Dr. Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu is the Chicago-based writer of Zahrah the Windseeker, a children's novel that takes place in a highly technological world based on Nigerian myths and culture.
Her recently released The Shadow Speaker (Hyperion Books, 2007) is set in the countries of Niger and Nigeria. It was a finalist for the Essence Magazine Literary Award and a nominee for an NAACP Image Award. The Shadow Speaker was also a Booksense Pick for Winter 2007/08.
She is the winner of the 2007/08 Macmillan Writer's Prize for Africa. Her winning unpublished children's book, Long Juju Man, a story about a Nigerian girl's encounters with an irritating crafty ghost, will be published by Macmillan in 2008.
She will be a special guest at this year's Diversicon in Minnesota and is an active voice in the Carl Brandon Society among others. A warm and engaging writer with a great imagination and lively sense of humor, I've met her on a several occasions and had a chance to ask her a few questions:
What are you working on these days, artistically?
Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu: I'm always working on something. :-). But for the last month, I've suddenly started writing a part two to The Shadow Speaker. I didn't intend to; sequels are not my thing. But my sister Ifeoma kept bothering me about it. She pointed out some interesting loose ends and points of possibility at the end of The Shadow Speaker that really got my mind churning. Soon things started to germinate and I just started knocking it out. Right now, I've got over two hundred very messy pages with holes, gaps, typos, inconsistencies, etc. But the story is here; it's ALIVE! I'm not sure if it's YA or adult, though. I'll worry about that when I finish.
I'm also working on an adult fantasy novel called Black Locusts. Its set in Nigeria's oil-rich but troubled Niger Delta. That one is far more polished.
What's been the biggest challenge for you, as a writer?
NOM: Finding time to write as my daughter's naps shrink and disappear. I used to get a lot of my writing done when she was asleep. I'd do all other work when she was awake, since it didn't require such deep concentration. Now that she's 4, her naps are almost gone and I've had to adjust. I teach four classes at two universities, too, and have some other things going on in my life that take up time. It's a grand juggling act. But I'm surprised to say that I'm managing.
How did you first get into writing?
NOM: I took a creative writing class in my sophomore year in college. Prior, I had never even thought to write fiction. But I was a heavy reader and I liked to write long colorful letters to friends.
What are some of your favorite themes and ideas to work with?
NOM: Identity, the environment, gender issues, the hero/heroine's journey, self-sacrifice and Africa-ness.
Who's on your reading list these days?
NOM: Alice and Wonderland (since people keep comparing my books to it. I've seen the Disney movie a thousand times but read the book a long long time ago)
The Art of War (another reread)
Acacia
The Name of the Wind (I've read Pat's earlier draft but not the finished polished perfect end product yet)
A Long Way Gone
Do you have any advice for emerging writers?
NOM: Keep writing and reading. I had to write about three novels (one that was 500 pages…and this novel introduced me to the world you'll find in both of my published novels) before I wrote something publishable.
When I was writing these, I didn't care about getting published. I was doing it for the love. This allowed me to really hone and develop my skills without the rejection process, editors, outside opinion and deadlines breathing down my back. Take your time.
I've loved reading since I was very young. I feel like much of what I leaned happened by osmosis, as I consumed book after book after book. You must read to be a writer. Also if you don't like to read, why should other people like to read your work?
Lastly, don't give up. Writing is much more challenging and time consuming than people think. There are sacrifices you have to make to produce written work. When you face those sacrifices, it helps to know this.
Bunraku is Japan's professional puppet theater. Developed primarily in the 17th and 18th centuries, it is one of the four forms of Japanese classical theater, the others being kabuki, noh, and kyogen.
The term bunraku comes from Bunraku-za, the name of the only commercial bunraku theater to survive into the modern era.
Bunraku is also called ningyo joruri, a name that points to its origins and essence. Ningyo means "doll" or "puppet," and joruri is the name of a style of dramatic narrative chanting accompanied by the three-stringed shamisen. This exhibition from a show in Kyoto found on Youtube.
From Naomi Chu, Executive Director of the APCC effort in Minnesota (612-282-1915), nchu@apccmn.org:
The Asian Pacific Cultural Center is pleased to announce that two generous donors have issued a challenge to the community to match their $50,000 commitment to the Asian Pacific Cultural Center (APCC) by the end of 2008. APCC is now looking for contributions from the community to reach the $50,000 match.
A total of $100,000 in commitments to APCC will provide adequate funding and ensure stable operations through the 2009 legislative session, during which APCC will re-submit its request for state bonding. APCC was awarded $5 million from the Minnesota State Legislature for the re-development of a portion of the former Hamm’s Brewery in St. Paul during the 2008 session, but the award was line-item vetoed by Governor Pawlenty in May 2008.
Your contribution now will double the impact and support for APCC. To make a contribution, go to the APCC web site, http://www.apccmn.org/ and click on “contribute”, or you can send a gift to the Asian Pacific Cultural Center, P.O. Box 4097, St. Paul, MN 55104.
Over the past two months, the APCC Board of Directors and staff have weighed the organization’s options following the line-item veto. Through discussions with legislative leaders, community leaders, and APCC’s foundation and corporate partners, it was determined APCC will continue to focus on developing the former Hamm’s Brewery, and will pursue state support during the 2009 legislative session.
The Asian Pacific Cultural Center mission is to celebrate, promote, and foster understanding of Asian Pacific cultural heritage. APCC is a nonprofit organization engaged in providing all Minnesotans the opportunity to further their understanding of Minnesota’s Asian Pacific communities and their cultures. APCC will provide space to Asian Pacific community organizations, and serve all Minnesotans through art, music, dance, education, and language studies; while creating bridges for inter-generational and inter-ethnic understanding.
APCC’s efforts are currently directed toward funding and building a new destination place for Minnesotans: a 55,000 square foot Asian Pacific Cultural Center facility. Proposed as part of a mixed-use re-development of the former Hamm’s Brewery on Minnehaha Avenue in St. Paul, the facility will include a theater/cinema, a large banquet hall and kitchen, a multimedia/resource library, and multiple classrooms and offices.
The Center for Lao Studies is initiating a Lao Oral History Archive project in 2009.
Program Dates: June 15 - August 10, 2009
As part of the Loft Literary Center's day-long celebration of poetry in Minneapolis on Saturday, September 13th, I'll be on a special panel, "Promoting Your Poetry, Promoting Yourself."
It was a big weekend celebrating the release of On The Other Side Of The Eye with friends. Thanks to all of you who came out to show your love and support!
We started off with a visit to The Lounge in Minneapolis where the social diva Joy Elliott (http://www.thesocialdiva.com/ ) was hosting a great happy hour promoting a number of things including Otho's and Cooley's Anemia Foundation, a cause I've great sympathy for. Thanks, Joy for a fun happy hour.
The journey to Amazon Bookstore was thrown off a little by someone failing to inform me that the 46th Street bridge AND the 50th street bridges were both under construction. And Twins traffic wasn't much of a help either, plowing through downtown. But it was absolutely worth the trip.
Amazon Bookstore is one of the great independent bookstores of the Twin Cities and I hope more people come by to support them.
As I've mentioned before, we had the amazing talents of Katie Ka Vang, who has continued to demonstrate her amazing versatility and talent as well as Brandon Lacy Campos and Saymoukda Vongsay, author of the chapbook No Regrets.
I couldn't have asked for a better example of the amazing talent and diversity of writers in the Twin Cities. We had a packed house of both familiar friends and some all new faces, and I appreciate everyone who came by.
We gave away some great door prizes- a t-shirt by longtime friend and NY-based artist David Berube (http://dberube-art.blogspot.com/ ), a rare graphopoetics poster of my collaboration with Quillan Roe, a copy of a very special collection of my poetry, and other goodies.
But what's happened in a year?
On The Other Side Of The Eye has made it's way onto 4 continents, at least 9 countries including Japan, Iran, Austria, Denmark, England, Bangladesh, Canada, Australia and of course the US (at least 21 out of 50 states). It's going to be taught in at least one classroom as a whole, and other classrooms are using poems that appear within it.
It's been covered in several magazines and newspapers across the country, and we've traveled widely across the country presenting it to colleges and community events. Heck, even Neil Gaiman has a copy of On The Other Side Of The Eye, although I can't say for certain he's read it. He is a busy man after all. ;)
But of course the real news was regarding the follow-ups, and that 3 books of mine will come into print by the end of 2009: Barrow, Winter Ink and Reviews. Barrow and Reviews will be released in 2009 by Sam's Dot Publishing, while Winter Ink will be released by the Minnesota Center for the Book Arts this year.
And the rest of my weekend was spent just touring around the Twin Cities revisiting my favorite places that are tied to the creation of On The Other Side Of The Eye. And dancing at Senor Wong's, a fun little bar in St. Paul.
Thanks for an amazing Year One. Here's looking forward to Year 2 and even more wonderful things together with all of you.
I'm celebrating the one-year anniversary of my book On The Other Side Of The Eye at the Amazon Bookstore Cooperative at 4755 Chicago Ave. South in Minneapolis! The free reading is 7-9pm.
On The Other Side Of The Eye is the first full-length book of Laotian American speculative poetry, released in August 2007. My book is now taught in classrooms and read around the world. It's been a really amazing journey!
To help me celebrate, we're featuring door prizes and 3 very special guest readers:
Saymoukda Vongsay, a first-generation Laotian American spoken word artist, writer, and activist and author of No Regrets.
She has performed at universities, clubs, theaters, museums, and festivals around the country as well as in Italian and Japanese classrooms.She has performed alongside such artists as Laura Piece Kelly, Danny Solis, David Mura, and Ed Bok Lee. Her current projects include a chapbook, a novella, and a monthly advice column for Hip Hop-centric, Focus Magazine.
Currently, Brandon is working on his first creative non-fiction novel "Circus Protest," and is collaborating with artist David Berube on a cartoon series project. For his day job, Brandon is the Grassroots Media Policy Advocate at the Center for Media Justice in Oakland, CA.
See you there, and thanks, everyone!
