Meet an author: Atoke

AtokeΒ is a lawyer, writer, retired foodie and FitFam adherent. She worships at the altar of words, and believes life is too short not to be kind to other people. Born, raised & buttered in Lagos, Nigeria, she spent a part of her life travelling between Newcastle, Swansea, Houston and back. She now lives in Toronto, Canada with her MacBook Pro & her New Balance running shoes. We spoke with her about the writing process, books that shaped her work and about music she loves.
1. When and where were you born?
I was born in Lagos, Nigeria in October 1981
2. When did you start writing and why?
I started writing in 2009 while waiting for traffic to clear up on 3rd Mainland bridge. So I’d sit at my desk at work and just write.
3. At what point do you know that a story/book is complete?
A story is complete, in my opinion when I feel I have nothing else to put down.
4. What’s the hardest/easiest thing about writing?
Hardest: planning and structuring of the phrasing.
Easiest:? Talking about writing while actually just sitting around doing nothing π
5. What books would you say shaped your writing?
This is hard to answer because I read a lot of texts books on the form and art of writing. Academic texts.
6. Are you working on anything at the moment?
Nothing really. Just watching a lot of TV and eating a lot. I know that’s not the answer you were looking for.
7. How do you feel about bad reviews?
As a reader, if it’s a review written by someone who has similar tastes as me, I’ll probably avoid a book with a bad review.
As a writer, I do not write bad reviews. If I read a book that I find badly written, I politely decline the request to review it.
8. If you could be a character in a novel you’ve read, who would you be and why?
Temperance Brennan from Bones. I know you said a book but Bones is a TV adaptation of a book. π {I know I cheated}
9. If your life was a book, what would the title be?
Floating.
10. What kind of music do you listen to? Titles?
I have very eclectic tastes in music. I listen to everything. I have been listening to CardiB’s Invasion of Privacy non-stop for 24 hours.
11. Tell us something about yourself that your readers probably don’t know.
If they don’t know, it’s probably deliberate. Why ruin the mystique?
12. What books by a Nigeria Author would you recommend to a friend?
Everything by Yejide Kilanko
Anything by Elnathan John
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