Picture Weekend - As the Youth Corps leave Camp

CONGRATULATIONS!

Right now in Nigeria, those taking part in the National Youth Service Corps are leaving their training at the orientation camps and taking up their primary assignment. The NYSC programme is a  mandatory one year service for all university graduates. You get sent to a city or state different from yours to get some paramilitary training, help develop your new local community and get some work experience with companies or the government service. Hearing stories from corper bloggers sent me reminiscing about my own youth corp year. I enjoyed my time at the Abuja Kubwa camp and stayed on in Abuja for several years after the youth service.

Many people think otherwise, but I say, Viva NYSC!

One of those early mornings, singing the national anthem. No actually, I think this was at a more official parade. We didn't usually wear the ceremonial top otherwise.

My Platoon drill team, can't even remember whether it was 8 or 12. We had mad sun marching under the rain and in the sun. Our commander, we affectionately called, Banger-Banger. Everyone according to him was a banger.

During the endurance trek, this was at a top point around Gwarimpa, you can city part of the city below.

Camp fire night. My hair was a mess, I'd just been to the salon for a touch up which was done by a not so good stylist. I wore mufti but put on the Khaki when it became too cold.

Remembering Ken Saro Wiwa

On Friday, the 10^th of November 1995, Ken Saro-Wiwa was killed. In his closing statement to the Nigerian military-appointed special tribunal, Ken Saro-Wiwa said;

"We all stand before history. I am a man of peace, of ideas. Appalled by the denigrating poverty of my people who live on a richly endowed land, distressed by their political marginalization and economic strangulation, angered by the devastation of their land, their ultimate heritage, anxious to preserve their right to life and to a decent living, and determined to usher to this country as a whole a fair and just democratic system which protects everyone and every ethnic group and gives us all a valid claim to human civilization, I have devoted my intellectual and material resources, my very life, to a cause in which I have total belief and from which I cannot be blackmailed or intimidated. I have no doubt at all about the ultimate success of my cause, no matter the trials and tribulations which I and those who believe with me may encounter on our journey. Nor imprisonment nor death can stop our ultimate victory."

In the Public Eye - Toni Payne and Obasanjo (Debate Tuesday)

Let's get this straight, I do not support the public, through the press or as individuals, invading the privacy of celebrities or those in the public eye. They are still human beings like you and I and they deserve their privacy too. I do believe that celebs need publicity to remain in the public eye which is how they make their money, but it doesn't necessarily have to be negative. Toni Payne should not just be crucified for marrying/divorcing a famous musician, she's also a hard working woman, and an employer of labor. But while journalists who write about celebs should be rounded, reporting on the good and the bad about these celebrities, at the end of the day though, it's their choice and they're just doing their job.

Now I don't doubt that being in the public eye is a difficult thing. There is probably an invasion of privacy which some of us cannot understand. I had a talk with Atala about this after I found out that some of my comments on the Onyeka Onwenu/Toni Payne/Azuka Ogujiuba saga did not go down well with some people. I am of the opinion that once you enter the public domain, you should be prepared to give up some of your privacy. Sometimes even, it is the publicists of these celebs that push their personal lives to the journalists, all for publicity.

Oyindamola Affinnih - Two gone, Still Counting (Guest Author)

Tell us about yourself, a brief autobiography.

Oyindamola Halima Affinnih is a Lagosian. Born in 1982, Jan. 11. I started my schooling in Lagos State at Pampers Private School, then I went off to FGGC New-Bussa, Niger State, and got a degree in Mass communication at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye.

When and why did you begin writing?

I never thought I could be a writer. Yes I liked to read. I loved the feel of some great words strung together but for some reasons I was too lazy to be one. I saw writing notes as a complete bore and always had issues with my teachers cos I never kept notes. While doing a holiday job before getting into the college, sometime around 1999, I out of boredom put a short story together. I took it to True Tales Plaza {HINTS} and they felt it was good enough to publish. Somehow, I still felt it was a stroke of luck until I published another. And so I gave myself a chance. I did some other scripts for TV afterwards but never tried poetry {don’t think I’ll ever}. But I still love the power of prose more than any other aspect of literature.

What inspires you to write?

Deadlines! (Just joking). But I write very well when I’m under some kind of pressure. It flows faster when I’m pretty angry. But basically, the feedback I get from my previous works helps me to write better.

Tell us about two gone... still counting

I started writing it in 2008. Sometimes I have a theme and I build my story around it. Sometimes the theme unravels itself while writing the story. It’s amazing how different writers create their stories. Some do a chapter by chapter breakdown, some go with the flow. Of course, more often than not, I go with the flow. While writing two gone... still counting, the theme sprang up and I worked with it. I was so excited to see everything fall in place that I wrote half of the book in the space of two months and so I began submitting a query letter and the first three chapters to several agents. The rejection was huge, some polite, others, the standard rejection format. I guess that was what slowed the other half from coming. I left it for over a year before a friend inspired me to give self-publishing a shot. So there.

Do you have a major theme that runs through the book?

The theme of two gone... still counting centres on the veracity of our beliefs, how quick we are to condemn them as ‘superstitions’ when somehow we believe strongly in them. A lot of people in Nigeria believe when you trip on your left foot while going somewhere, it becomes some sort of ill luck as the whole day would be full of misfortune. I found it funny seeing religious people who clearly disregard such beliefs, flinch when such incidents occur. Some offer a sign of the cross while others whisper audhubillahi minashayta ni rajeem. To help them avert such evil. If you don’t believe tripping on your left foot means anything, why not let it just go?

What was your publishing journey like, from thinking of the book idea to holding it in your hands?

With a tricky theme like that, I believed- like every writer dreams- that publishing would be immediate, but dear me! It was either the theme wasn’t arresting enough, or there weren’t reading my queries because my spellings and my tenses were great. I didn’t think I would opt for self-publishing but I wanted more than anything to see my book in print and so I took a risk. I risk I believe will be worth it.

Picture Weekend - The Writing Circle

With my writing meetup group on one of our critique nights. I haven't met with them in a while as my WIP and more recently NanoWrimo have been taking most of my time. But they are awesome! I got the push to start a public blog from one of the members and I know I have improved a lot in my writing through feedback shared during our meetings, both for my writing and for others. One of us, present below, is also a tank of inspiration and I follow his blog for writing tips. The group has also been very supportive since A Heart to Mend came out. Let's just say, they're a big part of my writer's journey.

Thank you all so much!

Tuesday talk - How do you know you're in love?

Happy new month everybody.


To our talk today, this is a very deep question, and one I have to consider for my characters in each romance novel I write. For Nanowrimo, I am starting a new story with two fiery, hard-headed characters and my imagination is already wandering far into their future and I'm thinking, are they really right for each other? How can they convince themselves, me the writer and in time, you the reader? As I thought on this, I realized that I had asked myself the same question several times in the past after meeting one or two people.

There are some people you meet and you just know they're a fantasy or fancy which will fade even the next day. And there are those that tug at your heart and you begin to wonder, could they be THE ONE? The truth is that if we do not answer this question correctly and honestly to ourselves, we could be making the mistake of a lifetime. Whether it is in deciding whether to allow a friendship develop into somethng else or in taking the decision to get married, it is imperative to get the answer right.

These are some of the pointers I came up with - this is just a brain dump mind...I will probably do a full article later. What do you guys think?

- They’re in your future
- They become number one in your priorities
- You welcome compromise
- You want to spent time together
- Others fade into the background
- The pain of the past is healed
- Always in your thoughts
- You worry about their wellbeing, you care
- There is chemistry
- You're not bothered by their minuses
- You’re happy and feel high
- Songs and books begin to make sense, the world is more beautiful
- You want to know all about them
- They can affect you deeply in their actions
- You can be yourself with no pretense
- Other things matter less like physical, material stuff
- You don't mind their worse
- They make you feel good
- Trust trumps jealousy
- You enjoy times quietly together
- You make up easily
- Sex is by mutual agreement
- You don’t change your values
- You change for the better to please them

________

image from collegefashion.net via Google..

Farafina Book Review

So what are your plans for next weekend?

The Farafina book review can be one of your choices. On the 6th of November, 2010 at TerraKulture, they would be hosting Eghosa Imasuen, the author of To Saint Patrick. Ace journalist, Toyin Akinosho will be reviewing the book while Wana of 92.3 Inspiration FM would be moderating.

To Saint Patrick is a work of alternate history. Set in Benin City after elections, Hadiza and Ayo, police officers are investigating a murder. They soon find themselves embroiled in a set of larger and more dangerous intrigues that could cost them all they have worked for.

What to expect?1 Expect to be entertained as well as enlightened! Expect to receive writing tips from accomplished writers! Expect to discuss pertinent issues about African writing with intellectuals! Expect to win free copies of To Saint Patrick and buy your favourite Farafina titles at reduced prices! I bet you wouldn’t miss this! See you there!

*Event starts at 3pm at TerraKulture, Tiamiyu Savage, V/I on Saturday, November 6 and is free to attend.

Picture Weekend - Day of the Superhero

Hello people, how is everyone?

It's funny coming down the high of my birthday week, lol. Also, I did a lot of work this week and I was able to meet a major deadline for my next book. The manuscript is now almost ready for last line editing, yay! I want to do the Nanowrimo for my next project, for 2012. Hammer out 50,000 words first draft this November for a story with the working title of Meant for Each other. Cupid's Risk will be coming back soon, before the end of next month, once Ghost of the Past goes for final scrubbing. So right now, I am feeling like a Superhero.

Pictures taken at a volunteer event for the YMCA

Not a very cheerful Batman

Mrs. Incredible

Wonderwoman: who ever watched those series back in Nigeria?

A Police, I do consider them heroes too.

Mr. Incredible and Batman

The Fire Service; yeah they save lives too.

And Finally...

Wait for it...

ME!

No I'm not in the Police, just messing about at the Police Museum, lol...

Have a great one lovelies, and feel like a superhero.. MWAH

Epilogue - Birthday Post

So it was brought to my knowledge that I have another birthday mate on Blogsville. And it is the amazing QMoney of DiscoverForWomen. I enjoy reading her blog and she has been supportive here too, reading and leaving very insightful comments and feedback. Thanks dearie and yeah I got your text.

To all those too that called or texted over the past couple of days, QMoney, Shorty, Azuka, Gretel, JustJoxy, MsNatural, Malika and Chris, thank you all so much. If you've not read AHTM, I'm happy to send you PDF copies, if I receive an email requesting for it.

To those who left Emails and Tweets, Facebook, etc. You made my day.

The first 10 people to comment on this post get free eBooks of Love Happens, the first part of AHTM. if you are, just send a request email to myne @mynewhitmandotcom

LadyGuide, let's see if you can get this, lol...BTW, we await the register...

I spent most of today at the salon, getting this hair done. Now I have a massive headache. But it's worth it and for a good cause. My birthday gift is a professional photo-shoot this weekend among other things.

My Birthday, Shoutout to my peeps...

No rushing now, the cake will get to everyone OK? :) *clearing throat*  Allow me first to do this special shout out to the following people;

Shorty - if you look at my left sidebar, you'll see that she's my #1 Feedback Star! For the year plus of this blog, she has been consistent, as shown in the top feedbackers list too. Also she's been going through some tough times lately, so you all can go to her blog and show some love.

2cute4u - What can I say? This lady is a human dynamo. She almost single-handedly launched Naija Stories through our first contest. I think I'm still owing her sef. You have a beautiful heart dear and it shows. Look forward to meeting you.

OmoteedLaw - When we say it's a small world, we usually don't know how true it is. This is one blogger I know I've seen, back in Abuja when I was a hustling bank marketer. I tried to sell her some financial products. She was one of the nice potentials, lol. Hi dearie, *waves*

Neefemi - My one and only blogsville birthday mate. Head over and share some of the good wishes. She is a soulmate too. From her blog, I think we're alike personality wise, she's also a talented writer, and with an ear for my type of music too.