Danielle Jackson: Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Lizzie! Congrats on the publication of YINKA, WHERE IS YOUR HUZBAND?. How does it feel to have your debut novel out in the world? Can you tell us about your journey into publishing?
Lizzie Damilola Blackburn: Thank you! It feels absolutely insane. (In a good way!) A few years back, no one, not even my other half had read YINKA, WHERE IS YOUR HUZBAND? in its entirety, so it’s kind of surreal that people, complete strangers, will now be reading it. It’s also very exciting because when I was writing YINK, I used to wander around bookstores and visualize my book on the shelves, and now, I’m a published author!
In terms of my journey to publication, it took me roughly five years. YINKA started off as a short story on a blog that I ran in 2014-15. The decision to turn it into a novel came after I met an incredible author called Jackie Ley. She felt as though the concept – a British Nigerian woman feeling the pressure to settle down – would make a brilliant novel. However, I had no formal writing experience, so I took on the challenge, blindly. As a result, I spent the first few years starting and stopping; I didn’t have a clue what I was doing! The turning point for me was when I read STORY ENGINEERING by Larry Brooks; it was then that I realised that stories are crafted with various components – conflict, stakes, theme, etc – many of which I was missing!
From that point forward, I started to invest in myself as a writer by attending writing workshops, reading avidly and doing short online creative writing courses. Then in 2019, I applied for The Literary Consultancy’s Pen Factor Competition with an early draft of YINKA. And despite my initial reluctance to apply – thanks to my self-doubt – I won! Nelle Andrew (my now-agent) was on the panel and after the competition, we connected. To cut a long story short, after sending her the first fifty pages of YINKA and a synopsis, on August 27, 2019, she offered me formal representation. I still have the date marked in my calendar, and I celebrate it every year because it was a life-changing day for me.
But then the real work began. Nelle had signed me on despite me not having a full manuscript, so I had to buckle down and finish it. Nelle was amazing; she has a good editorial eye and she really helped me to keep Yinka’s story focused. She was also good at giving me a deadline to work to – and this was the hardest part because I was working a full-time job in London, a two-hour commute from where I lived. Ironically, the first lockdown in 2020 was a blessing in disguise as it gave me the much-needed time to finish my manuscript. After a few editorial changes, my agent and I submitted my MS to eighteen publishers in June. Within twenty-four hours, Viking UK pre-empted, and a mere few weeks later, I had a US deal with Pamela Dorman Books. My life changed forever.
While I was reading YINKA, WHERE IS YOUR HUZBAND?, I felt like I was watching an episode of Insecure or Chewing Gum, especially when Yinka was interacting with her friends, sister, and cousins. Who are a couple of your favorite supporting characters in the book, and why are they significant to Yinka’s story?
Firstly, it warms my heart to hear YINKA mentioned in the same breath as Insecure and Chewing Gum! These shows were massive sources of inspiration for me. As for many readers, Nana (Yinka’s best friend) is a favourite of mine. Asides from having this cool, Rihanna-esque vibe, I admire the fact that she doesn’t conform to society’s expectations of what it means to be a woman in her thirties and goes about doing her own thing. For example, she isn’t interested in marriage and is pursuing her dreams of becoming a fashion designer instead of a traditional, corporate career. She is also a good role model for Yinka. Both Yinka and Nana share the same aesthetics – they’re both dark-skinned and thin – and yet, they have a completely different attitude towards their bodies. While Yinka questions her attractiveness and compares how she looks to the curvy, fair-skinned women she sees in the media, Nana is very comfortable in her own skin, loves herself wholeheartedly and encourages Yinka to embrace her beauty. She doesn’t allow trends or social media to dictate how she sees herself. As she beautifully put it to Yinka, ‘I am who I say I am.’ Nana is the kind of friend we all need: loyal, supportive and honest. I don’t think Yinka could have reached her point of self-discovery without her.
I also have a sweet spot for Donovan – Yinka’s friend from the past whom she later reconnects with. Like Nana, Donovan is effortlessly cool, charming and handsome. He also has a sensitive side and is very in tune with his emotions. He defies the stereotypical notion that to be a Black man means you have to be hard and strong all the time. By being open and honest, he encourages Yinka to be vulnerable to the point where she has to ask for help – something which is never a bad thing to do – and to be real about her true career aspirations.
In addition to her love life, Yinka is also dealing with losing her job and trying to decide what to do next. Some of the choices she makes are less than ideal, but also feel very real. Why was it important to you to show the “messier” side of Yinka’s decisions?
Yinka reaches a low point in her life where the saying ‘Desperate times calls for desperate measures’ rings true. I wanted to show the drastic decisions we can sometimes make in life when we feel as though time is running out and we have few options (or so we think) because many of us have been there before. We’ve all had moments in our lives when we’ve reflected back and said, ‘Gosh, I wish I didn’t do that,’ or ‘What was I thinking?’. To make Yinka appear human, relatable, I had to make her go on a journey where she would do the same thing, and that meant, she wouldn’t always make the right decision. But sometimes, our greatest growth comes from learning from our mistakes, which is certainly true in Yinka’s case.
At its core, this book is about self-acceptance and self-love, and Yinka has to do some real soul-searching to get to a happy place—something she didn’t necessarily realize she needed to do. What do you hope readers learn from Yinka?
A key takeaway from the book is self-love is the most important love of all, and that really needs to be established first before entering a relationship because how can a half-empty person truly love a full one? Hopefully, by seeing Yinka’s journey, readers will feel encouraged to go on a self-discovery journey of their own (if they think they need to do). I also hope that readers who are single and feeling the pressure to settle down will feel less alone and accept that their lives are so much more than their relationship status. Lastly, I hope that readers will see that beauty comes in different shapes, tones and forms, and we should all embrace each other for who we are.
The New Year is finally here! Do you make New Year’s Resolutions or Intentions? Or do you avoid them?
In my family, we have this tradition of writing individual prayer lists before the year comes to an end and praying over them throughout the new year. I guess the list is a bit like making New Year’s Intentions – so, goal-oriented – but I’ll also include general things such as the provision and wellbeing of family and friends given we don’t know what tomorrow may bring. I love looking back at my previous prayer lists and seeing how God has blessed me and my family. Even when I reflect on my publishing journey, God has exceeded my expectations and has blessed me with more than my wildest dreams.
What can readers expect from you next?
I am currently working on book two! I can’t say too much about it, but I’m very excited about the protagonist and the concept. You’d think that because I’ve written one book, the second would be easier? Wrong. Writing is hard, period! However, the more the story evolves in my head, the more desire I have to tell it. It’s the passion that keeps me going. Although I can’t say too much about the story, fans of Yinka will be pleased to know that it’s loosely connected to her world. That’s all I’m saying about it; you’ll have to stay tuned!
Rapid Fire Random Questions
Favourite animal: Dolphins! They are super cute and seem very friendly
Coffee or tea: Neither. I prefer herbal tea. Ginger and lemon is my fave
Favourite book to re-read: Lindsey Kelk’s I Heart series or MY NOT SO PERFECT LIFE by Sophie Kinsella. I looove their writing voice and these books are incredibly funny. They bring me great joy. Lately, I’ve also had Will Smith’s memoir, WILL, on repeat on Audible.
Beach or mountains: Beach all the way. I have a fear of heights!
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?: Either an artist or a journalist.
Dream vacation: It changes all time. Right now, I’d say a cruise to the Caribbean because I’m desperate for some sand and sun
Aside from reading and writing, what are your hobbies? Does napping count? Spending time with my husband, friends, and family. Watching YouTube, Netflix, anything that will make me laugh or swoon – cute pet and baby videos included. I’m also really into skincare. I like researching ingredients and trialling new products.
Five people you’d invite to your book club: Issa Rae, Rihanna, Will Smith, Maya Angelou, and this amazing YouTube vlogger called Zach Campbell.
Favourite movie: The Best Man! Both one and two. A Raisin in the Sun (2008)
You have a totally free afternoon – no deadlines, no obligations, no Twitter notifications! What do you do?! Sleep! Get a facial and a massage. Eat some nice, hot food. Have an endless, deep conversation with my husband. We can talk for hours!
YINKA, WHERE IS YOUR HUZBAND? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
Meet Yinka: a thirty-something, Oxford-educated, British Nigerian woman with a well-paid job, good friends, and a mother whose constant refrain is “Yinka, where is your huzband?”
Yinka’s Nigerian aunties frequently pray for her delivery from singledom, her work friends think she’s too traditional (she’s saving herself for marriage!), her girlfriends think she needs to get over her ex already, and the men in her life…well, that’s a whole other story. But Yinka herself has always believed that true love will find her when the time is right.
Still, when her cousin gets engaged, Yinka commences Operation Find-A-Date for Rachel’s Wedding. Aided by a spreadsheet and her best friend, Yinka is determined to succeed. Will Yinka find herself a huzband? And what if the thing she really needs to find is herself?
Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? brilliantly subverts the traditional romantic comedy with an unconventional heroine who bravely asks the questions we all have about love. Wry, acerbic, moving, this is a love story that makes you smile but also makes you think–and explores what it means to find your way between two cultures, both of which are yours.
Women’s Fiction Contemporary [Pamela Dorman Books/Viking, On Sale: January 18, 2022, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593299005 / eISBN: 9780593299012]
Buy YINKA, WHERE IS YOUR HUZBAND?: Amazon.com | Kindle
| BN.com | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Powell’s Books | Books-A-Million | Indie BookShops | Ripped Bodice | Love’s Sweet Arrow | Audible
|
Walmart.com
| Book Depository | Target.com | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
About Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
Born and raised in London, Lizzie Damilola Blackburn is a British-Nigerian writer who won the Literary Consultancy Pen Factor Writing Competition in 2019 with an early draft of her debut novel. She has been on the receiving end of the question in the title of her novel many times, and now lives with her husband in Milton Keynes, England.
TWITTER | GOODREADS | AMAZON
***
About Danielle Jackson
Danielle Jackson is a contemporary romance author, avid reader, lackluster-yet-mighty crafter, and accomplished TV binge-watcher.
Once upon a time, she was a publisher publicist and continues to cultivate her love of books and reading by chatting with the best authors in the business as the Editorial Manager of FreshFiction.com and co-host of the Fresh Fiction podcast. Danielle also moderates industry panels, interviews authors, and hosts a romance book club.
Danielle lives in Chicagoland with her very own romance hero husband, darling daughter, and two tempestuous cats. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram, @DJacksonBooks.
No Comments
Comments are closed.