Call for Submissions: Art of Unity Creative Award

 

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: ART OF UNITY CREATIVE AWARD

 

https://www.ihraf.org/art-of-unity-creative-award

The call for submissions for 2021 is now open. We accept literary (poetry; essays and short stories under 2500 words); video; music; dance; performance or visual work around the theme: "Never again: Remembering to heal and overcome." All pieces must be previously unpublished.

The most important hallmark of Holocaust remembrance and education is the phrase ‘never again.’ Unfortunately, tribal divisions, ethnic cleansing and genocides continue in the 21st Century. We are looking for submissions in any creative media (which can be exhibited online), and which highlight aspects of human unity, and positive cross-pollination between groups, ethnicities, religions and/or nations.

The work will be curated by a team from the IHRAF and Yahad-In Unum Mid-America.

Send submissions to hello@ihraf.org with the subject line: “Art of Unity Creative Award”. There is no entry fee for participation. Deadline for submission is September 30, 2021. Each artist may make one submission. There are three monetary prizes: 

• First Prize: $150
• Second Prize: $100
• Third Prize: $50
• Honorable Mention: 6 artists will have their work presented as part of the winners.

All winners and honorable mention recipients will be promoted via the International Human Rights Art Festival website, Facebook page, Instagram page, e-newsletter and through our media partnership with WNYC radio, the world's largest public radio station. Additionally, a selectio of the winners will be highlighted as part of the Art of Unity performance block at the IHRAF Festival, Wild Project Theater, East Village, NYC on Wednesday, December 8, 2021.

 

A Good Editor is a Writer’s Best Friend - Heike Phelan

 

A GOOD EDITOR IS A WRITER’S BEST FRIEND - HEIKE PHELAN

 

Heike Phelan has spent her working life in tourism, traveling throughout Europe with groups from all over the world. She has a BSc in transport and logistics management from Huddersfield University and is a qualified transport manager for both freight and passenger. In this special interview with Wole Adedoyin, the author of “Child Convict” shares full details about her life and writing vocation.

 

WA: TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR WRITING BACKGROUND- WHAT YOU’VE WRITTEN, WHAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY WRITING

HP: When I embarked on writing a book, I doubted I had the patience or the literary skill to write anything worthy of reading. It was my husband’s life in a Texas maximum security prison which inspired me to write about that.  My first book Child Convict was published in May 2018. It took me two years to write whilst travelling around Europe, working 70+ hours a week. That was the first in my ‘Convict series’. The second one, Career Convict was published in March 2020.  The third one, Convict Code was written during COVID lockdown and released in December 2020. Eventually there will be five books in the series. I will also be releasing a book of associated short stories shortly.

I am currently writing about women in an ICE detention centre, and the way undocumented immigrants are treated in America. It will be released towards the end of 2021.

 

WA: WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT A PIECE OF WRITING?

HP: I like a certain amount of escapism, the opposite extreme to what I write about because the prison system is an emotionally draining subject. There are certain authors I re-read periodically because I am inspired by their literary style. I like uncomplicated with a wide array of descriptive terms. Elizabeth Peters in her Amelia Peabody series is an example of that.

 

WA: WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE WRITERS AND WHY?

HP: My favourite author is Agatha Christie. Her knowledge and use of psychology in her books, written at a time when psychology was viewed with great skepticism is inspiring. I love the action and flawed characters in the books of Andy McNab and Chris Ryan, clearly written from their experiences in the SAS. Elizabeth Peters writings about Amelia Peabody are entertaining, the audible versions are superb. John Grisham, Lee Child and Mick Herron. I am part of a group called Promoting Yorkshire Authors. We have many fantastic authors and I am working my way through them.

 

WA: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW WRITER STARTING OUT?

HP: Just sit down and write. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar initially or writing in correct order. You will edit and rearrange later. Just write.

 

WA: WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE?

HP: My husband is my inspiration. He provides all the stories and gruesome detail of what happens in prison. It was my desire to let the outside world know the reality of life behind bars that keeps me writing. There is still much to tell.

 

WA: DO YOU HAVE A WRITING ROUTINE? A PLACE THAT’S SPECIAL?

HP: Before COVID, I would have to write whilst working my day job, in tourism. Any time I had a couple of hours I would write. It was not ideal. It was difficult to focus sufficiently, and as soon as I became absorbed and the writing flowed, I would have to stop. During COVID, unable to work, I could focus on writing. I made that my daily routine. I had read an interview at some point with Lee Child and his writing methods. He said he writes 1500 words a day. That seemed to be a manageable goal, so that is what I do. If I write more it’s a bonus. If I write less, I’m annoyed with myself.

 

WA: HOW, WHEN AND WHY DID YOU FIRST START WRITING?

HP: It was my husband who encouraged me and even pushed me to start writing. I hadn’t thought of it before he mentioned it. It was 2016 when I began writing Child Convict. I had spent months hounding the prison administration to give my husband life-saving medical treatment which they had denied him for years. It was my outrage at the negligence of the prison system administration towards the inmates and in particular my husband that inspired the decision to write the books.

 

WA: WHAT WAS THE FIRST PIECE YOU EVER HAD PUBLISHED?

HP: Child Convict in May 2018. It was nerve-wracking. Working on that book was a huge learning curve in how a book is written. Maybe not my best work, but I am proud of it regardless.

 

WA: DO YOU ADDRESS PARTICULAR THEMES OR ISSUES IN YOUR WRITING?

HP: I focus on writing about the Texas prison system from the perspective of the inmate and the families. The negligent and sub-standard care of the inmates and the exploitation and profiteering from the inmates and their families are particular issues of concern for me.

 

WA: HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED SENDING YOUR WRITING OUT INTO THE WORLD?

HP: Each book that I publish there is a huge sense of achievement. I learned the hard way that in promoting my books, I had to put myself out there. I have always been very private, but there is always huge interest in ‘my story’, that story being how I met my husband, given that he is an American in a Texas prison and I am from Ireland/UK. The media love the story, and I have to be very careful how I present myself in interviews as the media like to portray certain stereotypes, of which I don’t subscribe to.

 

WA: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS FROM?

HP: The ideas for my books are all stories and experiences from my husband’s life behind bars. Also from my own experiences having a husband in prison and dealing with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in all its forms.

 

WA: HOW DID YOU GET YOUR PUBLISHER?

HP: Child Convict was picked up by an Independent Publisher in America, Koehler Books. I had submitted the manuscript to several publishers in both the UK and America. Career Convict and Convict Code, I self-published with Ingram-spark which allows the books to be sold in book stores world-wide. My current work I am considering submitting to a publisher, but I’m not sure yet.

 

WA: TELL US WHAT KIND OF RESPONSES YOU GET FROM AUDIENCES\S.

HP: There is huge fascination over ‘my story’. On the whole I receive mostly positive responses and receive quite a lot of supportive messages. As is to be expected with the subject of prison, there are always those who feel the need to be rude, ignorant and nasty. I generally ignore those attitudes; life is too short and too interesting to get caught up in keyboard warrior negativity. People are always surprised that I would write about a subject like Texas prisons, particularly as I am European. People are always surprised I don’t fit the media’s stereotype of a ‘prison wife’.

 

WA: HOW CAN PEOPLE FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOU?

HP: There are numerous articles, interviews and appearances by me in mainstream media, although the content isn’t always entirely accurate. I have a Facebook page and a website. I will be attending literary festivals once COVID lock-downs are over and they are allowed to take place. There is also a plan in motion to visit different prisons and do talks with the prisoners.

 

WA: TIPS, TRICKS, THINGS TO PASS ON TO DEDICATED WRITER?

HP: Keep at it. Set small goals and keep writing. Read plenty to help with language usage.

 

WA: ANY TYPICAL/COMMON MISTAKES THAT NEW WRITERS TEND TO MAKE?

HP: Over-thinking. Worrying about the end result. A good editor is your best friend!

 

WA: WHICH OF YOUR BOOKS WERE THE MOST ENJOYABLE TO WRITE?

HP: The book of short stories I am working on.  The subject of prison life, particularly as it is about someone I love living that life is emotionally draining. It can become all consuming since dealing with the prison system and advocating for my husband is a large part of my everyday life too. I can write them in and amongst working on a longer book. It helps bring perspective back to change focus occasionally.

 

WA: TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST PUBLISHED BOOK? WHAT WAS THE JOURNEY LIKE?

HP: I didn’t have much confidence in my writing. I had no idea how many words an average length novel was. I didn’t know about formatting and I was far too reliant on the publisher’s advice, particularly when it came to the differences in words that the British and Americans use and say differently. I was clueless about the publishing process. It was a huge learning curve in a very short space of time.

 

WA: WHAT IS THE KEY THEME AND/OR MESSAGE IN THE BOOK?

HP: Prison life. Institutional violence, abuse, corruption, neglect and exploitation.

 

WA: WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?

HP: www.heikephelan-author.com, https://www.facebook.com/heikephelanbooks

 

WRITERS MUST LEARN TO MARKET THEIR BOOKS -– BRENDA MOHAMMED

 

Brenda Mohammed is the author of the popular, multi-award-winning, bestselling book titled “How to Write for Success”, She has won several literary awards in the USA, Peru, Kazakhstan, Seychelles, Nigeria, India, Argentina, and the UK, and made headlines in several newspapers around the world. In this interview with Wole Adedoyin, she talks about her life and writing career.

 

 

WA: TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR WRITING BACKGROUND- WHAT YOU’VE WRITTEN, WHAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY WRITING.

BM: I started writing in the year 2013. I was a former bank manager and a Financial Advisor. Cancer struck and I survived miraculously. I wrote a memoir to relate my experiences and to advise readers that cancer is not a death sentence. It became a best seller. That encouraged me to keep writing and to date I have published 36 books. My last book, a psychological thriller, was published on March 10^th 2021, so I have not yet decided what will be my next topic for my 37^th book.

I love to dabble in every genre and have written memoirs, romances, science fiction, mysteries, thrillers, children’s literature, self-help, and poetry. I have also compiled poetry anthologies and started a quarterly magazine for the “How to Write for Success Literary Network” of which I am the Founder.

 

WA: WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT A PIECE OF WRITING?

BM: Writing which is well expressed and filled with emotion excite any reader. I am excited about such writings.

 

WA: WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE WRITERS AND WHY?

BM: One popular writer whose books I enjoy, is Stephen King. His writing style is easy to read and his books are thrilling. I have also read many books by not so famous writers, whose writings are compelling to read.

I would like to mention that one of the first books I read that inspired me for life was, The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale.

 

WA: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW WRITER STARTING OUT?

BM: They should be patient and hardworking. I wrote a book especially for new writers, and it is also for seasoned writers. The name of the book is How to Write for Success. It is the book that inspired me to establish a Literary forum with three sub-forums and growing membership in excess of 11,000 members.

This bestselling book received a five-star review from Readers Favorite one month after it was published in December 2017. In August 2019 it topped all the books in the Non-Fiction category of Connections E-magazine Readers’ Choice awards and won the gold medal in the category  of non-fiction. It also placed second in all categories and won the silver medal. It is remarkable that my romance novel, STORIES PEOPLE LOVE placed first in all categories, and also won the gold medal in the romance category. It was a quadruple win.

The merits of the book HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS were featured in a review in the Ethiopian Herald Sunday Edition on February 16th, 2020.Alem Hailu of the Ethiopian Herald surprised me with this detailed review which he published.

https://www.press.et/english/?p=19103

 

 

WA: WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE?

BM: I receive my inspiration to write from everyday life experiences. I observe a lot about what is taking place in the world and around me.

 

 

WA:  DO YOU HAVE A WRITING ROUTINE? A PLACE THAT’S SPECIAL?

BM: I have a comfortable library with a computer and all writing accessories. I spend most of the day there when I am not shopping or in the kitchen. My husband is very supportive of my writing and he cooks lunch on many days and serves me in the library. That way, I can spend many hours writing with no time limits.

 

WA: HOW, WHEN AND WHY DID YOU FIRST START WRITING?

BM: I always loved writing from school days and topped my class in essay competitions. I graduated with a distinction in English language. When I worked at the bank, my superiors were always impressed with my writing and financial acumen. I was promoted to the Credit Department to prepare financial proposals for business customers, and many of my proposals were approved by Head office officials without question. I was later promoted to Managerial status and assisted in the business growth of the bank’s branches and towns to which I was assigned. I still did not think of writing as a career until my bout with cancer as I mentioned above.   

 

WA: WHAT WAS THE FIRST PIECE YOU EVER HAD PUBLISHED?

BM: The first book I published was I am Cancer Free and it became a bestseller.

 

WA: DO YOU ADDRESS PARTICULAR THEMES OR ISSUES IN YOUR WRITING?

BM: Yes. I do. In many of my books you will see that I have addressed issues such as love, heartbreak, suicide, domestic abuse, revenge, kidnapping, life’s purpose, retirement, and others.

 

WA: HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED SENDING YOUR WRITING OUT INTO THE WORLD?

BM: To be honest, I was very scared. I was scared that readers would not like my writings. I was so wrong. I received many five-star reviews, awards, and accolades. Many books achieved Amazon bestselling ranking No 1.

 

WA: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS FROM?

BM: For the fiction books, I used my imagination. For the memoirs, they were all my personal experiences.

 

WA: HOW DID YOU GET YOUR PUBLISHER?

BM: I self-published all of my books on Amazon.

 

WA: TELL US WHAT KIND OF RESPONSES YOU GET FROM AUDIENCES.

BM: I won several literary awards in the USA, Peru, Kazakhstan, Seychelles, Nigeria, India, Argentina, and UK, and made headlines in several newspapers around the world.

I was inducted into the Indie Author's Wall of Fame in the USA in January 2020.

In 2018, I received two awards from Readers Favorite International in Miami for two of my books- Zeeka Chronicles and I am Cancer Free.

Three of my books won gold awards in Connection EMagazine Readers’ Choice Awards - Zeeka Chronicles (2018], Stories People Love (2019), and How to Write for Success (2019).

Several of my books received five-star reviews from Readers Favourite International, topped the charts of Amazon and attained Amazon bestselling rank No 1.

I was recognised in newspaper reports in Trinidad and Tobago Newsday on 7th November 2018, 16th October 2020, and Trinidad Guardian and Worldnews.net on 20th September 2020. 

News of my success reached as far as Ethiopia where a journalist by the name of Alem Hailu interviewed me online on 17th November 2019 for the Ethiopian Sunday Herald. He also published a glowing and detailed review of my book How to Write for Success.

 

WA: HOW CAN PEOPLE FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOU?

BM: I am on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

 

WA: TIPS, TRICKS, THINGS TO PASS ON TO DEDICATED WRITE?

BM: I will suggest that new and aspiring writers read my book, How to Write for Success, and join my How to Write for Success Literary Network on Facebook, to learn tips, tricks, and what it takes to become a bestselling author.

 

WA: ANY TYPICAL/COMMON MISTAKES THAT NEW WRITERS TEND TO MAKE?

BM: Many writers believe that after publishing their books they can sit back and relax and readers will rush to buy their books. If readers do not know about their books how can they buy them? Writers must learn to market their books to forums and places that are frequented by readers who are looking for good books to read. They must also be prepared to spend money on book promotions. Another mistake that writers make is to only publish the paperback version. While it is a known fact that paperback sales exceed those of kindle, kindle sales can cause your book to top the ranks on Amazon, become a bestseller, and pave the way for your paperback sales. It is always advisable to do both paperback and Kindle versions. The third mistake writers make is in determining categories. Some writers are using categories that do not match the content of their books. For instance, a poetry book described in the blurb as romantic poetry, or, an Anthology of adult poems should not be categorized as Children's Literature.

There could be repercussions if a parent looks at the category only, and buy such books as presents for their children, only to realize they are for adults. Amazon has a section below each book to report such issues. Read all about this in the award-winning and best-selling book HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS available on Amazon.

 

WA: WHICH OF YOUR BOOKS WERE THE MOST ENJOYABLE TO WRITE?

BM: I enjoyed writing all 36 of my books, but the one that has a special place in my heart is Zeeka Chronicles. Here is the book description:

If you have not yet read Zeeka Chronicles, a futuristic thriller and award-winning novel inspired by the scare of the zika virus, you will be unaware of what can take place in the minds of mad scientists who try to use a virus to control lives. Dr. Stephen Sharpe, kidnapped as a child and raised by an evil man nicknamed Zeeka, who tried to use science for revenge, attempts to restore sanity to the island of Gosh, even if it means throwing his fiancé into the arms of his brother, who never knew him. It is a complicated tale where zombies and robots take center stage. ZEEKA CHRONICLES: REVENGE OF ZEEKA. written by multi-award winning and bestselling Author Brenda Mohammed, comprises five thrilling episodes set on a beautiful fictitious island named Gosh in the year 2036. This futuristic thriller was an award winner in the Category Young Adult Thriller in Readers Favorite International Awards 2018, winner in Science Fiction in SIBA Awards 2017, winner of the gold award in the category science fiction in Connections Emagazine Readers' Choice Awards 2018, and winner in the top ten finalists for science-fiction in the Author Academy Global Awards 2018. Readers Favorite International gave it a five-star review. Take a futuristic journey into the year 2036 with this mind-blowing, bold, and original 'other world' book, that will capture your imagination and keep you spellbound.

 

WA: TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST PUBLISHED BOOK? WHAT WAS THE JOURNEY LIKE?

BM: As I said before, my first published book was I am Cancer Free. It was an emotional journey writing that book, as I had to recall the whole traumatic experience including the financial expenses involved.

 

WA: WHAT IS THE KEY THEME AND/OR MESSAGE IN THE BOOK?

BM: The key theme of the book is ,Cancer does not have to be a death sentence.

 

WA: WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?

BM: My Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/brenchri/, My website is http://allauthor.com/author/brenchris, I am on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/bcmohammed, I am on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mohammedbrenda. My Twitter handle is mirroe.

 

 

 

ABOUT BRENDA MOHAMMED

 

Author of the popular, multi-award-winning, bestselling book HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS, Brenda C. Mohammed, a former Bank Manager from Trinidad is a renowned multi-genre, bestselling, and multi-award-winning author.

She holds a Diploma in Banking from the Institute of Bankers in London, and a Diploma in Life Underwriting from the American College, USA

She qualified for the Million Dollar Round Table, the Premier Association for Financial Professionals, six times in a row.

To date, she has published thirty-six books. Her genres include memoirs, science fiction, romance, self-help, mystery, children’s books, psychological thrillers, poetry, and poetry anthologies. Her self-help book, ‘How to Write for Success,’ became an important guide for new and aspiring authors.

She won several literary awards in the USA, Peru, Kazakhstan, Seychelles, Nigeria, India, Argentina, and the UK, and made headlines in several newspapers around the world.

Brenda was inducted into the Indie Author's Wall of Fame in the USA. in January 2020.

In 2018, she received two awards from Readers Favorite International in Miami for two of her books- Zeeka Chronicles and I am Cancer Free.

Three of her books won gold awards in Connection EMagazine Readers’ Choice Awards - Zeeka Chronicles (2018], Stories People Love (2019), How to Write for Success (2019).

Several of her books also received five-star reviews from Readers Favourite International and topped the charts of Amazon and attained Amazon No 1 bestselling rank.

She was recognised in newspaper reports in Trinidad and Tobago Newsday on 7th November 2018, 16th October 2020, and Trinidad Guardian and Worldnews.net on 20th September 2020. 

News of her success reached as far as Ethiopia where a journalist by the name of Alem Hailu interviewed her online on 17th November 2019 for the Ethiopian Sunday Herald.

Brenda is also a poet and among her publications are seven poetry books, with one in bi-lingual – English and Spanish.

Some of her poetry appeared in prestigious journals and anthologies in India, USA, Kazakhstan. Seychelles, USA, and other parts of the world.

She is the Founder of the HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS LITERARY NETWORK with Forums How to Write for Success, Poems for Suicide Prevention, Library of How to Write for Success, and Poems against Domestic Violence with 11000 plus members.

Brenda is an advocate against Domestic Violence and Suicide, and together with several bestselling authors have published three anthologies for these causes.

Her YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbOiViRMRlzpTqyaO2VTBnA

received over 119,000 views since inception. The Channel is for her Video Book Trailers, songs, and travel memories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My essay seeks to manifest how inalienable human rights are disrespected in Africa - Tunde Osho

 MY ESSAY SEEKS TO MANIFEST HOW INALIENABLE HUMAN RIGHTS ARE DISRESPECTED IN AFRICA - TUNDE OSHO

 

Tunde Osho’s works have featured in various magazines and anthologies such as Praxis, Conscio, Erogospel, The Quills etc. His essay titled “Human Rights Abuse and Violations in Africa: Gross Domestic Violence Against Women” came third in the just concluded African Human Rights Essay Competition. African Human Rights Essay Competition is an initiative of the International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF), USA aimed at promoting human rights values in Africa and to positively influence the betterment of the human rights situation in the continent. In this inclusive interview with Wole Adedoyin, he shares with him some facts surrounding his writing career and his winning essay.

 WA: WHAT HAS YOUR EARLY WRITING CAREER JOURNEY BEEN LIKE?

 

OT: My early writing career journey has been quite taxing and interesting at the same time. The growth process demands so much of me, while it gives me the joy embedded in it.

 

WA: HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS ESSAY COMPETITION?

 

OT: I heard about the competition through a Facebook post made by Mr. Wole Adedoyin on his wall.

 

WA: WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO TAKE PART IN THE CONTEST?

 

OT: The topic of the contest motivated me. I love to talk about our rights as humans, the flagrant violations and how we have been betrayed in this corner of the world by the systems that should protect and keep us from tyrannies.

 

WA: CAN YOU PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOUR WINNING ESSAY?

 

OT: My Essay seeks to manifest how inalienable human rights are disrespected here. How the women in Africa are daily subjected to beatings, rape, coerced marriage, and dehumanized in the name of traditions. There's no effect without cause; the colonial history, insignificant traditional principles, weak judiciary and justice system, timid press and other factors have to be discussed to hit a potent direction. It is unfair how people do not talk about that here. The violations have led so many to unripe grave, some have died even while they breathe. The damage is beyond repair. As you read, the news of rape and murder is soaking our national dailies in Nigeria.

My work contends that all the viable structures already on ground to safeguard and promote human/women's rights should be more effective and faithful to their callings. This is the time NGOs, civil societies, human rights activists and other gadflies should be most functional.

 

WA:  WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THE SUBMISSION PROCESS FOR THE COMPETITION THAT MIGHT HELP OTHERS TO SUBMIT?

 

OT: The submission process taught me patience. First, I tried to meditate on the subject. I studied the contest prompts like a course. I was careful with words and reference materials deployed. I allowed the work at every stage to sit before continuation. I did much re- readings and re- writings. I was an early bird, so I took my time. More importantly, I had only my android phone with few internet subscriptions and consequently gained limited access to materials. But I didn't allow that stop me. I realized after submitting, that I was the only one that could stop me. Here I am.

 

WA: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS ESSAY?

 

OT: I have always sought a platform through which I can raise my own voice against the incessant human rights abuse and violations bedeviling my place. I was glad on seeing the title. I always want to talk about how I always sleep and rise into a space where a poor girl is raped and abandoned, denied education and forced into marriage, where a widow is treated like some criminal, where a wife is kissed with a plethora of fists by the man who swore to love and cherish her in front of the world. Many of these women die in silence. I carry these scars about as if they were mine. I want to talk them away.

 

WA: HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE THIRD PRIZE WINNER?

 

OT: It feels so great. Though I didn't expect I would win. It reminds me that consistent diligence has its reward. I feel so happy that my voice would be heard, that someone will feel the pain I feel and scream with me.

 

WA: HOW DID WRITING THE WINNING PIECE GO?

 

OT: Like I said earlier, I tried to have a good understanding of the theme. I read related materials online and offline even though I encountered much limitation. I walked down memory lanes; i chose inviting words and allowed my imaginations flow orderly. The whole process went slow, tiring and steady.

 

WA: TO WIN AN ESSAY CONTEST, WHAT DO YOU THINK WRITERS SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO?

 

OT: Writers should focus on the theme. The prompts given by the organisers are a key to the door. Open and walk in. No unnecessary deviations. Read the instructions and digest them. Let them lead you to light.

 

WA: APART FROM ESSAY WRITING, WHAT OTHER THINGS DO YOU WRITE?

 

OT: Aside Essay writing, I write poems. I use poetry to bear witness for the happenings within my body.

 

WA: WHAT FOR YOU MAKES AN ESSAY CONTEST ENTRY OR SUBMISSION STANDS OUT?

 

OT: For me, an Essay stands out by the great understanding of the topic it shows, which informs in depth analysis, awesome organisation of thoughts, creative use of words and solutions oriented outing.

 

WA: WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN AND WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO WRITE THIS ESSAY?

 

OT: My interest was sparked when a thirteen year old girl somewhere in Nigeria was raped by three overripe men. When the news told me a woman was beaten to death in Ghana. When I watched a little girl who should be in school hawk on the streets so that her parents could fund her brother's education. When I discovered most of the culprits do not go to jail nor pay damages. All these pains pushed me to write the Essay-- They yearned to be dragged into other people's body.

 

WA: HOW MANY UNPUBLISHED AND HALF- FINISHED BOOKS DO YOU HAVE?

 

OT: None yet.

 

WA: WHAT DOES LITERARY SUCCESS LOOK LIKE TO YOU?

 

OT: To write and see the impact. This is possible when it informs and educates, when it pricks and caresses and makes a shift.

 

WA: DO YOU GOOGLE YOURSELF?

 

OT: Yes I do.

 

WA: WHAT ONE THING WOULD YOU GIVE UP TO BECOME A BETTER WRITER?

 

OT: Pride

 

WA:  WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE LITERARY JOURNALS?

 

OT: Rattle, Praxis, Conscio, Palette and Agbowo.

 

WA:  WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CHILDHOOD BOOK?

 

OT: Creative Use of Time by Lekan Fashina. How it made my life!

 

WA: WHAT AUTHOR(S) DID YOU DISLIKE AT FIRST BUT GREW INTO?

 

OT: Prof. Wole Soyinka. I used to dislike poetry.

 

WA: WHAT OTHER AUTHORS ARE YOU FRIENDS WITH, AND HOW DO THEY HELP YOU TO BE A BETTER WRITER?

 

OT: Ololade Olatunji of 'The Nation's reality bites' , for his bold truths and intellect. Jonah Obajeun for his essays that read like poetry. Gilbert Alasa for his creative use of words. DM Aderibigbe writes about the themes of my interest. He once told me during our chats on Facebook messenger that " We all have beauty in us expressed differently".

 

Thank you!