So things have been interesting for author Tomi Adeyemi: her debut novel, Children of Blood and Bone, debuted at #1 on The New York Times Young Adult Hardcover Best Seller List last month. In what will likely be the biggest fantasy debut novel of 2018, CBB is notable for a lot of firsts in the genre, including making its main character a black African girl.
Tomi speaks with AYO about why she decided to write a book about literal black girl magic, the best piece of advice she’s received, and who she’d like to see play Zélie Adebola, CBB’s female hero, in the upcoming film adaptation of her book.
Your debut novel, Children of Blood and Bone, is pretty badass—the protagonist is a girl looking to fight a monarchy and give magic back to her people. But the girl is also West African—something I don’t think we’ve seen in the genre before. Why make her African? (BTW, we’re so glad you did!)
I’ve been writing and reading my entire life, but because I didn’t see myself in the stories that I was reading, I started erasing myself from the stories I was writing. I went ten years writing white or biracial protagonists because I thought those were the only people who could be in booked. Looking back, that breaks my heart. I don’t want any kid from any background to ever be so erased from the representation that they deserve, that they can’t see themselves or someone who looks like them as the heroes. That is the thought process that drives me when I have my story ideas and when I’m writing. Before I had the idea for CBB, I knew my next fantasy was going to feature a dark-skinned black protagonist, but when I discovered the Orisha, I got to expand my imagination and create a West African fantasy with an entirely West African cast!
It’s been said that CBB is Black Lives Matter-inspired. What about the movement resonated with you the most—enough to write a whole novel about?
All of it. I don’t think it’s possible to isolate a part of a movement like BLM when its whole aim is to protest the unjust killings of black people by police officers. There are parts of the book I wrote after reading awful headlines of police brutality in our world, sobbing in my bed, and then pulling myself up to the keyboard. Even writing the short author’s note for the back of the book meant that I had to relive the horrors of Philando Castile’s shooting and it destroyed me. The author’s note is barely one page long, but having to relive the horror of his death and the witnesses to it was soul-crushing. To write 500 words, I was sobbing in my bed and I couldn’t do anything for the rest of the day.
I wanted CBB to have the emotion and emotional trauma of the movement, because I felt like that was the one part that wasn’t being talked about and it needs to be by everyone.
Can you describe your writing process? What happens first? How long did it take you to write the book?
I like to start in a place of pure inspiration where I’m just writing down all my ideas. Then I liked to add structure by putting those ideas in an outline and seeing where the gaps are. Once I know the scenes in my book, I start writing!
From first draft to turning in the final text that everyone’s reading now, it took a year and a half. For reference, most traditionally published books take two-and-a-half to four years. My first book took four years just to get rejected!
You studied West African mythology in Brazil while a student at Harvard. What was that like and what is your favorite story/ African mythological character—we know nothing about this topic!
I actually studied this after I graduated Harvard University on a fellowship! It was an incredible experience because for the first time I was getting to learn about a religion and a mythology centered around epic and sacred black people, but it was even more special than I could’ve imagined learning that the epic orisha came from Nigeria!
I think my favorite orisha has to be Oyá. She’s so magnificent and powerful and there’s nothing I love more than reading about her and seeing the visuals people create based off her.
You give a lot of great advice to writers on your website, tomiadeyemi.com. What’s the best piece of advice YOU’VE received (either writing-related or something else)?
Take care of yourself. My attitude toward self-care has taken a complete 180 over the past year. Up until the book deal, I thought working as hard as I possibly could was all I needed to do, but I quickly learned that If I didn’t learn to take care of myself I wouldn’t be alive to keep writing!
Where can we see you and your work next?
I am currently writing Book 2 in the Children of Blood and Bone series! If all goes well, you’ll see it Spring of 2019!
We know your book has been optioned for a book. Who would you like to see play Zélie?
There’s too many people to name! Seriously. If you asked me a year ago when they optioned it, I would’ve screamed Lupita, but I left Black Panther being equally obsessed with Letitia Wright and Dunai Gurira. What that movie showed me is that there are so many amazing black actors and actresses the world still has to meet, so I’m hoping this role will introduce us to a whole new cast of black excellence.
AYO means “joy” and we ask each of our subjects what joy means to them. What does joy look like to you?
Right now, joy for me is feeling fulfilled in life. It can come from nailing a scene, learning a new kick, or eating a really great piece of pizza. I think I get the most joy when I see others full of joy, and often times at this stage of adulthood that comes from finding your purpose in the world. But I also think joy is just being grateful in the good and the bad to be alive because that means you get to experience life.
