I have the honor of having access to a great network of fellow authors. Every so often I invite them to be interviewed for this blog. Antoine was one of the first to respond.
What inspires your writing?
What inspires my writing is composing stories that I know a younger version of me would’ve read and enjoyed. That’s my constant tether.
What is your process of developing characters?
Characters come from situations to me. And oftentimes characters reveal themselves to me via their interactions with certain situations. Occasionally, a character is designed specifically to be a foil to another character, but even after that they have minds of their own.
Did you Start with a story outline or did you make it up as you went along?
I am a plotter, not a panster. That said, I wouldn’t say I’m a purist as a plotter. I only plan out the general acts and general chapters and I do that discovery on the scene level.
How much research did you need for our story?
It depends on the story but for my adult African fantasy I took an entire year of just reading history books, books on folklore, other published works from other authors as well. Same with the TJ Young & The Orishas story. About a year.
What researching methods did you use?
I start with Google and then quickly find published works about the respective subject. There’s a lot of cross referencing one has to do, especially with African history and myths that tend to be oral. What I end up doing is looking for three references to the same thing and go with the throughline within each. Otherwise I could be representing an outlandish idea.
Did you draw on personal experience?
I didn’t draw from personal experiences with my adult novel, but my young adult draws on just about everything in my life in one way or another. In fact, I’d like to take this time to ask your readers to follow me on Goodreads, because I’m going to be putting notes on my book on literally every reference and the motivation behind most of my lines, characters, and situations.
How did you make time to write?
Not well. I’m always trying to get better with productivity. People tell me I write fast but I hang around in author groups where folks are writing whole series in a single year. I’d like to get to that point, but I’m not there yet.
What advice would you have for writers looking to publish the way you published?
Follow the holy trinity: Joanna Penn, Mark Dawson, and Jenna Moreci.
Who did your cover and marketing?
Reedsy.com is where I source most of my creative work from, from editing, covers, and marketing. Every indie should be aware of that website.
Did you use beta readers? How did you secure them?
Yes! I want to say I have 20+ beta readers from all walks of life and different age groups, which I believe is paramount for young adult narratives. I grab my betas from beta groups, social media, Reddit… anywhere you can find betas.
How many revisions did it take to get a publishable book?
I don’t have distinct versions of my manuscripts in that way. Drafts sort of morph into the other. But if I had to put a number on it… I guess I could base it on feedback loops which would be 4-5, I guess?
What was your go-to writing software/app for your writing process?
GoogleDocs. Feedback is very important to me and that’s the best, most universal place to do it.
How did you differentiate your use of the Orisha mythologies from others that have used them?
Honestly, I think I benefit from the fact that I don’t have a lot of experience with the Orishas in other media. I’m aware they appeared in American Gods, but I didn’t watch that season. I read P Djeli’s The Black God’s Drum and LOVED it. Children of Blood & Bone features some Orisha stuff but it doesn’t go deep-deep. So most of my sourcing is, well, from the source. My understanding of the Orishas comes from those friends I have who practice under them and the books I’ve acquired from babalawo who’ve mentioned them, a handful of audiobooks describing them and their histories and pataki. But I do want to make it clear that my depiction of the Orishas are entirely fictional and not in anyway an accurate representation of what they are in the living practice of Ifa and its branches.
What advice do you have for others who want to use familiar properties like the Orisha in their stories?
Just to do your due diligence. Do the research, talk to folks who are experts in the field.
What are you writing now?
I actually just came from my apartment porch where I just finished the first chapter of Book 2 of TJ Young & The Orishas, The Windweaver’s Storm. Last night I finished the prequel short for it (which is now with betas). That one is called When the Wind Speaks, a title I absolutely adore.
What is your best advice to other writers?
Write a lot. Read even more.