And the ‘Getting to know’ is back once again and this time I had the pleasure of speaking with author Yaba Badoe. Yaba is not only just a writer but a documentary filmmaker too. Let’s find out more… Enjoy 🙂
First off, tell us a little about yourself…
Perhaps the best way to give you an insight into who I am is tell you about a few of my quirks.
I love eating cold Ambrosia rice pudding out of the tin.
My favourite colour is turquoise.
I’ve never learnt how to ride a bicycle.
Tell us about your latest book…
Wolf Light tells the stories of three girls – Zula, Adoma and Linnet. Born on the same day in wolf light they’re bound together to protect the world. They can dazzle or destroy. They have wind-song and fire-fury at their fingertips, but their enemies are everywhere. From the bleak steppes to the tropical forests of Ghana and the stormy moors of Cornwall, the lands they love are plundered and poisoned. The girls must rally to perfect their skills and prove the strength of sister-magic.
What was your nickname at school? (If you had one)
My nicknames at school were Yum Yum, Yibbles and Y.B
Were you good at writing at school?
I loved writing at school. I wrote poems and stories for the school magazine and when I left North Devon, I bequeathed a cup in my name for Writing Poetry
What was your favourite book as a child?
I don’t think I’d have been able to survive childhood without escaping into books. I loved reading Grimms’ Fairy Tales. I was a sucker for Greek Myths, Robin Hood and His Merry Men, and tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
What was it that inspired you to become a writer?
A desire to see myself in stories I read.
What are common traps for aspiring writers?
I read a quote from the Hollywood actor, Denzil Washington, the other day: ‘If you’re not failing, you’re not even trying.’ So much of writing is about working on something again and again until it’s as good as you can get it. This takes time and incredible persistence because writing is a craft which doesn’t necessarily pay well. It’s sensible to work in a field other than writing if you have bills to pay.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Relax. Persevere. You’ll be OK.
What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
My headmaster at prep school had a statement on his blackboard that said: ‘Avoid the commonplace. Be original.’ I read that statement every day for a year and cherished it. It gave me permission to be myself, to befriend my imagination, and then use it with glee.
What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
In my imagination I befriend every writer whose writing floats my boat. There’s nothing more exciting than embarking on a journey with a writer and being swept away by the power of their story and the way it’s expressed. I re-read passages, dwell on them, savour them, inhabit them, and hope that what I’ve relished will marinade in my mind and eventually become a part of me
If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?
I’ve managed to make a living working as a director and producer of documentaries in television. Until recently, ‘writing’ was something I did between projects.
Has a book ever made you cry? What was it?
No, I’ve been profoundly shaken by books I’ve read – so shaken I’ve had to pause and take deep breaths – but I’ve never cried.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
I find it impossible to read when I’m immersed in writing the first draft of a manuscript, which is just as well because I’m like blotting paper and other peoples’ phrases and writing tics seep into my work.
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
I spent time in my early thirties visiting a Jungian analyst who helped me realise that although I enjoyed working in film and television, I wanted to express myself through writing as well. I had the most incredible dreams when I started analysis, dreams which became the starting point for stories.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
My spirit animal is a leopard but in my dreams I’m a golden eagle.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
Too many to count!
What does literary success look like to you?
Whenever I’m in a room full of young readers eager to share their stories or ask about mine, I’m in my element. I’ve arrived!
Do you Google yourself?
Depends how insecure I’m feeling!
And most importantly… What is your favourite biscuit?
Shortbread biscuits.
Thank you so much Yaba for being so open and offering some really good advice for wannabe authors. And don’t forget to check out Yaba’s other books… A debut YA novel ‘A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars‘ which was shortlisted for the 2018 Branford Boase Award and nominated for the 2018 Carnegie Medal.
And ‘The Secret of the Purple Lake‘
You can also catch Yaba on twitter @yaba_badoe
Publisher Links:
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars
Wolf Light
The Secret of the Purple Lake
*If you are an author (or publisher who would like to introduce an author) and would like to do your own q&a, or something else, to feature on the blog then send me an email… It’s a great opportunity to wax lyrical about your work and do some shameless self-promotion.
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