Upcoming Nigerian novelists should not be in a hurry to publish - Onyinyechi Iheanyi

 SYNW INTERVIEW SERIES FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, 2020

 UPCOMING NOVELISTS SHOULD NOT BE IN A HURRY TO PUBLISH - ONYINYECHI IHEANYI

 

Onyinyechi Iheanyi is a novelist and essayist. She is currently a co-coordinator of SYNW in FUOTUOKE (Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State). In this brief interview with Wole Adedoyin, she shared with him some facts surrounding her life and writing career.

 

SYNW: WHY DO YOU WRITE

OI: I write because I want to impact positively in humanity. I can't get across to everyone at the same time or within a space of time, but my books can

 

SYNW:  WHICH NOVELISTS DO YOU ADMIRE?

OI:  I admire Chimamanda Adiche, Woke Soyinka, Nora Roberts, Kenneth.E.Haggin, the late Dr Chinua Achebe, the late Dr Gabriel Okara, Dr Wale Okediran, Prof Femi Osofisan, Dr Tim Lahaye and a host of other authors

 

SYNW: DESCRIBE THE ROUTE TO YOUR FIRST NOVEL BEING PUBLISHED

OI:  I've not published yet, I'm currently working on my first project

 

SYNW: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO AN ASPIRING NOVELIST?

OI:, I'll always advice novelists to never be in a hurry to publish and they should always have it at the back of their minds that they are not just writing for themselves but for their audience too

 

SYNW: WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING RIGHT NOW?

OI: I'm currently reading "Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman.

 

SYNW: ARE THERE ANY AUTHORS (LIVING OR DEAD) THAT YOU WOULD NAME AS INFLUENCES?

 

OI:  I've been influenced positively by Mr Wellington Nwogu, Kenneth.E.Haggin, Dr Tim Lahaye and a host of other authors.

 

SYNW:  WHAT WAS THE BOOK THAT MOST INFLUENCED YOUR LIFE AND WHY?

OI:  Well in my 20 years on earth, I would say the book titled "Why You Act The Way You Do" by Dr Tim Lahaye. For me, it was the start of a new beginning, a new start and a different perspective on life, managing weaknesses and strengths.

 

SYNW:  WHAT ARE YOUR TEN FAVORITE BOOKS AND WHY?

OI: "Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage" by Kenneth. E. Haggin, that book opened my eye of understanding to know God's will, His purpose for His children maritally

"Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman, it has helped me become astute emotionally, I can now control my feelings, actions, reactions and responses towards situations and people, effectively and positively.

"Heartbreaker" although I can't really remember the name of the author, I like it because it's a crime, romance and suspense filled novel, I like anything involving action, perhaps if things were different, peradventure, I would have become a security agent or a secret agent

"Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Adiche, I like it because it reveals the orthodox life of contemporary Catholic families

 

"Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe because it portrayed beforehand what not just Nigeria but Africa is currently undergoing

"Second Class Citizen" by Buchi Emecheta, I like it because it tells and reflects a typical African marriage where women have no say over how their own lives or the life of their families should be run and it also shows how racism has eaten deep into the fabric of societies all around the world

"The Bronze Horseman" I really like that novel, while reading it, it's as if you're teleported back in time to the period of the world war 2, that book gives an insight to what citizens of affected countries suffered and how countries, states, families etc had their whole self tilted on the wrong axis

"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, I like romance drama, in that book, Shakespeare tells a story of a love, a union that couldn't be because some important figures held onto the prejudice of the past

"The Captives Diary" I'm a lover of anything Christian, anything that has to do with being Christ like, it made me reflect on my life and relationship with God, it stirred up a deeper hunger in me to know God more

"Birds Of Different Feathers", although it was never mine, it was my youngest brothers own, I liked the novel, it gives insight into how people are wired differently, even if they shared the same placenta

 

SYNW:  FAVORITE FILMS?

OI: I'm a movie freak, I can't say I have a favourite movie

 

SYNW:  FAVORITE MUSIC?

OI: Nope, I'm a lover of Christian music

 

SYNW:  IF YOU HAD A BOOK CLUB, WHAT WOULD IT BE READING AND WHY?

OI: If I had a book club, I would encourage and support the reading of novels and documentaries because reading such genre increases wisdom and also improves vocabulary in an interesting way

 

SYNW:  WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS TO GIVE AND GET AS GIFTS?

OI:  I'll love to give out "Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman and "A Time To Kill" by John Grisham, an awkward title, yes, it's not actually as it's named, it's a good book, you can't read A Time To Kill and remain a dullard, it stretches your thinking capacity beyond your imagination. And I'll like to be gifted "Half Of A Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Adiche

 

SYNW:  GIVE US THREE "GOOD TO KNOW" FACTS ABOUT YOU

OI:  I'm fun to be with, I easily forgive when provoked, I'm a loyal friend

SYNW: TELL US ABOUT THE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR WRITING

OI:  I can't really recall what sprouted my interest in writing, I can only remember my early days of writing as at 8 years, when I'll just pick up a pen and a book and scramble away on it

 

SYNW:  YOUR LIKES, DISLIKES, INTERESTS, HOBBIES.

OI:  I like good food a lot, you can say I'm a foodie, I like fashion, dressing beautifully, I like sightseeing, I like swimming etc. I dislike dirt, it irritates me, I dislike nosy behavior. My hobbies are singing, cooking, strolling, dancing, reading etcetera etcetera. My favorite ways to unwind are strolling, dancing, listening to music etc.