C. M. Okonkwo is a Nigerian writer who grew
up in Lagos. She started writing short fiction, plays and word games at a young
age, but put it on hold when she moved to France in 2005 for her studies. She
rekindled her love for writing when she started working on personal projects
and ideas for international development, some of which have been recognized.
Her writing ideas are inspired by her
experiences in Nigeria, France, and other countries she has visited. Apart from
writing, her other hobbies include dancing, swimming, travelling & touring,
playing sudoku/video games, and participating in track & field events.
She's also a lover of numbers and some of her characters' names are created
with numbers.
Your
real name and pen name?
My
real name is C. M. Okonkwo.
Please
share some of the best memories of your childhood
Family
weekend time: Fridays, movie night; Saturdays, drama/singing rehearsals; and
Sundays, swimming :)
About
your education
I
have a first degree in Business Administration and Management, a master's
degree in Personnel and Employment Management and an advanced master's degree
in International Human Resources Management and Development.
What
career did you plan during your education days
A
career in Human Resources Management and Development.
What
languages you can speak and write?
English,
Igbo and French.
What
is your biggest source of inspiration in life
God
and family.
What
hurts you most in this world
Suffering.
What
is your favorite genre and why?
I
love Mystery/Suspense because it's engaging.
When
did you start writing? What
is the purpose of your writing?
I
can't remember exactly what age I started writing, but it was for self
expression, and now I write for entertainment.
Which
of your work has been published so far?
I've
published two books and six short stories
Books:
"The
XIth Hour" is a (psychological) thriller
about a man, Twil Jeafi, who woke up with a sudden type of amnesia. While
trying to understand what was going on, he received a phone call from a lady
claiming to be his sister. He contacted a third party to help track down the
mysterious caller. At the same time, he started having visions and hearing
voices, telling him how he can remember his past. The answers he got weren't
what he expected but there was no turning back for him.
"Thirteen
Suspects" is a murder/mystery book, with a
touch of erotica and suspense, about a young student who was murdered in his
studio in London. Luckily for him, he made journal entries about all his
activities/adventures of the same year. The detectives working his case used
the journal to track down thirteen suspects with secret motives, and the killer
was eventually caught.
Short
stories:
"The
Angela Hunter series" started off as a short story titled
"Closed Door," which tells the story of a teenage girl, Angela, who
shared a bathroom with her sister. However, Angela got too frustrated because
her sister constantly spent a lot of time locked up in the bathroom. One day,
Angela opened the bathroom door and discovered the unimaginable.
Some
readers asked me to make a second part to the story and I did so happily. It's
titled "The Confession." There's also a third part "The Pursuit,"
a fourth, "The Informant," and a fifth, "The Deal." There
are two other parts to go ("The Italian" and "Private Eye")
before the mystery is solved. Once
I start, I can't stop :)
"Ziora's
Surprise" is about a young woman who received a
call about an emergency, causing her to leave her house. When she returned
home, she met a few too many surprises.
Ziora's
Surprise was a writing challenge with the theme "Surprise."
What
are your forthcoming writings?
I'm
currently working on a new novel titled "The Perfect Finish," and
"The Angela Hunter series 2." (No, I haven't had enough of Angela
Hunter yet.)
I'm
also passively working on a new novel titled "Playing With Fire." I
started it a while back, but I now write every new chapter when singer "Emeka
Jayo" releases a new song. It's a personal challenge to create stories
from songs, and piece the stories together into a book. The book will be based
on his debut album coming out sometime this year, and will be released much
later.
What
are your future plans?
I
want to do more writing, and also specialize in Entrepreneurship and
Self-Employment as an alternative to the global (youth) unemployment
crisis
What
four top most things you take care of while writing a book?
-Characters,
-At
least one crime (oops),
-Dialogue
-Possibility
of continuity (I like to leave a story open to a sequel)
Your
dream destination on Earth?
I'm
still searching for one
Your
origin of birth and other countries you have visited/ stayed. What best things
you liked in these countries around the globe?
I
was born in Lagos Island, Nigeria, and I've lived in France. I've visited a
couple of European countries and my likes range from warm weather, language,
lasagne, spa-town, people, tourists attractions, to annual carnivals,
etc.
Your
favorite time of the day?
Night.
I write better when it's quiet.
Your
zodiac/ sunsign? Taurus.
Your
favorite color and why? Blue, because I loved it from the first
time I saw it.
Your
favorite book and why? Hmmm, I'm not sure.
Your
favorite celebrity and why? Difficult to say.
Your
favorite food? It depends on my mood.
Some
quickies:
Sun
or Moon: Sun
Laughter
or Smile: Both
Morning
or Evening: Evening
Coffee
or Tea: Both
Mountain
or Sea: Sea
Long
Drive or Short Drive: Long Drive
Silence
or Conversation: Conversation
Water
or Fire: Water
Air
or Earth: Earth
Mars
or Jupiter: Mars (the chocolate bar, I mean)
Tulip
or Rose: Rose
Red
or Blue: Blue
Left
or Right: Right
Glance
or Stare: Glance
State
your signature line/ tagline/ best quote
You
only live once!
The
last line of your autobiography would be…
This
is just the beginning.
Twitter
handle: @CMO2904
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