Chinyere Ifediorah talks about Herself, Her writing career and Her Novel; Little People.

Meet Chinyere Ifediorah, the author of ''Little People'' She is quite an interesting young lady, emphasis on

''interesting'', or how else would you describe some one who enjoys sitting in a crowded park and just watch

people go about their  normal lives.

She said she could make up a story by just watching people, imagine what they

are saying and who they are to each other.

She is a Lawyer, from Awka, Anambra state.

Here is one fascinating thing about her book, ''connection''. Its almost like magic, the way the characters all have

something in common with someone you know in real life. I'm serious. You would practically be alive inside the book.

As for me, I took it personal. If you know me you would think I was the main character,😊

because we had so much in common. And Kas (The main character) motivated me to take my blogging more seriously.

Enjoy the interview. And make sure you get the book.

So tell me about your book, How long did it take to come up with the title?

To be honest I cannot remember ever wondering what title I will give the book.

The name little people just came right from when I started writing the story. I title most of my stories right from

when I start writing them

What inspired the story?

 I love writing you know and little people was one of the many stories I was writing side by side.

Then one day I sent my friend the first few pages of Little People alongside another story I was also writing then and

she just loved Little People, she said I should drop the other one and finish Little people so I took her advice, it is

just one the many stories I would love to tell you know....the life of the Nigerian young person, from our own

 perspective without any coloring.

Yeah, you did a great job with that "without any coloring" because I could relate to every

single feeling and situation in the book.

Yes, I wanted something any young person who grew up in this country can understand and relate to,

dreams we must have all dreamt and road we must have passed

Is it your first published?

Yes, it is my first published book. Even though it was written early 2014, that is almost 3 years

Why didn't you publish in 2014 then?

Little people was not the first book I tried to publish. In secondary school I wrote a novel and took to a Roadside

printing press near my house that I read "publishing" in the sign post outside his office.

He told me he was not a publisher and I went home and that book was never published. Then in 2013 I finished

another novel shortly before I started Little People and I tried my best to submit it to publishers, They all rejected

that one and some offered to publish it if I can pay, that is self publishing. So when I wrote little people I didn't

submit it to many places like I did the first one, the few I submitted rejected the manuscript too and rather

requested that I pay for self publishing if I felt strongly about the story. I didn't have the money then so I equally

abandoned it. Then this year some of my friends that read the book kept asking me what happened to it and

why I haven't published it. So I finally decided I would go ahead and publish it, I sourced for a publisher and

found one in Ibadan and that was how I was able to finally publish my first novel.

Was publishing the only challenge you faced or were there any other challenges you would love to share?

I think another challenge is the problem of money, it is not easy to focus on writing when it is not yet paying

you because the bills will keep coming and you have to work to pay your bills while juggling writing.

How did you deal with writers' block while writing Little People and generally?

I have not published everything I have written so writers block is not really my problem you know, but even when I

am in the middle of a book and I can't just get through I go on a road trip, I discovered that seating down in a

moving vehicle for hours really opens my brain and makes me want to just write...another thing that helps me is

 watching people, like going to Jabi lake on Saturday morning and just watch the milling crowd.

Little people is one of those stories that kept pouring, I couldn't get it all out faster...like my mind was making

up the story faster than my hands could type.

What drives you? Your motivation around the whole writing thing?

When I was little I thought books were created by God, then one day I learnt there were people called authors who

write the books, since then I have always wanted to be one.

Quote of the year. lol! Apart from writing, what else do you do?

I read...I swim...I watch people.

What are your ambitions for your writing career?

I want to be read. I want to publish more and I want to write more.

I always thought the books I read growing up shaped me and influenced my life and I hope to be able to influence

and entertain my generation and the ones to come with my writing

I know you're a lawyer. How do you manage work and writing?

I manage well I guess...writing is the passion/hobby, law pays the bill, so I try to find the balance.

Okay. So which writers inspire you?  And whats your favorite book?

The late Sydney Sheldon and Chimamanda Adichie are my best of the best, at to my favorite book, I found a little

book that belonged to my boss titled 'you have got to cry to laugh' by Peter Enahoro, and it has been my favorite

book for a while now, I am not loyal though, I will soon find another book.

What would you say is the hardest and easiest thing about writing?

The hardest is publishing and getting your work out there.

The easiest is thing about writing is the process. All you need is just you and your laptop and you click away

and a book is born!

What do you like the most about books? What is being written or how its being written?

I think it's the story and the characters and places it paints so vividly, like I could get all romantic about Venice even

though I have never been there just because some book have told me a lot about Venice.

How has the review for Little People being so far?

It has been awesome, unbelievable even, a girl in ss3 who I have never met had her father who was a friend call me

so she could ask me if there would be a sequel and why I didn't explain what happened to Kas...it is like the book

has taken a life of its own and different people have different opinion about what happened to Kas and what the

title meant etc...so far so good I must say.

So how does it feel to finally have your novel published?

My publisher sent like 5 copies first,When I opened the pack and brought my book out and held them in my hands

for the very first time I had this flood of emotions I cannot even describe. It was as if my heart was breaking from

too much happiness. I think that might be what mothers feel when they hold there babies for the first time.

I was overwhelmed and beyond happy.

Do you feel like ''that's it, i am done?

Nope, this is just the beginning.

What were the mistakes you made in this your first writing and publishing that you"d look out for in the next ones?

I will definitely use an independent editor aside from the one the publisher will provide.

Advice to writers and young people in General

If you want to write, read, readers are leaders so yeah...we all should read, then keep writing, whether short stories or

articles or full length books, just keep writing because that's one way to be a better writer, by writing. And then

Make sure you read Little People and when you are done give your friend to read too!

hahaha! Smart move. Thank you very much for your time Chinyere. I really appreciate.

You are welcome.

You can download ''Little People'' on Amazon: https://goo.gl/BtwWNH

Or Call Chester Ugochukwu on 08039307673 to order.

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I picked a lesson from my conversation with Chinyere. The way she says ''one of my friends said....'' ''Then my friend 

said....''

I noticed that her friends pushed her a lot, and each time they push her, something good comes out lf it.

My Question is, Do you have friends who push you?

Thanks for reading, don't forget to comment and share.