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🌼Interviewed by Sophie🌼
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🌺Greetings fellow Adventurers!🌺

  T'is I your host, Sophie!😋😊😊. I know what you're all thinking. "Isn't Lilly supposed to be the host? Did Sophie kidnap Lilly and take over her Interview shop as the supreme Queen?”

No, I did not😄. She actually let me take this interview but she's watching my every move.🤪

Today in the garden, 🌺🌺 we have with us a very talented young man, all the way from Western Africa; The Nigerian King of Fantasy!

Author of War of Whips! spiritbone
Omo iyami! Twalay baba! I clear road for you ooo!

SB: Be calming dahn 😆

So: Nooo, I need to hail you wella!

Li: (Glares at Sophie dangerously)
Get back to the interview!❌❌❌

So: (Laughs nervously) Okay let's get down to business.

War of Whips is a fantasy book, set in Nigeria, three thousand years after a great eruption. Therefore thrusting the world into a dark era where the cursed rule as gods.

What inspired you to write it?

SB: WoW is actually my first foray into Afro-fantasy. I wanted to do something African but also post apocalyptic and I was like, "hey, why don't I start and see how it goes." It's also a personal reflection into some of the thoughts rolling in my head concerning the future of our continent. But mainly, it was an attempt to tell fantasy in an African way.

So: That's so nice. I've always wanted to do that too. Although I've been thinking of a Zombie world set in Nigeria.😂

Why that title? War of Whips?

SB: It's actually a very funny story. I gave my brother the first few chapters to look through and when he saw the term 'Whip Masquerade,' he was like,"omo Dem go dey use koboko dey fight o!"😆 And boom! There went the title. I had another title but that seemed way cooler.

So: 😄 As in! He's so right. Those whip masquerades were derived from egungun right? It's cool how you turned the Nigerian Egungun festival of whip masquerades into a great concept in your book.

Who is/are your favorite character (s)?

SB: My favorite character is definitely Tuli. He's a very conflicted man and has a lot of troubles that he hides perfectly with a very handsome face, wittiness and jokes. He is quite a challenging character to write and can be intense many times.

Next to him is Idem. Idem is basically young, ambitious and that type of thing but he doesn't see that there are many things in play which he doesn't understand. I also like his growth and changes as the story unfolds.

So: Awwn how sweet. You and this your Tuli sha. Even though you don't want to admit he's gay. I mean who sways his hips and covers his mouth like a blushing girl?

SB: 😄 He's not, he just behaves that way.

So: If you say so. But I'll be watching him with my two korokoro eyes.

Li: What's 'Korokoro'? Quit typing in strange languages!😠

So: I won't rest until I uncover all his dark secrets.
*Lilly face smacks herself*

I also love Idem. He's my number one fave. The poor boy has suffered alot and he's fighting through it.
Then there's Zamu. Handsome, dashing and sexy Zamu.😍 I'm catching his heat! That guy is showing lots of potentials. Besides, I'm a sucker for hot boys.

Li: Who cares about your likes? Get back to actually interviewing the author!😡

So: I also love the crazy, dangerous, evil and powerful emperor. Because he wanted to have all form of the cursed as sons, he went ahead and had a thousand and eighty seven sons!!! How crazy is that!😄

SB:😆😆

Li: He took his job as a daddy seriously😆

So: I noticed you have a thing for making the evil guys have a feminine yet dangerous undertone.
Are you trying to say girls are evil?😂

SB:😄 No, not at all. I just wanted to explore that, try something different. Villains often have deep intimidating voices. And no, girls are not evil, well the ones I know.

So: You're right about the villain thing. It's a common thing in the writing industry.
The girls you know aren't evil? You've not met me. Okay I'm just a little tinsy bitsy evil. Wait until you meet Lilly. She's the epitome of evil.

*Lilly glares coldly at Sophie*

She's everything you know about evi—

Li: Sophie...do you want to get fired?

So: (Laughs nervously)
Let's g-get b-back to the i-interview.
Who is your least favorite character?

SB: Well, one character that I developed a huge hatred for but can't remove because he has a huge part to play in the story is Odili. He's just... terrible and I actually cringe when I remember I wrote him. Lol

So: Ah! As in! Let me put it this way. I HATE the man!! How could he do such horrible things to Idem??? My poor Idem!! Odili is an animal! An illiterate!

He even went as far as saying, "I hoped he'd be beta now. Soft minded bastard. I just toched 'im a litu and he goes on and loses his mind."

Aaaah! I want thunder from all the four corners—wait!

Why do people say four corners?

The Earth is spherical— all the spherical corners of the earth to strike him!!😤😠

SB: He's mentally unstable.

So: That should explain it. But wait o, can't I bribe you into killing him for me? Like a very painful death. Maybe while in war, he gets mutilated into tiny pieces by one of the cursed; preferably a Shader? It's perfect na?

SB:😂 That'd hurt the plot very much so no...no bribes.

So: Are you sure? Okay like break one hand for me? Or even a finger?

SB: 😆 Not even that.

So: Chai bad market! You dey fall my hand o! Lilly he's not budging.

Li: Maybe I should threaten him?

So: No, let's just let it go. I feel Odili will get what's coming for him.

Li: I hope so.

SB: Umm. . . I think my existence has been forgotten.

So: No, no! It hasn't. 😁
What's your favorite scene?

SB: Where Tuli spoke to his brother, Mmuo and reminisced on his traumatic past. Followed closely by the first battle at the broken path.

So: Okay, that battle was awesome! The clashing of swords on one hand.

Shaders morphing into different animals and attacking.

Idem using his vining curse and taking down enemies.

Whip Masquerades lashing at warriors and evil priests erupting the place with fire that feels like molten magma!!

The scene was epic! I give you credit.

SB: 😄 Indeed it was. Thank you.

So: My favourite scene was when the emperor showed how evil he was by transferring a fraction of his immortal pain into Idem as punishment.
Then poor Idem cried and screamed on the floor.
The crazy man picked Idem up and started humming to him, telling him how much he loved him as if he wasn't the one who had brought him pain!😲

SB: Yeah that was evil😄

So: Then I loved the reveal of the priest!
Dark human like creatures with fierce fire burning within them! Damn!

But they die hard!😢 They're so strong!

SB: There is something about the priests, I will reveal in the subsequent chapters! Lol

So: Why me???😭 You just had to give me more suspense. Now I'll start thinking up possibilities! My poor brain!

SB: Sorry (chuckles evilly)

So: My evil influence is beginning to rob on you. Now you're using it against me.☹️

Li: He learns fast (cackles evilly) 👹👹

So: What was your hardest scene to write?

SB: EMOTIONS 😩.
Writing emotions is so difficult for me because of the sheer effort and care that has to go into it.

I also find sex scenes unnaturally difficult which is why I have avoided them so far.

So: Yeah, I avoid sex scenes too.
About the emotions, you delivered Idem's pain quite well when he got terribly hurt.

SB: I struggled when writing Idem's pain. His pain brought tears to my eyes.

Li: Awwwn😢

So: My heart got shattered into a thousand pieces when Idem got hurt because of that good for nothing Odili.

Well emotional scenes are always hard to pull off yet, they are the key to an awesome book. I find fighting scenes hard but your fighting scenes are epic. The way you easily describe them fighting with their respective curses. You've gotta teach me your secret!😄

Li: Is it everything you want to learn? My friend face your work!😠

SB: people think it's the action but it's the steamy scenes that are a pain for me.

So: You must be a gamer. You pulled it off so well!

SB: No. I'm not a gamer at all.😄

So: You're not?
Jeeeez way to go Sophie.
You suck at guessing.🤦

Li: Very much suck at it.

SB: You don't suck. Many people think I'm a gamer.

Li: He's just trying to make you feel better. You suck Sophie.😈

So: So let's talk about Elek and ignore Lilly.

At first, I didn't pay much attention to him but that day when he stood up for his brother before the other generals. I felt his presence and gave him more respect. Too bad he— I don't want to hurt Tuli by mentioning what happened to him.

SB: Elek is a character with so much potential and writing him was enjoyable. He is the most loyal servant to the Emperor and has a strong sense of duty. He was generally a good albeit distant character.

So: He was more like the Evil Emperor's heir...now, the emperor has plans for Zamu, strange plans. (Possibilities are racing through my brain)

SB: Yes, it would seem so that way but who knows, lol.

So: This guy Sha knows how to protect his book from being spoilt.
He just agreed with me and didn't agree with me on my little theory.
God is watching you o😒

SB: 😆 I actually don't like referring to the Emperor as evil. Well, he has done evil things but that  doesn't exactly makes him evil. I want to see how he advances through the story. Lol

So:😆 Baba no dey defend am. He's evil period! Abi is it because he's your darling Tuli's father?

SB: Possibly.

So: Can you see? Favouritism and corruption.

SB:😄 Maybe.

So: Oh yes...I remember Resi. Beautiful and young Resi, who decided to become a soldier because she's tired of being protected and looked down on. She's showing attributes of a feminist. I'm so backing her up on that.

SB: Resi is...Resi and Nsek actually are characters that I plan on developing tremendously. I did not want the normal 'damsel in distress' or a girl who's all tough and rough and ends up looking more like a man.
I also didn't want them to be warriors just because they wanted to compete with men but because they felt the need to.

(Lilly looks at him with love)

I feel that's what feminism should be.

A discovery of one's strength and role in the sphere of things and not a competition, which sadly is what it's slowly turning into nowadays. But we're veering from the topic. Lol.

So: (Stares at him in astonishment)
Wow bro. You've said it all. If only all boys could understand ladies like this.

Li: We officially have an eligible Wattpad Bachelor!🤗 Where my single ladies at? Apply now oh!

SB:😄😄

So: I like Nsek and Resi too. Although sometimes Resi dey fall my hand. How will she be tripping openly for handsome boy like that? She no sabi package? How handsome is Tuli sef?😒 She needs to hide it na. All na packaging.

SB: 😄 She's from the reservations. She has no broad perspective and of course would get more than a little bit flustered in the presence of a prince. Imagine meeting your celebrity crush all of a sudden.

So: Like Jason Derulo or fireboy? Maaaaaddd.
Okay if you put it that way. I won't blame her again🙂

Let's talk about the almighty General. I feel that man is even more dangerous than the Emperor. He's nice at the same time evil and dangerous. You can't even predict his next moves. What is his big plan? I keep asking myself. I don't trust that man one bit.

SB: The General is relatively a new character and he has a very long history with the emperor; knows him better than anyone. However, you might be able to understand what his purpose is if you read between the lines, I've dropped hints.

So: Hints? More possibilities! My poor brain!😭 Well I don't like him. It started the moment he killed Samza! (I'm so sorry for the spoiler ❌❌❌, I couldn't keep it in anymore) why did he have to kill Samza?😭😭

Li: Thank you for buzzing yourself!

SB: To prove a point. Human life means nothing to someone that's more than three thousand years old.

So: The thing still dey pain me oo.

Fun question.
If you were to choose between waking up in a zombie world, a vampire world and a werewolf world; which will it be?

SB: Definitely werewolf world! I love werewolves. They were sorta an inspiration for the Shader curse.

So: Sick! I love werewolves too.
But waking up in their world?? Those guys are too brutal! Zombie world is a no no.
(Although Lilly and I are always preparing for a zombie apocalypse 😂)

There's still chances of survival in a vampire world. Although I'm not vamp fan.

Li: Your are not a Vamp Fan?! You are fired!!! Who would ever want to live among savages like werewolves?👿

So: (Gasps) She called us savages!

SB: I get the sentiment😂😂😂

So: Unfortunately, we're nearing the end of this interview as much as I want to keep torme—sorry asking you lots of questions. Who do you want to give a shout-out to?

SB:  YayaGlad, she actually made me continue writing after I nearly deleted the story because of low engagements.

Also there's  sereniity-, a bundle of good energy.

ezentachichi, who sustained for the first twenty chapters. At times, it was like just I and her alone on Wattpad.

So: Awwn🤗 You people are the best. Thank you for encouraging him or I won't have found this book. What book will you like to recommend?

SB: 'Crowned' by YayaGlad. It's a great book and it's still ongoing.

So: Osheeey! We've found a new victim to tormen— sorry interview.

SB: Indeed😄

So: Fun Fact🌺
Lilly found your book first. She's a judge to a contest you entered. It pained her that she couldn't vote or comment on your book (judges rules), so she recommended it to me instead.😊

Li: (Victorious dance)
I recommend the best books.

(Sophie rolls her eyes at Lilly)

Sb: Thank you so much Lilly. I admire your restraint. I'd comment if I were you. Lol

Li: (Bows dramatically)
Thank you.

So: It was so great having you here in the garden today.

SB: Thank you so much for having me here. It was fun😊

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Thank you for sticking with us. Y'all can check out the book in Lilly's public reading list titled, 'Interviewed Books' and of course his very own profile.

Keep safe, till we meet again for another adventure!💝