Today we talk about Sold Kin, a book by Shine Enyinnaya Nwosu published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author Shine Enyinnaya Nwosu to get to know him better, when he decided to write his book Sold Kin, as well as what he felt to see his book published.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- When and why did you decide to write this story?
My Country Nigeria is a third world country and has been so since inception, when you ask why. The answers are: our leaders are corrupt, Europe underdeveloped Africa. But the history of slave trade shows the black man is culpable. So I wrote this story to fight our mentality which is everywhere that the Whiteman is responsible for all our problems(underdevelopment). I dream of engaging in seminars to talk to black youths and any adult who wishes to listen that we are our own problem. Let us take responsibility and not blame our poverty on colonial masters (Europe). The book will not sit well with blacks who have grown up to hear it is not our fault we are underdeveloped but those willing for a change will listen and be called to change the man in the mirror for a better world. For me it was just that simple, everyone wants to make a change, and for me if I am to fight for a change, I will fight to have it changed that anytime poverty, illiteracy, hunger is mentioned it is the picture of the black race that comes to mind.
- What particularly significant experiences find expression in your book?
Majority of the stories about the Atlantic Slave trade you will read always shows the European as the monster and the black man as the victim. In this story the truth is told that Black men in Africa were the enslavers, who kidnapped, raided villages and engaged in all manner of nefarious acts to acquire the slaves from the hinterland and then sell to the White man at the shores. Still the aim remains to point to us that we are our own problem and not the so many reasons we give. As for me as I am still on the quest to make a change, growing up we will always hear the words, “in the good old days” from the older ones and when you visit the history books to find out what life was like during the good old days and why we the young generation are meeting a society in so much mess, you will realise there is nothing like the good old days. Because it has always been bad and unfortunately getting worse and the story of slave trade is such a story that accentuates the point being made.
- What would you like to hear from your readers?
“Finally, someone is saying the truth!”, “Now we are telling ourselves the truth maybe a change can finally begin to take place across the black world” and from other readers (other races), “a change is coming, what an honest book” these are some of the words I hope to hear. Sold kin is a story I hope will kick start my career in writing and I want to be an author who writes to make a change(educate) and entertain. I am hoping when people read my stories I will come across their minds as someone who writes with purpose and wants to see a better world. I also aim to make it possible that whilst one reads my novel, they will agree there is a positive change to be made. I still have a lot of people to make happy and should one day my parents pick up any of my books to read I want them to be proud of me, I want all my acquaintances to be proud of me for doing what I do which is using stories for social change.
- What sensations did you feel seeing your book published?
Relief, excitement and a little bit scared because I am all alone in the journey. Didn’t and still not in a place you will say, “I know a writer”. I started writing in my university days and I will say it is not an easy journey. When you surf the net and read posts on social media, there are a lot of motivational contents you will see and the message remains, ‘don’t give up’’. I am so glad I didn’t give up, and the fact the novel is now published is a positive and encouraging step. I am aware the job is far from done and there are still a lot to be done and achieved but then, phew! The job is almost done and the journey is almost completed. Every phase of writing brings its own challenges and with the novel out, the encouragement will always be there, if you can write, edit, get published, then you can market and share your story with the world, all it calls for is hard work.
- Are you planning to write more books you can tell us about?
I actually have three more novels. But I will wait before publishing them, let me gather all criticism for Sold Kin. See what people will say I did right and I did wrong and then improve the other stories with them. So yes I have other stories. Sold Kin is a historical fiction set in the times of the Atlantic Slave trade which started around 16th century down to the 19th century. It is a book I enjoyed writing as I had to visit some of the embarkation points, some had been turned to museums and doing the research was quite interesting, of all of my books it gave me more sleepless nights, so it is a good thing it is out. My other stories are set in the present and the themes and voices raised in Sold kin still echo in them. I will like to see my country exit the tag of a poor nation or a third world nation and to do that you can’t stop speaking.
Europe Books thanks the author Shine Enyinnaya Nwosu once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside him on the editorial path that led to the publication of his book Sold Kin. We wish him the best of luck for his book and for his future works.
To you, my dear reader, may this book capture you and inspires you to create a small or a big change in your lives in order to make them better and worth living for.
So, my dear reader, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your Editor!