AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Chinedu Enechi

An interview with author Chinedu Enechi.

 

Hi! Welcome to Zigzag Timeline. Can you tell us about your background as an author?

My name is Chinedu Enechi, a graduate of Philosophy from University of Nigeria Nsukka. I was born into the family of Mr. and Late Mrs. Joseph Nwabueze Enechi. I’m the third son from the family of five, four boys and a girl. I started writing when I was in secondary school. It something I love doing. I see writing as a way of expressing my feelings and reaching out to people. There are things I can’t express through speech but I do that through writing. If am annoyed or happy, you will know that from my writing.

What got you into writing?

I find that I am happy when I write. My friends and family encouraged me.

What was the first idea you had for your book, and how did the story grow from there?

Well my first idea was to write about my late mother, her early life and how she suffered to get where she was. Then I was in my first year at university and she was still alive. Then, I started talking to friends about the osu/olu caste system because it’s something I saw after school.

Among your characters, who’s your favorite? Could you please describe him/her?

My favorite character is Ifechidere. She is dark in complexion, has an oval-shaped face, and has long legs.

What’s your favorite scene from your novel? Could you please describe it?

My favorite scene was when Ifechidere and Uba got the go-ahead for their marriage. They had previously been prevented from doing so because of the osu/olu tradition.

What’s your favorite part of writing? Plotting? Describing? Scene? Dialogue?

Describing.

How long does it take you to write a book? Do you have a writing process, or do you wing it?

Hmm… I don’t have a particular time-frame, but I started writing Ifechidere when I was in my first year in university. That was in 2008 and it was published in 2016. I’m not always in a hurry to publish cos one things can change within the plot.

What is it about the genre you chose that appeals to you?

Well I chose to write romance and include social issues, because of ill practices I have witnessed or heard about. It is a way of speaking against some ill-treatment on my follow human beings. I believe we should treat others the way we want them to treat us.

Are there any books or writers that have had particular influence on you?

Yes, late Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Adichie, Chioma Nnani, and the late Buchi Emecheta. 

Did you ever surprise yourself when you were writing your book? Characters who took on lives of their own? Plot elements that took unexpected turns?

Yes. Sometimes I might not know how to begin a story but when I start, I end up writing pages or even chapters.

Thanks for stopping by!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ifechidere tells the story of a young, Nigerian woman who finds herself orphaned by the time she is six years old. The determination of the titular character, Ifechidere - which means 'destiny' - to thrive despite the absence of a fairy godmother, is based on the real life story of the author's mother, and will appeal to lovers of Young Adult fiction.

The Fearless Storyteller House Emporium Ltd (www.chiomannani.com/company)

ISBN: 978-978-54707-41 (Kindle)

ISBN: 978-978-54707-58 (EPUB)

Publication date: November 30, 2016 

74 pages

Ifechidere is available on Amazon, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble (Nook), Okadabooks .

This is the Goodreads page.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chinedu Enechi is a Philosophy graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is also undertaking his MA studies in Political and Social Philosophy at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. This is his first book.

He can be found on Amazon, Twitter and Facebook.  

Welcome to the cover reveal for ENTANGLED SOULS by Dorothy Dreyer. This new adult paranormal novella is part of Ednah Walters' Runes Universe Kindle Worlds launch, releasing April 18th.

Entangled Souls by Dorothy Dreyer

Her whole life, Lexi has known that the voices she hears in her head—omens and harbingers of important things to come—are part of being a witch. But what she doesn’t know is that a soul has escaped its reaping while on her family’s property. 

When handsome stranger Caden shows up on his motorcycle to tour the vineyard she grew up on, she isn’t aware that he is a Valkyrie searching for the lost soul. All she knows is that the deep attraction she feels for him is undeniable. 

 When Caden finds out Lexi is a witch and asks her to help him track down the soul, Lexi must come to terms with the fact that Caden is immortal and decide if her feelings for a soul reaper are worth the risks.

About the Author 

Dorothy Dreyer is a Philippine-born American living in Germany with her husband, two teens, and two Siberian Huskies. She is an Amazon category bestselling author of young adult and new adult books that usually have some element of magic or the supernatural in them. Aside from reading, she enjoys movies, chocolate, take-out, traveling, and having fun with friends and family. She tends to sing sometimes, too, so keep her away from your Karaoke bars. 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

BNG FRIDAY: The Adventure of the Brass Lamp

Every Friday until its publication, I'm going to blog something about Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme, a YA sci-fi anthology featuring tech-savvy heroines. The goal is to encourage more girls to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math careers. Revenues from sales of the anthology will be donated to a scholarship fund through the Society of Women Engineers. 

Today, I'm spotlighting one of the stories that will be featured in the anthology. This one's a super fun steampunk mystery reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes. I loved the quirky and spirited style of the story, and knew pretty much at once that it'd be awesome for Brave New Girls :-)

TITLE

The Adventure of the Brass Lamp 

AUTHOR

M.L.D. Curelas

STORY DESCRIPTION

​In this steampunk tale, Carrie Wheelwright uses her anti-burglary device to solve the mystery of the stolen submersible plans.

AUTHOR BIO

M.L.D. Curelas lives in Calgary, Canada, with two humans and a varying number of guinea pigs.

Raised on a diet of Victorian literature and Stephen King, it's unsurprising that she now writes and edits fantasy and science fiction. Her most recent short fiction appears in the anthology Corvidae; in addition to Brave New Girls: Stories of Girls Who Science and Scheme, upcoming work will appear in Equus. Margaret is also the owner of Tyche Books, a Canadian small-press which publishes science fiction and fantasy.

Twitter: @tychebooks 

THOUGHTS ON BRAVE NEW GIRLS

Having a young daughter has raised my awareness of how much representation matters. Her delight in discovering stories about girls having adventures and doing things has inspired me to write stories that will similarly delight other girls and women.

 

BRAVE NEW GIRLS: STORIES OF GIRLS WHO SCIENCE & SCHEME will be released in August 2017!

ADD IT ON GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34197584-brave-new-girls?ac=1&from_search=true

SIGN UP FOR THE RELEASE DAY MAILING LIST: http://eepurl.com/bgBmvD

VISIT THE BRAVE NEW GIRLS WEBSITE: http://bravenewgirls.weebly.com/

Today I’m helping reveal the cover for Life and Death, a YA paranormal/fantasy by Selenia Paz, 2012 Honor winner of Lee & Low Publishing’s New Voices award. The book releases from Snowy Wings Publishing on April 4!  Cover designed by Key of Heart Designs 

Title: Life & Death 
Author: Selenia Paz 
Release Date: April 4, 2017 
Publisher: Snowy Wings Publishing 

When Natalia’s younger brother disappears while on a visit to Mexico, Natalia is certain that La Llorona, the mythical Weeping Woman, has taken him. Her friend Miguel agrees to accompany her back to Mexico in the hopes that it will help him deal with the recent death of his grandfather. But as they embark on a journey to search for the creature that has taken Natalia’s brother, it becomes apparent that the spirits Miguel had brushed aside as mere legend are very real... and they have a dark connection to his family. 

Add Life & Death on Goodreads! 

 Learn more about Selenia Paz at her website, www.seleniapaz.com, or visit her on social media: Twitter: @seleniapaws, Instagram: @noonvale

And here's the full wrap!

The Writing Process: A Guest Post by John Ukah

The Writing Process:

-        Making the transition to published author in a country like Nigeria

-        My writing hopes for the future.

by John Ukah

My name is John Ukah. I grew up in Benin City, Edo State of Nigeria. I am a graduate of Business Administration from the University of Benin, Benin City. I have just published my first book ‘Murder at Midnight’.

There are several motivations for writing. Sometimes a story needs to be told and comes to you.  I have always kept a personal journal. Writing is cathartic and exhilarating for me. A number of authors have influenced or inspired me especially detective crime novels by Agatha Christie and Stephen King’s books. I am inspired by talented writers who are masters of the craft of storytelling. Superb writers who create vivid and unforgettable characters. I am inspired by books that are a voyage of self-discovery. There was no conscious decision to be a writer. Writing has always been a part of me.

The writing process for me begins with my imagination. I have a natural tendency to write stories. My writing is inspired by conversations with others and personal experiences. A fertile imagination gives wings to such experiences or conversations. The story in my first book took shape after I was awakened at night by unusual footsteps outside my door. My imagination took flight. The story is about a young lady who discovered a dark secret and was murdered in a guesthouse at midnight.

The writing process requires focus and doggedness. Much like any other endeavor, writing evolves and gets better with constant practice. We get better at what we do constantly. The hardest thing, in my experience, is the ability to make space or time for your writing. Life happens and other things distract or compete for your time.

As the story takes shape and the characters become solid in my mind, I do some research and make a lot of notes. I prepare broad outlines and chapter plans. I write a few chapters at a time and not necessarily in a sequential order. I edit them over and over again. It is useful to get feedback from a reader.

The characters often take on lives of their own and your carefully arranged plot takes a different hue or direction. This was what happened when writing my first book. The story turned out differently from what I planned from the beginning. I had to stay true to the characters I had created.

Every book is an adventure of its own. The process can take anywhere from a couple of months to several years. The rough draft of ‘Murder At Midnight’ was completed in about five months. Interestingly, I did not publish the book until several years later.

Publishing is not an easy road in Nigeria. Rejections may come from publishers and keeping focus is important. Even when you think the work is good, it can still be better.  It helps to meet the right people who are willing to assist in the publishing effort. I had a ready manuscript and my publishing company was interested in my kind of work. We fit like a glove. My publisher made it a seamless process. I had no major challenges after we met and agreed a publishing deal.

Readers can expect more exciting books from me. I am currently working on a detective thriller. It is a saga of love, pitiful criminalities, investigations, assumptions and deceits.

‘Murder At Midnight’ is available on Amazon. If you are in Nigeria and unable to order off Amazon, it is also on Okadabooks.com

http://okadabooks.com/book/about/murder_at_midnight/12609

My social media links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/john.ukah
Twitter:@JohnUkah

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: John Ukah

An interview with John Ukah, author of Murder At Midnight.

 

Hi! Welcome to Zigzag Timeline. Can you tell us about your background as an author?
I am delighted to be here. My name is John Ukah. I have just published my first book ‘Murder at Midnight”. I have several other unpublished stories. I also write on topical issues in Nigerian newspapers and on social media.

What got you into writing?
I have always kept a personal journal. Writing is therapeutic. The books I have read also influenced my writing.

What was the first idea you had for your book, and how did the story grow from there?

The story took shape after I was awakened at night by unusual footsteps outside my door. My imagination took flight. The story is about a young lady who discovered a dark secret and was murdered in a guesthouse at midnight.

Almost every other guest at the Lodge appeared to have had a motive to kill her

Among your characters, who's your favorite? Could you please describe him/her?

Mrs. Marshall is my favourite character. She’s tall with striking facial features. She has engaging round eyes which remind one of an owl. Her protruding ears hear far more than others around her. She is observant and her caustic remarks create tension and ill-feelings.

What's your favorite scene from your novel? Could you please describe it?

It is the crux of the story. The scene where a young lady is found brutally murdered in her bedroom.

Excerpt from Murder at Midnight:

I looked at Ayuba, who shrugged his shoulders. So, I put my shoulder to the door. The door was quite good, but my shoulder was better. The door flew off the hinges, when I smashed into it. We rushed in and met a gory sight. Maria was lying face up on her bed; her eyes were open and staring in what seemed to be surprise, at the ceiling. Hear mouth hung slightly open. A butcher knife was buried deep in her chest and the bedsheets were caked with dried blood. I did not need a doctor to tell me that she was dead. Ayuba gasped in shock and Mrs. Marshall screamed and fell forward. I caught hold of her, just in time to avoid a nasty fall.
“She is dead!” said Ayuba, in a strangled voice. Shock and dismay were boldly written on his face. It dawned on me that this was the same room in which a young lady had hung herself earlier in the year. Was it a room of death?

What's your favorite part of writing? Plotting? Describing scenes? Dialogue?

I love dialogues.

How long does it take you to write a book? Do you have a writing process, or do you wing it?

Every book is an adventure of its own. It can take anywhere from a couple of months to several years. My writing is inspired by conversations with others and personal experiences. A fertile imagination gives wings to such experiences or conversations. I do some research. Make a lot of notes. I prepare broad outlines and chapter plans. I write a few chapters at a time and not necessarily in a sequential order. I edit them over and over again. It is useful to get feedback from a reader.

What is it about the genre you chose that appeals to you?

Detective thrillers and horror novels are my favourite genres. My love for writers like Stephen King, Patricia Cornwell, James Patterson, Agatha Christie and Dean Koontz pulls me to these genres.

Are there any books or writers that have had particular influence on you?

A number of authors have influenced or inspired me. Especially detective crime novels by Agatha Christie and Stephen King’s books. I am inspired by talented writers who are masters of the craft of storytelling. Superb writers who create vivid and unforgettable characters

Did you ever surprise yourself when you were writing your book? Characters who took on lives of their own? Plot elements that took unexpected turns?
This was what happened when writing my book. The characters took on lives of their own and the plot took a different direction. The story turned out differently from what I planned from the beginning. I had to stay true to the characters I had created.

Thanks for stopping by!

Murder At Midnight tells the story of an ex-police officer, Alex Simpson who happens to be at the Kinging Guest Lodge, each time a guest dies. The fact that on this occasion, there are eight suspects (including himself) who appear to have motives, when a young woman is killed in her bedroom, is something that will appeal to lovers of crime fiction and murder mysteries.

The Fearless Storyteller House Emporium Ltd (www.chiomannani.com/company)

ISBN: 978-978-54707-03 (Kindle)

ISBN: 978-978-54707-10 (EPUB)

Publication date: November 15, 2016 

131 pages

The author, John Ukah is a banker who was educated at the University of Benin in Nigeria. This is his first book.

He can be found on Twitter and Facebook.

Murder At Midnight is available on Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble (Nook),and Okadabooks. This is the Goodreads page.