S is for Stanley Adetiba

He is the 'other guy', the one who almost made the love between Kevwe and Efe a love triangle. But he's so cute! Check him out below.

Actor- Joseph Benjamin

- How would you describe yourself? 
Smooth, handsome - so women tell me, successful at what I do.

- How does it feel to be back in Nigeria after a while away?
Well, it's not been long since I returned - just a couple of months - so I'm still settling down, getting to know what's happening, and getting a feel of things. I left Nigeria just over ten years ago, and things were very different then, so there's quite a bit to adjust to.

- We hear that you're quite a sharp dresser. Any recommendations on style?
Well, you can never go wrong with designer brands. My favourite are Hugo Boss and TM Lewin shirts for that formal look. Then when you want to go casual, Ralph Lauren or Tommy Hilfiger are the go-to guys.

- What do you think about the idea of second chances in love? 
They say that sometimes, the ex is an ex for a reason; other times, it could just be a misunderstanding, and you should hear the person out and give them another try. But when two people are really meant for each other, they find themselves getting second or even third chances - things just keep pushing them together.


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When my sister first read a draft of A Love Rekindled, she mentioned that usually most "other guys" were mean and that Stanley was different that way. Honestly, it wasn't me. When I brought in the character, he was supposed to be bad, and actually put more obstacles in the way of love. But as I wrote, the character took over. For the writers, has that ever happened to you?

R is for Rom Isichei

Rom Isichei is an amazing Nigerian painter, and someone I know personally.

His works blow me away, though I'm still saving up for the day I'll be able to afford the ones I really like. I recently found out that he was having his third Solo exhibition titled Quiet Spaces in Lagos;

Date and - Saturday, May 14, 2011
Time - 4:00pm
Venue - Nike Art Gallery, 3rd roundabout, Lekki, Lagos

Rom was kind enough to let me have some behind the scene pictures for my blog. Enjoy...

Q is for Queen Ovie

No she isn't a real queen, but that was what she would be if she had anything to do with it. Ovie is another of the old friends that support Efe in A Love Rekindled. Hear her;

Movie Director/Producer/Actor - Emem Isong

- How would you describe yourself?
I am street-smart, I tell it like it is, and I am unapologetically ambitious.

- How do you manage to live such an active life?
 That's part of my street smarts. I was brought up in the inland towns of Benin city, and dem no dey teach dat ting o. As someone who hopes to be very successful, I have to know how to work hard and play hard - I'm hoping to become a branch manager in my bank.

- Some people have said that you are too brash and talkative. What do you say to this? 
Well, na dem sabi. That's me, and who no like am dem fit go hug transformer!

- How do you tell whether a club is a good place to hang out? 
Oh man, it depends on the music. If they are laying down solid dance tracks, that's where the party is going to happen. Then I look at the atmosphere - is the place bubbling, with people having fun? Then of course, they have to have a good variety of drinks - me, I like Bailey's Irish Cream.

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Verdict? Do you have friends like Ovie, who even when they seem flighty, always got your back?

P is for Public Display of Affection

PDA - What do you feel about them?

O is for Ofure Mukoro

Ofure is the twin of the main character in A Love Rekindled, and the one that first appears at the beginning of the book.

Actor - Desmond Elliot (no he is not a twin...)

- How would you describe yourself?
Cool, calm and collected - very cliched, right?

- Can you tell us what Kevwe is thinking about right now?
Ha! Do you think I'm going to tell you? That guy hardly ever lets anyone into his head. And even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you... OK, OK, let me tell you. I think he's in love - again.

- What was it to live apart from your twin for such a long time? 
Well, we grew up together, but we'd been in boarding school for a while, so living away from home wasn't such a big deal. Besides, we're not so 'twinny' as to feel we need to be everywhere together. And we didn't really feel so far apart anyway, because we had enough opportunities to chat over the phone.

- We hear that you're something of a ladies' man. What's the secret? 
Well, the ladies like me; I like them too, and there's no crime in that, is there? As to the secret, it's not a big deal, really. You just have to know how to show the right mixture of charm and aloofness.

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Lady charmer he is indeed. I have news for him. He's definitely getting a lady to cut him down to size. LOL...What about you, can you fall for a player?

N is for Nneka Dozie

Continuing in the dream cast series, Nneka is the best and longest friend Efe has ever had. First meeting in their first year at the University of Benin, they friendship is over 11 years now.

Nigerian Actress - Monalisa Chinda

- How would you describe yourself in three ways? 
Bubbly, friendly, loyal.

- What do you love about your baby, Anuli? 
She's the sweetest thing, the best thing that has ever happened to me. She brings me so much joy! When she smiles, I just feel my heart melt. She's my biggest responsibility, but she's also the greatest achievement of my life.

- Can you tell us how you met your husband, Dozie? 
That is a long story, and I hear that Myne may be writing the full book. Anyway, I first spoke to him on the phone when I travelled abroad for my holidays in the US. Next thing I knew, he wanted to marry me! Of course, I couldn't accept that when I hadn't even met him - all this happened in the nineties when there was no Facebook, no mobile phone, no nothing - so I told him to forget it. But he was persistent; he returned when I was much older and ready for love, and continued with his pursuit. He wowed me, took me travelling, and when he finally proposed again, I said 'yes'.

- Someone told us that you have a talent as a wrestling commentator. Could you tell us more? 
Hahaha! Oh, I know what you're referring to, when Efe managed to get herself into a fight, but that was just a joke. But I did watch some WWE matches with my brothers when I was much younger, so I may have picked up the language from there.

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Doing these interviews with Atala, he mentioned that Nneka was very traditional in terms of her answer about her baby. And that was what I was going for. For a lot of women, marriage and motherhood are the pinnacle of achievement. Do you know any such women?

M is for Model

My name is Myne Whitman and I am a model. A role model I mean, lol...not that you could think otherwise. Atala doesn't really like the picture below, he thinks I look too 'serious' and calls it my Maya Angelou picture. Of course Maya A is a truly inspirational role model, and I tell him it's an honor to be compared to her.

I hope you don't think I'm trying to be big-headed by saying I'm a role model? The truth is that most of us are role models whether we realize it or not, even if only to one or two people, friends, family etc. And that is not a bad thing, and should not be regarded as a burden like some people do. I believe that thinking yourself a role model gives one the inspiration sometimes to keep going.

Also, the importance of role models cannot be overestimated. It is crucial for a lot of us, myself included, to be able to have people we look up to, people we can identify with, and people who inspire us. When we can do this, we are energized because we can see our paths more clearly, and our goals are focused.

As a female writer, I'm never tired of mentioning those whom I've read and enjoyed, and those whose books have shaped me. By acknowledging them, I am acknowledged. As the Igbos say, "He who respects the king will one day be king." Some of them are already recognized but it never hurts to add your voice. So reach out today to your role model and say, "you motivated me".

And before I sign off, I have to say this you reading. Yeah you, you motivate me. :)

Have a great weekend!

For those in Nigeria, hope you're planning to vote?

Love - The one that got away.

You know how they say there's always that one person that you should've/ could've spent the rest of your life with? In A Love Rekindled, that could have been the case until fate brought Kevwe and Efe back together. This is a topic that engulfed me while I wrote the book, and I have agreed to discuss it with radio host and presenter, Vera Ezimora. We'll both be dishing on the main characters of A Love Rekindled, and will also take calls and questions from listeners!

You can E-mail all your questions/comments/stories about this show to radio@verastic.com or text 1.443.934.9039. You can also join the conversation by calling 1.646.929.1905 during the LIVE show. Time and Date is Saturday, April 16 by 10am EST, and 3pm GMT. For more information, visit the Verastic Channel on BlogTalk Radio.

To start the discussion, and to have the opportunity to get quoted during the radio show, leave a comment below. Do you have "The One" that got away? Ever heard of it, and what do you think?

L is for Love

Of course, LOL...

Wait a minute though, what is love? How will you describe love?

Is it a feeling or an action?
Is it to love or to be in love?
Can one do without love?
A cool love or a fast love?
Which is the better love?
Why do we even love?
When does love start?
Where does love end?
Have you ever loved?


Over to you...

K is for Kevwe Mukoro

Nigerian Actor - Desmond Elliot

Kevwe is one of the main characters in my new book, A Love Rekindled, and below he answers some questions.

- How would you describe yourself?
Confident, a go-getter, caring

- Is it true that you enjoy spending hours and hours in your engineering design studio?
Yes, I do. After all, my job is my passion. I've been dreaming of having my own company for two decades, and I'm proud of how far I've come in setting it up and growing it to this extent, in spite of all the challenges I've had to face. My vision is to make this the number one engineering design company in Nigeria, so I have to put in a lot of work in pioneering new products to achieve this dream.

- A little bird tells us that you're technophobic. Is that true? Well, I'm not the kind of person to go crazy over the latest gadgets. After all, what is technology for but to enable us to be more productive in our work and lives? I use AutoCAD on my computer at work, but I don't see why I should spend hours on Facebook and Twitter when I shoudl be working on a design project.

- What's your idea of a romantic evening with a loved one?
I'd take my loved one out to a quiet place for dinner and drinks. Then we'd move on from there to a nightclub where we could end the evening dancing the night away.

- Who is more impulsive - you or your twin brother?
I have to say that I am - he's the level headed one, whereas I sometimes fly off the handle. But we're not that different - I can also be composed when I want to be.

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What do you think of him?