In multiple cultures, the birth of dynasties is rooted in mythology. How have global myths and childhood stories influenced your writing?
Like many my very first introduction to myths was with the Greeks. I read anything and everything about the god of Olympus. From there I ended up learning of Iroquois Creation Myths before I knew it, I was studying east Asian and west Africa myths out of pure curiosity. What I ended up taking away from all the myths was the human desire to understand, explain and in part entertain each other with stories. The myths held lessons that still impact us to this very day and make us constantly reflect on our present lives. Which is something I sought to achieve in my own writing. I want readers to walk away questioning themselves and what they would do.
How did you find the process of creating the magical system within the Birth of a Dynasty?
I thought creating the magical system would be a bit difficult but as soon as I started writing it, the ideas came naturally to me. I found that I did not have to make it too complicated and instead let it slowly reveal itself in the world.
With popular fantasy books drawing typically from Roman, Greek or Norse pantheons, how does your book shine a light on other myths and stories?
My book draws from the folklore and mythology from many parts of Africa. As many hopefully know, the continent is extremely diverse and so I sought to find something that appeared in most of the myths I came across. And that was the giants. From the Egungun spirits who took the shape of giants in Nigeria to Biriir ina Barqo, a legendary heroic giant in ancient Somalia, and the ancient city of Harlaa in Ethiopia where local legends spoke of giants that built massive structures, these mythical beings held a central spot in my heart while crafting these books.
Your book is filled with scheming and political intrigue. What interests you most about creating a novel with cataclysmic twists and high stakes?
I believe the most exciting aspect in a novel with so many high stakes and twists is that it takes the reader by surprise. But also, I love it because it reflects real life. Even if we can’t live in the fantasy, we can pull parallels with what is happening in our current world.
If you had to team up with one character to fulfil a prophecy, who would you choose?
In my own story it would definingly be Zikora, in other books, Katniss Everdeen. I think just having such strong relatable women would help me feel as though we could conquer anything.
If you had to choose a character to body swap with, who would it be?
All the characters go through so much I'm not sure which one I would like to be. If any character came to mind from, right now, I would say Zikora’s mom. Simply because she has so many roles to play for so many different people, while still being true to herself.
How did you find writing a fantasy novel, after having written romance, is there a different way you approach it as an author?
I surprisingly found it easy to switch over from writing romance to writing fantasy. I think it’s due to how much I love to read the fantasy genre. Stepping into it felt natural to me. If anything, I would say writing in third person was just a voice I had to get more comfortable with. I believe before any author writes they must be a reader first.
Did you have any characters you found really interesting to write? Why was that?
I find characters who love to backstab and plot to be the most interesting to write because it’s more challenging. We know why a hero is a hero. But what makes someone a villain, how they chose to go about executing that plan really pushes to form thoughtful characters.
Did you have a favourite scene to write, or one that you found yourself going back to?
My favorite scene to write was the first interaction between Khalil and his grandfather. There is so much wisdom and humor happening between these two characters.
If you could have dinner with any influential writers past or present who would they be?
I would like to have dinner with Octavia E. Butler. Her work in the science fiction and how she tied in her life as African American to these other worlds sharing parables as well as speaking truth to power is remarkable. I think dinner with her would be long, insightful, and full of amazing brainstorming ideas.
