Debut You is an interview feature on Our Stories Matter blog. Debut authors, who have released or have upcoming releases in 2023, are given six questions to answer about themselves and their book. Currently, the questions are the same for all authors. We hope you enjoy getting to know Moses Ose Utomi and can offer your support. Go here for past Debut You features.
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Describe yourself in five words, then expound on one of them.
Creative, kind, rambunctious, skeptical, and curious.
Skepticism and curiosity go hand-in-hand and are, I believe, the core of why I’m a writer. Anything I hear or read, I want to know more, and I rarely accept the first truth I’m given—there’s always a truth behind that truth that makes for a much better story.
Explain your book’s journey—how long did it take—from idea to publication?
Daughters of Oduma was the fastest book journey of my life. I started writing it in November 2018. I remember being pretty fed up with publishing at that point. So, I decided to write something that was so me that no one would get it but my closest friends and me—West African culture, martial arts, epic fantasy, and a bunch of other stuff that I’m obsessed with. I finished the first draft in January 2019. The first draft was just a novella, but after feedback from friends, I finished a full novel version of it by June of that year.
I’m normally a slow writer, so this was pretty fast for me, especially with balancing a full-time day job and other life duties while writing. After another round of critique and revisions, I began sending it to agents in November 2020—a year after I’d started writing it. By January, I had an agent. There was another round of critique and revision from my agent. Then, we started sending it out to editors in May. A month later, we had a deal! In total, the book’s journey took about a year and a half—from the beginning of writing to the sale of the novel.
Belief in oneself is important; besides you, who has been your cheerleader(s) throughout this process?
My family. My brother and sister read almost everything I write. I also have a lot of longtime writer friends who always have my back in terms of helping me creatively and encouraging me when I’m not certain about a project.
Understanding your audience is essential. What do you know for sure about the audience you are writing for?
I wrote Daughters of Oduma for young, Black women in the U.S. and abroad. I know they deserve and desire to see themselves as heroes, to be given permission to take agency in their own lives and the destiny of the world. I know they are dreamers like me and deserve to have their dreams encouraged—that’s why I wrote this book.
Tell us about your book.
Imagine any of the elite warriors throughout history. Knights, samurai—whatever works for you. Imagine the bravery, camaraderie, dedication, costumes, armor, and pageantry. Now, take all that fun stuff, but instead of adult men, it’s young women in an African-inspired fantasyland. My book is about these warriors, called Bowers, who live in small tribes and compete in a magical martial art called Bowing. The book follows Dirt, a retired Bower. When tragedy strikes her tribe, Dirt is forced out of retirement to compete in the most high-stakes tournament of her life—fighting for the very survival of her tribe.
YOU did it, congratulations! Your story is going to be read by children or teens, educators, parents, librarians, book bloggers, etc. How do you feel, and are there any other projects in the works—that you can discuss?
It feels like being in a dark room for hours, then suddenly having the sun shine inside the room. When writing a book, I spend hours alone with my imagination for months. Now suddenly, other people get to see what I’ve created. It’s jarring, but at the same time, it’s the best shared experience I’ve ever had. I get to let people into my head and see my story bring them meaning, happiness, and hope. And the book hasn’t even hit shelves yet. When my book finally gets into the hands of the readers, especially the young Black women I wrote it for, I’ll almost certainly melt into a puddle of tears. Can’t wait!
Daughters of Oduma
Atheneum BYR | February 7, 2023 | Amazon | Bookshop
Moses Ose Utomi is a Nigerian American fantasy writer, martial artist, and nomad currently based out of Honolulu, Hawaii. He has an MFA in fiction from Sarah Lawrence College and has had work published with Tor and Fantasy Magazine, among others. When he isn’t reading or writing, he’s indulging his restlessness by traveling about, making progress on his martial arts journey, or doing karaoke—with or without a backing track.
Connect with Moses Ose Utomi: Website | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter
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