Book Travel 2: Twenty-One Days

November... the month of creativity and literary events... although I will not be participating at most of the literary events this November, I'm excited to continue the "Book Travel" I started last year November. (In case you missed it, read it HERE.)

This year, five copies will also be travelling the world... with your help of course, and this time, I'll be accompanying them.

The first book visited Doha, Qatar with me, but I entrusted it into the hands of three lovely ladies who were happy to read it and pass it on. And just for fun, we took a photo of the book at the airport :).

The second stop was in Bangkok, Thailand... yes, it's my first time in Asia, and my book as well, so I'm excited about it getting there. Unfortunately, there was no photo taken in Bangkok, but I entrusted the book in the hands of another reader after an interesting conversation.

The remaining three books went to Hanoi, Vietnam with me, which was my final destination to a work conference I was attending. The readers will be taking the book back to Russia, another to Turkey, and the last one back to the UK.

I hope readers will pass the book on after reading it, and put up pictures on social media.

Until next book travel.

Literarily Yours,
CMO.

Coming Soon - Yankee Based Wives

Hello Everyone,

I'm really excited and seriously counting down to the release of my 5th novel titled "Yankee Based Wives!!!" on XXII-XI-MMXVI. (22.11.2016... just in case).

Why am I excited? Because the young women from "Dim Noo Abroad" are back, and this time around, they have vowed to get husbands living nowhere else but in the United States of America...

That's the description of "Yankee Based Wives," the sequel to "Dim Noo Abroad," in the Desperate Women Series.

I don't know about you, but I've missed the main characters from Dim Noo Abroad, especially a particular character named Halleluiah (funny name and character). She's the parrot and chief gossip of the community, so there's never a dull moment with her. I always looked forward to her character and activity while writing and editing the book.

In fact, just like Dim Noo Abroad, I've enjoyed writing this new one and can't wait to share it with the world. I only wish that everyone who eventually reads the book will understand the choice of style and language, as it adds more flavour and juice to the story as a whole. One thing for sure is that you'll be taking away some Nigerian/Igbo slangs with you :).

As I'm on a one-month count down from today, Yankee Based Wives is available on preorder in e-book, on many ebook distribution platforms (Smashwords, Okadabooks, iBooks, Amazon, etc., at HALF PRICE until a day after the initial release. What are you waiting for?

Tell someone to tell someone to tell someone!!!

I hope you all get your copies, read, enjoy and leave me a review... whether good, bad or ugly, I'm always happy to know what you think.

Literarily Yours,
CMO.

Dragon Slayer - an interview with the Nigerian Project X Team.

Hello readers,

It's been a while I posted anything here, but I have been working on some new projects, so when it comes out, you'll all be the first to know.

Anyway, I recently had an interesting and engaging interview with the Nigerian Project X team. Click HERE for the full interview and to know more about the Project X Team.

Please #Read, #Enjoy, #BeInspired and #Share your thoughts.

Literarily yours,
#CMO

Book Trailer: The Angela Hunter Series

Series starter #2013

Hi everyone,

It's finally here... the book trailer for my mystery/suspense novella series titled "The Angela Hunter Series." I'm so excited about it, though sad that the series is coming to an end in 2017. But who knows, Angela Hunter might reach out to me sometime in the future and I'll start writing more about her again :).

I've gathered photos from all sources to give some sense to the trailer. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did putting it together.

Please #watch, #enjoy and #SHARE. Click HERE to watch it.

You can also read the series starter of the book #FREE HERE.

Below are the covers for the other volumes in the series.

Nigerian International Book Fair Experience: Where are the authors?

Workshop on writing, publishing & marketing for indie authors

Hello all,

The Nigerian International Book Fair 2016 has come and gone, and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the fact that I facilitated a workshop and got interesting feedback from 98%, if not 100%, of the attendants. Some sent emails, some called, some I saw the next day looking for information on literary services.

I also enjoyed the fact that I attended the international conference/official opening of the fair, where I met interesting people; there was a book reading, there were seminars and other workshops, and finally, the famous Author’s Groove, organized by the Association of Nigerian Authors, titled “Everyone feeds on the author, but who feeds the author?” I did a book presentation, a reading of my book by a Youth Corps member, and a giveaway.

#FridayFeature: Meet The Author - C. M. Okonkwo

Hello All,

Today's #FridayFeature author is... drum roll... a member and Ex-Co of ANA Lagos... more drum roll... myself, C. M. Okonkwo. Why me, why today? Well, because it's my birthday today :).

Let's get to know 'me' in 10 questions. See my responses below.

1/ What is your name (Pen name if different), and what does it mean?

My name is C. M. Okonkwo (CMO). C for Chioma, meaning 'Good God.' M for Mildred, which means 'Gentle Strength' or 'Mild Power.' And Okonkwo means 'Born on Nkwo day' (a day in the Igbo week). If Nkwo is a Wednesday, then I'm definitely an Okonkwo. So in summary, CMO is a powerful yet gentle child of the Good God, born on a Wednesday, lol.

Book Rave: More Books at the Rave

Hello all,

Happy to inform you that "Road To Europe" will be available at the #BookRave at an unbelievable (discounted and affordable) price.

Here's what the book is about below:

Road To Europe

In 2012, prompted by the spirit of adventure, Ogbonnaya Kanu set off on his first unaccompanied and longest biking tour, with his faithful 2010 BMW R1200GS, codenamed Blanks, to ride from Lagos, Africa, to Europe and back.

Characterized by interesting food stops, peculiar border crossings, different degrees of culture shock, relationships with nature and her elements, and a rather unusual road obstruction, FD, Breaking Limits: Europe is more than just a guide for the adventurous biker.

Beautifully written, FD, Breaking Limits: Road To Europe will take readers into the heart and mind of a man as he travels alone on a road less travelled but with his goal always in sight.

What do you think?

Tell someone to tell someone to tell someone. #DontMissIt #BookRave #May2016 #NIBF

Literarily yours,
CMO.

Book Rave: Poetry Books Representing

To all the poetry lovers out there,

Hello and Good news... 6 poetry books — 3 written by Eriata Oribhabor and the other three edited by him — will be available at the Book Rave discounted and affordable prices.

See the books' descriptions below:

Abuja na Kpangba an Oda Puem-Dem

Abuja na hevun, na Kpangba an Oda Puem-Dem na ogbonge kaind of puem we enibodi don rait sins 1982 wen Aig Imuekhude fest rait im Pidgin Stew and Sufferhead. Dis na di fest taim wi de si eni buk fo Naija langwej an di niu spelin fo Standad Naija Otografi (SNO) we naija Lanwej Akademi (NLA) tek dem oun han stamp. Dis puem buk na koret kombineshion bikos i konten nieli fifti fifti difren difren puem we konsain wi ol o Naijiria.

#FridayFeature: Meet The Author - Eriata Oribhabor

Hello All,

Today's #FridayFeature author is Eriata Oribhabor, a former Chairman of ANA Abuja.

Let's get to know him in 10 questions. See his interesting responses below.

1/ What is your name (Pen name if different), and what does it mean?

My name is Eriata Oribhabor. Eriata means: Just how it's said, while Oribhabor means: Everything is in God's hands. So, just as it's said, everything is in God's hands.

Book Review: Odufa - A Lover's Tale

Book Description:

When Anthony Mukoro discovers he cannot father a child, his whole world comes crashing.

In the arms of a new crush, Odufa, a beautiful girl with a past, he finds the strength to face his fears and live again despite the whirlwind that threatens to devour the union.

But nothing is as it seems as they plunge into the bowels of this serpentine romance which alters their lives forever.

#FridayFeature: Meet The Author - Ogbonnaya Kanu

Hello All,

Today's #FridayFeature author is Ogbonnaya Kanu.

Let's get to know him in 10 questions. Enjoy his interesting responses below.

1/ What is your name (Pen name if different), and what does it mean?

I was born Ogbonnaya Kanu. Ogbonnaya is a name from the Igbo tribe, which literally means “a friend of his father”. It also means “replica of his father”. Though, a lot of the time you might hear me being called FD or Fotodadi (Photo-daddy). Fotodadi is the nickname my first daughter’s nanny gave her after she was born, and that was because of her close resemblance to me. So when I got my first bike, I decided to have Fotodadi on the number plate, and soon after people began to call me Fotodadi and it has stuck ever since. Coincidentally, Ogbonnaya and Fotodadi have to do with resemblance.

Book Review: Twisted In A Positive Way

Book Description:

Spanning decades in the heart of Mushin, Lagos Nigeria, this coming-of-age tale of a charming heroine unfolds delicately and is based on the story of a young girl, Adaugo who faces difficult odds. The loss of a loved one and navigating cultural expectations and gender roles are major themes in this personal narrative documenting the growth and learning of a young girl with big dreams. As Adaugo listens to the still small voice within her, her growth from a young girl in boarding school to a precocious brave woman is studded with precious gems of divine insight. Her journey is one that any person, young or old will learn from as it illustrates the beauty and triumph of dreaming big and never giving up.

Book Review: Road To Europe

Book Description:

In 2012, prompted by the spirit of adventure, Ogbonnaya Kanu set off on his first unaccompanied and longest biking tour, with his faithful 2010 BMW R1200GS, codenamed Blanks, to ride from Lagos, Africa, to Europe and back.

Characterized by interesting food stops, peculiar border crossings, different degrees of culture shock, relationships with nature and her elements, and a rather unusual road obstruction, FD, Breaking Limits: Europe is more than just a guide for the adventurous biker.

Beautifully written, FD, Breaking Limits: Road To Europe will take readers into the heart and mind of a man as he travels alone on a road less travelled but with his goal always in sight.

Book Review: The Pregnant Corper

Book Description:

Ifeoma an Igbo girl who grew up in the western part of Nigeria and has inculcated the yoruba culture. Her first experience in the matters of love and relationship was a cruel one which taught her a hard lesson. She then lost the two most important men in life to the cold hands of death, denied her patrimonial right then became a victim of jest and mockery throughout her service year.

As a born again Christian, she kicked against immoral and illicit sex on the three weeks NYSC camp which has become a trend among the corps members during the three weeks boot camp but unfortunately she became a victim. Ifeoma got pregnant and couldn’t find the responsible corper who seem to have suddenly disappeared under her nose.

Enjoy the story of Ifeoma as she struggles through with her pregnancy with shame and stigmatization. After childbirth she continued her hard labour at survival being a single mother of a xenophobic daughter without a meaningful job in the tough and highly competitive Nigerian economy. 

Book Review: The Story of Anna P, as Told by Herself

Book Description:

Anna P lives on an island off the coast of Italy but can no longer remember how she got there. She came from South Africa but has almost no memory of the place or people there. The only person she has a kind of personal relationship with is a sex worker whom she pays by the hour.

It is only when she begins to connect emotionally with a young boy that she finds some value in herself, some place which she will not allow to be abused, and her life gradually changes.

This meticulously crafted, atmospheric debut novel asks a number of difficult questions about the nature of memory: who are we if we lose our memories? What does it mean to have no identity? And if we have no identity, can we still make ethical choices? 

Laybels Book Rave

Dear writers, authors, and readers,

I have some good, and maybe exciting news for ALL of you.

There's going to be a Book Rave in Lagos this May (from 9th to 14th) during the Nigerian International Book Fair.

I'm so excited about this because it's going to be an opportunity for authors to sell off copies of their books AND readers to buy as many "autographed" books as possible for fixed and affordable prices.

Authors, if you are interested in this opportunity, send an email to laybels@gmail.com or call 09094568139 for more information on registration and participation. Unfortunately, this is not open to publishers, agents, bookshop owners, but the authors themselves :)

For readers, there will be a list of all books and prices soon, so that you can prepare for the rave.

Tell someone to tell someone to tell someone of this event.

Literarily yours,
CMO.

Book Review: What Will People Say?

Book Description:

Hanover Park. The heart of the Cape Flats. It is 1986. Michael Jackson and Brenda Fassie rule every hi-fi. Princess Di and George Michael hairstyles are all the rage. There are plans to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 1976 student uprising.

Neville and Magda Fourie live in Magnolia Court with their three children. They are trying to ‘raise them decent’ in a township festering with gang wars and barricaded with burning tyres. Suzette, the eldest, is beautiful and determined to escape her family’s poverty. Nicky, the sensitive middle child, has ambitions to use her intellect as a way out. Anthony, the only son, attracted by power and wealth, is lured away from his family by a gangster.

Which members of the Fourie family will thrive, which ones will not survive?

#FridayFeature: Meet The Author - Brenda Nwafor

Brenda Nwafor

Hello All,

Today's #FridayFeature (soon-to-be) author is Brenda Nwafor, the current Assistant Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Authors, Lagos.

Let's get to know her in 10 questions.

1/ What is your name (Pen name if different), and what does it mean?

The name Eziafa is a derivative of Eziafakaego and means that a good name is better than wealth. It emphasizes integrity over material things. Brenda is a Scottish name that means torch, flame or sword. In essence, let's say while I can light your path, ignite the flame of love in your heart, I can also be a sword to cut you off when necessary. Nwafor: a child born on Afor day (a day in Igbo week).

Update: New cover for Black Box

Cover art from Budget Insight

Hello everyone,

While you were sleeping, I decided to do some upgrades, instead of working on my new book trailer for the Angela Hunter series (can't wait for it), and I ended up changing my short story cover art for Black Box.

In case you haven't read Black Box yet, you can get it on several online platforms (Smashwords; Goodreads: iBooks; B&N; Okada Books) for an interesting price... #FREE. The story, as well as the "old" cover art can also be found on my blog HERE.

Tell someone to tell someone to tell someone.

So, what do you think of this new photo?

:)

Literarily Yours,
CMO.

#FridayFeature: Meet The Author - Femi Onileagbon

Author: Femi Onileagbon

Hello All,

The Association of Nigerian Authors, Lagos Branch, is hosting a "Meet The Author" #FridayFeature, for the general public to know who the authors in Lagos are, what they have written, what they are currently writing, what inspires them, and many more in 10 questions.

#FridayFeature's first author is Femi Onileagbon, the current Chair of the Association of Nigerian Authors.

Enjoy his interesting responses below.

1/ What is your name (Pen name if different), and what does it mean?

My name is Amos Oluwafemi Onileagbon. Amos means a man bearing a burden; Oluwafemi means the Lord/God loves me; Onileagbon means the owner of a house populated by wasps. As one, my name means a man loved by God who gives him a house filled with wasps to help/protect/defend him as he delivers his burden of messages- in my case through poetry and drama and other means necessary.

P-books Vs. E-books?

Hello everyone,

Today, I want to write about "P-books" Vs. "E-books." (I just came up with "P-books" as I started writing this post, lol, and it's "P" as in Physical or Print.)

I actually just watched a video on Channels Book Club, titled "Reading Preferences Of Urban Nigeria In Their 20's" (watch HERE.) And two young people, an author (William Moore) and a writer/blogger (Cherlene Chikezie), were interviewed to comment on what is going on today in the world of readers, especially in Nigeria; what everyone is reading, and what the reading preferences of the younger generation are.

Contest: Dear Lucky Agent

Hello All,

I wanted to be the first to break it to those of you that don't know yet, that there's a New #FREE contest for writers of Women's Fiction. It is for unpublished book-length work, so here is your chance to get that fantastic book, you just spent a whole lot of time crafting, to the world. Deadline is Tuesday Feb. 9th 2016, so hurry.

What's more? There are prizes to be won... and even more? There's an opportunity for you to get signed!!!

Want to know if you are eligible? Click HERE.

Do not keep this to yourself, please #SHARE.

Good luck to all entrants.

Literarily Yours,
CMO.

My biggest rewards and challenges of Self-Publishing

Hello all,

I hope the new year started off well for you and that your writing/personal goals are going well. So far so good for me, and I'm still pressing on.

Earlier this year, I visited the "Ask the Author" feature of Goodreads and saw that I had a new question sitting there for almost three months, and I sincerely don't know how I missed it.

The question was from fellow author and artist, Isis Sousa, and it reads: Hi Chi! What are the biggest rewards and challenges of self-publishing a book? Can you share your experience? :)

I know that not everyone is on Goodreads, and even those on Goodreads will not spend their time going through all the questions and answers from the thousands of authors on there, so I brought the answer here to you :)

Preview: Blocked Door

Dear readers,

This year has already started with a bang, as the fourth volume in the Angela Hunter series, titled "Blocked Door" has just been published. It's much more mysterious and suspenseful than "Locked Door." It only gets better. You can read my post about Locked Door HERE.

Book description:

The police have barely started to watch a list of suspects and targets when another body is found behind a blocked door. It is now certain that someone is indeed after everyone involved in the Closed Door mystery. The detectives get caught up in another race to find who is behind the mystery and stop whoever it is.

***

I have also added a free preview below. Enjoy! Share! Comment! :)