise from working with that number of people? How many different countries are you all operating from? Have all of you ever met?

We work together to create the storylines. Each writer comes up with ideas for their character and we have online meetings where we discuss them. Sometimes we disagree, for example, if a writer has an idea that clashes with what another person has planned for their character. But we always come to a compromise and it works well for us. Three of us are based in the States, two are in Nigeria, one is in Ireland and two are in the UK. We haven’t all met, but I had met two members of the team before the series began.

6. Do you have any plans in the future to get boys into this project?

We already have a boy involved in the project! Icepick, who writes for Wole, is a guy and he joined us last Season.

7. How did you get it from blog to book?

We compiled all the posts we had written, edited them and formatted them into a book that we published ourselves. That’s it really.

8. Could you give in detail the roles did Amazon, Lulu, Freado and Bookbuzzr play in the entire process?

Lulu is a website that offers publishing services to writers to get their book. They can also help with distribution of your book on Amazon and other online retail book stores. All the information is available from the Lulu website. Amazon, as most people know, is an online retail site. Bookbuzzr is software on Freado’s website that allows you to upload your manuscript on to their site and displays it in page form – just like a real book, so you can show excerpts to the public. It is a promotional tool that you can put on your blog, or share with readers.

9. What advice do you have for anyone who wants to take your route?

If you are passionate about writing stories and getting yourself heard, then I certainly wouldn’t discourage you. Most writers I know do it because they enjoy it – in other words, they feel compelled to write. Writing requires practice, so make sure you work on it everyday, and read a lot of good books to keep improving.

10. What’s your most ambitious dream?

I’ll have to keep that a secret. I can say though, that I hope to be a best-selling, award-winning author of many books.

11. What’s your favourite non-reading mode of relaxation?

Since you said non-reading, my answer would be watching movies, listening to music and hanging out with my loved ones.

Tolulope Popoola also blogs here, here and here

13 Questions for A. Igoni Barrett | Author Interview

Igoni Barrett is the author of the short story collection, From Caves of Rotten Teeth and was previously the managing editor of Farafina, one of Nigeria’s most vibrant publishing houses. He is partnering with the Silverbird Lifestyle store to produce the BookJam series that brings together writers and their book reading audiences. The fourth edition of this event was held on the 22^nd of May, 2010, had Chimamanda Adichie, Sade Adeniran, Chuma Nwokolo, and Binyavanga Wainaina in attendance as the events guest writers. Here he is in an interview with Incessant Scribble. Enjoy!

1. The BookJam events are becoming more popular among book readers. How did this series begin?
The idea for the BookJam came to me during the “9 Writers, 4 Cities” book tour that I organized in 2009. The success of the tour readings, the fact that the audience responded enthusiastically to the presence on the podium of several writers from different genres and “generations”—if I may use that word—was the germ of the idea. There was also the realization that if I wanted to continue with such programmes I would as a matter of necessity have to find a sponsor who had something to gain other than the goodwill of readers. From thereon in my task was straightforward. To my mind there were only three groups I could approach with this idea: writers, publishers and booksellers. So I approached the publishers and said, ‘Look, you have produced these books and I have an idea that will help you promote them”. And to the bookseller I said, “You have this beautiful store and all these books to sell—my idea will bring in the writers to promote the books and the people to buy them up”. After I received some supportive noises from both parties, I sat down and drew up a format that I felt was best suited to achieve the goals I’d set. And christened it the BookJam.

2. Are there any plans to expand the event to other cities?
Yes there are. One of the reasons I chose Silverbird to work with was because they are in the process of developing a chain of bookstores across Africa. There are ongoing plans to have BookJams in every one of the Silverbird stores. I also believe that any good idea will travel, will evolve. So it’s my hope that one day, sooner than later, universities, secondary and primary schools, libraries, book clubs, village bookshops even, across Africa, will organise their own BookJams. I also hope they will take the format and turn it into something I couldn’t have foreseen. When that happens, if it does, we can begin to talk of success.

3. With the BookJam @ Silverbird you bring writers to their readers. I find it very impressive that admission is free despite all the time and effort that must go into planning, organizing and hosting these events. Clearly Silverbird and your guest writers have been very supportive and generous. Is this trend sustainable? We would all hate to see this vehicle die out.
Admission to the BookJam is free only because it doesn’t make any economic sense to charge our audience. About 70 to 100 people attend each event. What fee can we charge that number of people that isn’t too high for the average Nigerian and yet generates real money for our budgetary needs? 100 naira, 500? The 50 thousand naira we might hope to raise from a gate fee is not worth the risk of having a poorly attended event. The day we have 500 people attend the BookJam, we will consider the possibility of ticket sales.

I should also mention here that though Silverbird and the publishers and authors have indeed been very supportive, we should bear in mind that everybody gets something from this. The BookJam is not a CSR venture; it was devised as a profit-making initiative. The booksellers get publicity and sell books. Ditto the publishers. The audience gets entertained. Even I get something. I like to think of it as enlightened self-interest. As far as I know, that is the only way this sort of programme can ever be sustained—at least without NGO money.

Speaking of support: the BookJam wouldn’t be where it is today without the input of people like Anwuli Ojogwu, who moderates the programme and manages the publicity for each event through Auggust Media, and Sola Kuti of www.switchedonnaija.com, who’s the brilliant designer of the BookJam posters. And there’s QF Photos, which handles the photography for each event. Silverbird Lifestyle store is of course the Maecenas of this project: they provide the budget, the venue, the media firepower.

4. The “9 Writers 4 Cities: The Book Tour” was wonderful. Is that something we will see more of?
Not in the near future. Not except some major corporation or government body decides to sponsor it. To ensure the book tour was a success all the participating writers very kindly put in their time and money, but as the initiator I had to put in more money and time than most. I’m still recovering from that. That’s not to say I regret the experience—without the “9 Writers, 4 Cities” book tour, there wouldn’t be the BookJam today.

5. Recently your short story collection, From Caves of Rotten Teeth, was published. How did it feel to be on the other side of things: sending in your manuscript, waiting for feedback, and working with editors?
My book was published in 2005 and rereleased in 2008. My father, Lindsay Barrett, was the assessor, editor, and publisher. Since its publication I’ve set up an online magazine, I’ve worked as a magazine editor, as a book editor, as an organiser of literary events, as a workshop facilitator—I’ve dirtied my hands in the engine of publishing, so to speak. Whatever feelings I had at the time have been superseded by the realities of the publishing landscape in my beloved country.

6. No doubt you get the “How do I get published?” question a lot. What is your response now based on your personal and professional experiences? Should writers just mail in unsolicited manuscripts? What steps should unpublished writers take?
This advice won’t work for everyone, but it worked for me and many other writers I know. Prove yourself; send your work—short stories, novel excerpts, and poems— to literary magazines, online and print, renowned or obscure. When you get published it builds your confidence, and your résumé.

7. There are many Nigerian authors making their debut on the literary scene. Do you think a lot of these new titles will be read many years from now? Is the quality of work improving or do we still have a lot of work to do in the way we tell our stories?
A few of these books will become canonical, and many won’t. It’s the way of the world. The number of writers producing quality work as has undoubtedly increased, as has the number of writers producing forgettable material. There’s always more work to be done.

8. Self-publishing is a route a lot of people take for varied reasons in their bid to get their books out to an audience. What are your views on self-publishing?
It’s a problematic route. The majority of writers who choose that option are not quite ready to face the rigour of the intelligent reader, and even when a talented writer self-publishes, he or she is most times denied the processes that are required to produce a well-finished book.

9. Have we progressed to the point where writers can live off proceeds and royalty from their literary works?
We don’t need to “progress” to that point—it has always been there, even in the times of the griots and the renaissance poet-dramatists. But same as in any other worldly enterprise, the summit is only meant for a few. There are only a small number of writers who can live comfortably off the proceeds of their art. The rest of us can either look and envy, or strive and hope for a bit of luck.

10. What steps are being taken by the industry to combat piracy?
Wider distribution. Better promotion. Lower prices. It will be a long and dirty fight, and in this one the good guys, unfortunately, are not promised victory.

11. What do you think the Nigerian publishing industry and our indigenous writers need the most?
One area where I think the publishing industry needs support is in the provision of basic infrastructure. Better roads, better schools, constant power—the issues faced by every business in Nigeria. As a writer, I would be happy to have some local writers’ retreat where I could live and write for many months without worrying about where the next meal will come from. But that’s just me.

12. Most times readers complain about how hard it is to find Nigerian titles. A lot of the time these books are available only in the big book stores, which is not where the bulk of our audience is. Why don’t publishing houses have a larger network of stores they distribute to so that the common man on the street who can’t drive to the fancy stores in Lekki, Ikoyi and other affluent areas, will have access to these books?
The publisher’s primary task is to produce books. The bookseller’s job is to sell them. In the UK, Random House doesn’t sell books, WH Smith does. So the question shouldn’t be directed at Nigerian publishers, who’ve done their job. It should be directed at the bookshops in Ajegunle and Borokiri and Gusau, which have refused to seek out the books, to order and stock them. As a book buyer, I’ve asked. The answer I get most times is that there aren’t enough readers amongst “the common man on the street” to make it worthwhile for them to stock anything other than the fastest-selling educational and religious titles.

13. What’s your favorite way to unwind after a long hard day?
Reading.

12 Questions for Sarah Ladipo Manyika | Author Interview

Sarah Ladipo Manyika, author of the novel "In Dependence", was raised in Nigeria and has lived in France, England and Kenya. She has written essays, short stories, book reviews and academic papers some of which have been published. "In Dependence" is her first book and she has gained fans with this touching love story. Here she is in an interview she granted Incessant Scribble. Enjoy!

1. How long did it take you to write this book and get it published?
SLM: It took me several years to write the novel and about two years to find a publisher.

2. Is there a bit of you in this story?
SLM: In Dependence has an autobiographical base only to the extent that I am familiar with the places that I describe. The characters and the story are made up, although, of course there will inevitably be autobiographical elements in characters that are often an amalgam of people that I have known. And I am sure that little bits of me have, from time to time, crept into some of my characters “independent” of any authorial intent.

3. How did you begin writing? How did you get to this point in time?
SLM: At the time that I began to write In Dependence, I was looking for a really good love story set in the geographical locations and historical periods that I was particularly interested in (namely West Africa from the 1960s to present day). I found stories of war and civil strife; of tyranny and of corruption, but where were all the grand amours, the tales of love and heartache? There were, it seemed, very few love stories (and even fewer cross-cultural love stories) set in Africa and because I did not find the stories I was looking for, I wrote one for myself.

4. How did you get published? Do you have any tips for writers at home that want to get published?
SLM: It took a long time to find a publisher for In Dependence. There were many rejections along the way, and I had to learn (and continue to learn) how to deal with disappointment. And so the first tip that I would give any writer is not to get too discouraged by rejections for it happens to all writers. I would also encourage writers to write first and foremost for themselves, and only when they have worked and reworked their writing to think about sending it out. Writing takes a huge amount of time and patience. I think Achebe put it very well in his essay Empire Fights Back, when he said: “For me there are three reasons for becoming a writer. The first is that you have an overpowering urge to tell a story. The second, that you have intimations of a unique story waiting to come out. And the third, which you learn in the process of becoming, is that you consider the whole project worth the considerable trouble – I have sometimes called it terms of imprisonment – you will have to endure to bring it to fruition.”

5. Today parents still live in fear of children they send out returning with foreign women, it is something they dread. Do you think foreign and local attitudes towards interracial marriages have changed significantly since the sixties?
SLM: Yes, I do think attitudes towards interracial marriages have changed and certainly the numbers of interracial marriages seem higher than in the past. In this day and age though, when fewer and fewer marriages seem to last (irrespective of the background of the individuals involved) I think it has become quite clear that any marriage can be challenging.

6. When I look around I see very few prominent females in Nigerian literature. In the days of Achebe, Soyinka, Ekwensi and many other well-known male writers, we had only a few prominent female writers like Buchi Emecheta and Flora Nwapa. More recently we have names like Ben Okri, Jude Dibia, Helon Habila, Chris Abani, Uwem Akpan and many other male writers who have made their mark. The only other female writer just as easily recognized is Chimamanda Adichie. Why do you think our women are not writing their own stories? What do you think should be done to draw them out?
SLM: I would agree that in the 1960s there were few prominent females in Nigerian literature, but today the number of Nigerian women novelists is greater than you might think. Take for example, Sefi Atta, Chika Unigwe, Adaobi Nwaubani, Helen Oyeyemi, Unoma Azuah and Lola Shoneyin, to name but a few. What is also exciting is to see some of our male writers writing strong female characters.

7. The Nigerian publishing industry is not doing well. There are few healthy publishing houses and many struggling writers who are frustrated and “throwing in the pen” in resignation. A lot are turning to self-publishing and there are only a few success stories. What do you think can be done to help our ailing industry? How do you think successful writers can help?
SLM: I think that the biggest thing that we can all do to help the ailing industry is to buy more books. If people don’t buy books, publishing houses cannot survive. It’s as simple as that. If local publishers are not supported, then American and European publishing houses will continue to dictate who and what gets published. There was a time when people complained about the poor production quality of local presses, but I’m happy to say that the production quality and editing done by my Nigerian publishers rivals that of any European or American publisher. Cassava Republic Press is doing a phenomenal job in producing really high quality books in all genres – children’s books, short stories, and novels so that there should be something that will appeal to any reader. As you can see, I’m extremely proud of my publisher and hope that readers will support them and other fledgling publishers in Nigeria.

8. Not enough is being done to encourage arts and writing. Not enough is being done to bring young ones into the industry and fine-tune their skills. How do you think that can be remedied?
SLM: What you are doing on your blog is great – thank you! I would encourage each of us to support the arts and artists in whatever way we can. For some this might mean buying more books, for others this might mean encouraging schools and universities to think about adding new writers to their curriculum, for others it might mean featuring writers and artists on their blogs and writing reviews, for others it might mean mentoring young writers. There are endless ways that we can all help even more than we already do. Although there is still so much to be done, I’m very optimistic that things are beginning to move in the right direction.

9. This book is bound to leave an impression on readers and get them thinking. Do you have any interesting feedback from readers you can share with us?
SLM: The very first email that I received on my website still makes me smile. It came from Lagos and went something like this …
Dear Sarah
Your book sounds interesting but please, what I REALLY want to know is where you bought your necklace.
But on a more serious note, I’ve been very touched by the emails I’ve received from readers who have found something that spoke to them in the novel. Quite a few readers have said that they would like to see the book turned into a film.

10. Whose works do you read most frequently?
SLM: Having grown up in different parts of Africa (Nigeria and Kenya), I have always been drawn by stories set in the continent, and now that I live abroad I find myself particularly drawn to immigrant stories. I have, for example, always loved the work of Sembene Ousmane (film, short stories and novels). Another favourite writer is James Baldwin who writes clearly and simply with a keen eye for detail, a deep understanding of history and a subtle sense of humour. I am drawn to many of Chinua Achebe’s essays for the same reasons as well as to Teju Cole’s new and brilliant work, Every Day is for the Thief. Recently, I’ve been reading and enjoying more short stories. I love the social satire in Edith Wharton’s stories, just as I love the eye for the diasporic in Jhumpa Lahiri and Rishi Reddi’s work and the startling innovativeness of Haruki Murakami. I am increasingly drawn to women writers, returning to writers such as Virginia Woolf and Mariama Ba and discovering newer writers such as Marilyn Robinson, Laila Lalami and Petina Gappah.

11. What do you think about life, love and music?
SLM: Life, love and music … where does one start?! I’ll take the easy way out and say that if a reader wants a glimpse into some of my thoughts on all of the above, they can start with my novel and short stories. But I’m particularly glad you brought up the subject of music because music features quite prominently in In Dependence and few people have asked about it. One of the beauties of the period that I was writing about was that it brought together such incredible musical talent ranging from Sarah Vaughan to Fela Kuti and Miriam Makeba, all of which feature in the novel.

12. Why don’t you have a Facebook account?
SLM: What a great question! There is a Facebook fan page for In Dependence that was kindly started by a reader and yet, you are right to notice that I’m not on Facebook. I am very tempted to join, but I fear that if I join it will be just one more excuse to keep me away from writing. I already spend far too much time on line, hence why I have not joined Facebook … not yet ;)

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11 Questions for Uwem Akpan | Author Interview

Uwem Akpan, the brilliant author of "Say You're One of Them" (one of the most impressive debuts of 2008), fields questions from Incessant Scribble's Osondu Awaraka:

1. How did you get news of Oprah’s endorsement?

Thanks for coming to interview me…Oprah herself called me. I was so excited about that call. I was talking to a parishioner in our parish in Mushin, Lagos. In some ways it was strange. It took me quite a while to take it in. To tell you the fact, I have not recovered yet. It’s one of those things you can’t even dream of, you know what I mean? I used to think Oprah calls people like Obama and Beyonce…not some priest working in a slum in Lagos! Endorsement pass endorsement, as we say in Nigeria.

2. How did it feel to sit down with Oprah and answer questions from her and all the people who wanted to let you know how much your book has inspired and affected them? Was it surreal at anytime?

Yes, that is the word to use “surreal”. Yes, to be in that studio and be communicating with Anderson Cooper of CNN and all the folks on Skype was something else….But it was very nice to be there because Oprah is a good host. She makes you relax. She is very down to earth. Now I know that what you see on that TV is what you get when you meet her in person. I think this is why America loves and adores her.

3. Was it difficult to get this book published? How did it happen?

It should have been difficult but it was not. Once my first story got into the New Yorker mag in my first year of writing school, four big publishers asks me for contracts. But I was not ready yet and delayed for a year when my second story got into the New Yorker. Then 12 publishers became interested. I got an agent who ran an auction in New York City for them. There were two others in the UK and Italy.

4. Why did you delay? I mean why did you not secure a contract after the first story?

I wanted to be sure of the terrain. This was something new. I just was not ready. I wanted to finish writing school. So I waited till I finished writing school, till my heart said yes.

5. Your prose is candid in its description of the horrors these children face. There is the use of the f-word in one part of the book; there is that disturbing scene with Fofo Kpee in “Fattening for Gabon”. Did your office as a Jesuit priest force you to censor your prose in any way?

Did you tone down or take out scenes people might deem inappropriate for a priest to describe? No one tells me what to write or how to write. I must say though that my editors suggested that I shortened some painful passages for the sake of the readers and also that I should dilute the pidgin English for the sake of Western readers…there was just no way I could have done either of this. So to answer your question, my priestly vocation did not hinder my candid description of the horrors these children face. Why should it?

6. Islam and religion in general are subjects people handle very delicately. Did you worry about how readers would react to “Luxurious Hearses”?

It was a difficult story to write. But there comes a time you just want to write and say what you think should be said. I have criticized even my Church in that story. If the Christians had forgiven Jubril at the end, things would have been different. But they did not. And what does that say about Christians? Some Muslims also came out very well in the story, like the man who hid Jubril at the risk of having his whole household killed…I think people are very afraid to confront these issues or even to count the bodies after every religious conflict in Nigeria. So the local press normally brings down the death figures to check reprisal violence…followed by a hasty mass burial by the government, instead of fishing out the big politicians who instigate these killings. I think fiction allows you to enter more fully into something like this. We need this dialogue in Nigeria. We need this dialogue in our world. You can’t have that dialogue when the killing is raging. We should have this sincere dialogue when things are calm.

7. You bagged a creative writing degree in 2006. Why did you take the course? Had you already begun penning any of these short stories?

I knew I needed to improve my writing. I knew my writing could be better. And the University of Michigan writing program did that for me. Yes, I had already written the first drafts of most of the stories before I got there. So I applied what I learnt in the program to my work. Writing programs may not be for everybody though. You need to have a sense of what you need to develop your writing. I had nobody to show my work to, as all our successful writers live abroad.

8. Yes, our most prominent writers are overseas. Writers and artists in Nigeria are terribly frustrated. You’ve been there; you know how bad it can get. What do you think needs to be done to create a healthy publishing industry and a conducive environment for writers?

First, the government must do something about education. Are children writing essays in school? Are the teachers marking these essays? I say this because a lot of people want to write in a place like Nigeria, but they just don’t have the basics! Many university students would like to write; they want to work, but too many of them can’t even write letters when they graduate. It is a serious embarrassment to the country. The teachers are not treated well too. Employers in Nigeria are equally very frustrated by what the university churns out…it is into this system, if it is working, that you introduce writing programs. South Africa is beginning to do this. America and Europe are doing this. Second, a few good publishing houses are coming up. They are still fragile, but I believe they will grow with time. They need the financial muscle and clear vision to hire editors, people who will groom a young talented Nigeria writer. These editors need to be paid well, that way they can focus. Editing someone’s work is not a joke. It is not something you do while on the side you are running a kiosk selling bread and udara. If this happens, the publishing houses can publish great stories or books and then be in a position to sell the rights to foreign publishers. What is happening now is the reverse. And maybe it is like our crude oil now. We have the crude oil, but no working refinery. What to do? We send the crude abroad and then bring in the refined product. Why can’t we refine that oil in the Niger Delta? Why can’t we groom our writers at home? Third, we don’t need the kind of show of shame that was on parade in Abuja a few weeks ago during the NLG Nigeria Prize for Literature. That night should not be for politicians, but writers. But I heard the shortlisted writers did not even have invitation cards and were not there!

9. Who are your favorite authors?

I am very eclectic. Otherwise, I keep going back to the Bible.

10. What do you do to relax?

I watch soccer. I take long rides. I visit families. I eat out with friends. The parish, I have to say is a busy place with more than 13,000 parishioners. So you may not be able to get away to do these things.

11. Do you have any scheduled book tours and book signings?

Yes, I am going around the USA now, reading and answering questions and signing books. As soon as my book is published in Nigeria in January I will do the same.

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10 Questions for Onyeka Nwelue | Author Interview

Onyeka Nwelue's debut novel The Abyssinian Boy, published by Dada Books will be in bookstores soon. The Book Launch will hold at The National Library, Yaba on the 24th of January, 2009 by 12 noon. The book launch is open to the general public, so try to be there.

Onyeka has been so busy with preparations, I could only interview him via email. Enjoy!

1) Tell us how you felt when you held a copy of your book
ON: I felt like no one existed, except me and the book. I wanted to cry. I wanted to hold anyone I saw and say, ‘Na me write this. You don read am. You fit write am?’ (Laughs)

2) Who would you say are your literary influences?
ON: I have a lot of influences. Wole Soyinka was my earlier influence. At the moment, I look to Salman Rushdie, Arundhati Roy and Ian McEwan. Mr. McEwan makes British writing seem unBritish; anyone can connect with his humour. Roy and Rushdie just shaped Indian writing in English. And they are fantastic!

3) Tell us about The Abyssinian Boy.
ON: The Abyssinian Boy is my own tale about people navigating between cultures; it’s my take on the things I like, the way I want the world to look like, because in my opinion, I believe that a writer’s work is his own imagination of the world and how he would want it to look like. It’s a simple story about a child who gets haunted by a ghost, how he gets inflicted with a brain illness and the struggle of alienation.

4) You’re twenty-one. I know a lot of your peers who live solely for parties, girls, booze and getting a college degree. What helped you focus on this project some people might consider intimidating, emotion sapping, time consuming and “boring”?
ON: (Laughs) I also ‘live’ for parties, girls, booze and a college degree. But the thing is that I don’t let those things distract me from my ‘profession’. This is what I want to do for eternity- writing full-time. And yes, writing a novel could be ‘boring’ for some writers as they have said, but for one single moment, I never felt bored writing my novel, delving into the world of the dwarves, watching David frown and smile, seeing Swathi make her jams everyday and Vimala ‘sashaying’. I wouldn’t agree with the claim that writing a novel is intimidating, emotion sapping and time consuming; I think you can say that when you are forced to write. No one can do that to me. I’m always true to myself and follow my heartbeat.

5) Writers all over the country often ask how to get published, what’s your answer to that question now?
ON: My answer is that they should persevere and be patient. I know this is an old clichéd saying, but I think that’s that.

6) What do you think about self-publishing, knowing its ill effects and given that it helped Helon Habila get his book noticed?
ON: Self-publishing is very good, if you can’t persevere or can’t be patient. But in a way it degrades the writer in the eyes of the reader, like the reader is being forced to read your sister? While the standard method of publishing is you waiting for that publishing house to take years to respond to you and if you are fortunate you’d be accepted. In self-publishing, the writer takes up the whole task of designing layout, formatting the book, printing, marketing and doing all what not, which is not easy. I do praise the writers who tread that path.

7) Name two books you’ve read a second time.
ON: Unfortunately, I’ve read The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy over 50 times. (Laughs) And recently, I’ve been addicted to Amit Chaudhuri’s A strange and Sublime Address. I have read it more than five times.

8) What do you think about Music, Life, Love and Books?
ON: I think of Music as Life. Music inspired most parts of my novel and while I was tapping away on my laptop, I listened to all tracks in Timaya’s first album. They helped me keep track of where I wanted to get with this book. And then, there’s this particular Hindi song, ‘Agar Tum Mil Jao’, that made me feel that Life is not only Love, but Music.

9) What do you think of writers in Blogville? Any words for them?

ON: I think of them as writers who don’t follow rules, which is good. Words for them? Well, I can only say: keep writing and perfecting your art!

10) What’s NEXT?
ON: Let me present it to public first, then I will know what’s next, if anyone would be buying me a car. (laughs). And then, I will polish my handwriting for autographs and learn how to talk politely to girls. And then, write that ‘idyllic’ Nsukka story I always wanted to write.