Author Interview: Bisi Adjapon, Author “Of Women And Frogs”

After reading “Of Women and Frogs” earlier this year (check out my review via this link- www.rovingbookwormng.com/ofwomenandfrogs ), I became curious about the author and  her inspiration for this story among other things. This led me to request an online interview from her and I was elated when she obliged me.

Bisi Adjapon holds degrees in French and Spanish and has worked in several embassies, taught and managed projects in Costa Rica, Mexico, South Africa and Ghana. Until recently, she was a language instructor in the Diplomatic Language School in Virginia. Currently, she divides her time between Ghana and America. When not working, she plays tennis and loves to eat chocolate.

Bisi has given us a sneak peak into her world of being a published writer with answers to these 10 questions below.

1.WHEN DID YOU START WRITING?

Bisi’s Response: I’ve been writing all my life, probably since age seven.

2. WHAT IS THE MOST SURPRISING THING YOU DISCOVERED WHILE WRITING?

Bisi’s Response: Writing is like creating a movie in your head and describing it on paper. It gets easy when you set it up in your head and watch it as you’re writing.

3. IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF GOOD WRITING?

Bisi’s Response: The reader must feel like a fly on the wall, seeing, hearing, smelling, touching and feeling every action, every emotion. Whatever helps you achieve that constitutes good writing. There are no rules.

4. WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOK – OF WOMEN AND FROGS?

Bisi’s Response: I was preoccupied with how society judges women when it comes to sex. It started off as a fun project.

5. DO ANY OF THE CHARACTERS HOLD A SPECIAL PLACE IN YOUR HEART? IF YES, WHO?

Bisi’s Response: Esi, my protagonist. I wish I had been like her as a child and more.

6. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TITLE?

Bisi’s Response: I’ll leave it to the reader to draw his or her own conclusion. Suffice to say it’s not your Disney girl falls for a frog who turns out to be a prince.

7. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART AND LEAST FAVORITE PART OF THE PUBLISHING PROCESS?

Bisi’s Response: I loved editing and polishing the manuscript, plus the production process: cover design, proofreading, typesetting, etc.  My editor and I worked very well together. The printing and release process gripped me with anxiety because my editor, also the managing editor, was on leave and I felt lost. Combined with delays at Lagos harbor, it was stressful. We had to wait for months. I became depressed.  We had run out of the initial promotional copies and were beset with demand from readers.

8. WHAT ONE THING WILL YOU GIVE UP TO BECOME A BETTER WRITER?

Bisi’s Response: Whatsapping and checking social media in the morning instead of writing.

9. HOW DO YOU HANDLE LITERARY CRITICISM?

Bisi’s Response: It doesn’t bother me one bit. Reading is subjective. I hate some works that others love and vice-versa. I have the utmost respect for readers. They are entitled to their reactions and preferences.

10. ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOUR READERS?

Bisi’s Response:: I am, but I’m keeping it close to my chest for now. It’s a surprise, even to me, and I love it. I hope my fans will too.

*Special thanks to Bisi Adjapon for granting this interview.