COMING SOON TO BOOKSTORES NEAR YOU

Image Credit: thegospelcoalition.com

Hey guys! I'm writing a book  i'm actually writing books, but there's a particular one that is already at the final stages of its writing process. But before I tell you more about it, let's talk a bit about writing and writers.

I love reading a lot; I love the intellectual challenge it gives, and that is why I've been doing it since childhood. Some of my favourite authors are; Amanda Quick, Michael ferns, John Grisham, Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Elechi Amadi . . .just to name a few. I also love Chimamanda Adichie! 

But do we really appreciate writing here in Nigeria? Is the average Nigerian willing to just sit down and burn hours reading? Wouldn't he/she rather gossip with a neighbour about the fight they saw in a bus, or the dress that girl wore to church(LoL). I get amazed witnessing book signings abroad; you see a very long queue of people, fans of a writer standing for hours just to get the writer's signature and maybe a picture. Then you hear stories of people like J.K Rowling (author of Harry Potter) making millions of dollars for her work. It gets me thinking, how many Nigerian authors can actually brag about that? Even the popular ones? . . .no wonder they all go abroad to publish.

Yeah, the common excuse most writers give is; '' we are doing it because we love it, not because of money'' , Story! If you don't eat from the labours of your hands, what will you eat from then? Piracy has really crippled writing in recent times. I know musicians will want to say ''we are suffering piracy too!'' But I think it's effect is more on writers. Musicians can do gigs here and there to make up for it somehow, but writers don't have gigs! That book is all they have! So you see why I say piracy is evil? It is. . .really really evil.

Image Credit: publishingperspectives.com

I wonder if there's a way out, some writers are even calling for the death penalty as punishment for any book pirate caught, and I think I support them  Lol. Another thing is, why can't we strengthen our copyright and intellectual property laws? It shouldn't end at cooperate affairs commission registering your intellectual work or even giving you an ISBN number, will they actually give you cover when problems arise? Well these are some thoughts I have even before I publish my book. But that not withstanding, pirates can't kill my zeal for writing  so i'd just leave you with one of my favourite excerpts from the book, keep your fingers crossed it might be published sooner than you expect.

''I'm christain and I met him, he was wonderful, everything a woman could dream of. . .showered me with words, care, love and I fell hard! But then things started falling apart, stress started setting in, and I started to realise all the things that were wrong with the relationship in the first place or at least I think I did. . .or was I wrong to assume that it was part of the problems? Our every waking moment is filled with it isn't it?. . .'' (Excerpt from: 'How I fell in love with a Muslim')