Hello everyone,
Welcome to our monthly feature for authors.
The author for the month of May 2022 is Kikelomo Kuponiyi, author of ‘Tri-Party and Unfolding Grace’. I have read and reviewed her books on this website and you can check out my reviews (in “Book Reviews”) to see if you may be interested to read them. She writes very insightful and relatable Christian fiction stories that would keep you asking for more.
Today’s interview will give us a sneak-peek into Kikelomo’s life as a published author. I hope you enjoy reading her answers to these ten questions but first let’s begin with an introduction of the author.
So here we go…..
The Author:
Kikelomo Kuponiyi is a retired banker, lawyer and writer. After graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree, she ventured into the banking industry, where she worked for over two decades. Her experience in banking spans customer service, operations, financial control and retail lending. Over the years, she nurtured her love for the arts through writing journals, poetry, and short stories. Her first published novel is titled ‘Unfolding Grace’. ‘Your Money and You’ is her first non-fiction book. She is married with three children and lives in Lagos, Nigeria.
The Interview:
What were the early influences on your writing and how do they manifest in your work?
Kikelomo: My early influences would be the authors I enjoyed reading. My favorites were Francine Rivers and John Grisham.
What tactics do you have when writing? (For example: outline or just write)
Kikelomo: I work with a combination of both. I do outline, but also allow the story to grow on its own. I don’t follow the outline strictly.
What books have fortified you as a writer?
Kikelomo: I can’t pin it down to any particular one. Each experience has been unique. However, Tri-Party took a lot of work.
Why Christian fiction? Have you considered writing in another genre?
Kikelomo: I wanted to contribute to that genre in Nigeria, because most Christian fiction I got to read was foreign. Also, I wanted to reflect the Christian life in a realistic and relatable way that would make it attractive to others.
Have you written any other books that are not yet published?
Kikelomo: I wrote a few short stories when I was in school, but I lost them. I have a lot of unfinished stories, and one or two finished stories that I feel need more work.
What is something memorable you have heard from your readers/fans?
Kikelomo: Someone was convinced that my first novel, Unfolding Grace, was a true story which I tried to disguise as fiction.
What gives you inspiration for your books?
Kikelomo: My main inspiration comes from God. Stories come to me in form of ideas and I write them down, but it takes a while to think through the idea. Not every idea gets written, because I also look at real life; what I see happening around me and in people’s lives and the society.
Do you feel like it’s most important to have A) Strong characters B) Mind-blowing Plot twists or C) Epic settings?
Kikelomo: Each one is important in putting together a captivating story. But for me, it’s the people; strong characters. Long after I’ve forgotten the main story, the characters remain in my mind.
When you write a story, do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Kikelomo: I should have started this earlier. It’s not easy to write, but it is a very fulfilling experience.
So this is it and I hope you enjoyed reading Kikelomo’s responses as much as I did. If you have any more questions for her, ask away in the comments and she will answer all your questions.
Have a blessed day!
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