Tag: The Kelewele Connection

Book chat, Book Covers, Kwatemaa Tweneboah

Book Chat :: Black/African romance with Kwatemaa Tweneboah

by Darkowaa1 Comment on Book Chat :: Black/African romance with Kwatemaa Tweneboah

February is a great time to indulge in the romance genre. Even though Valentine’s Day is over, I consider the whole month of February to be the month of love!

Back in 2015, I highlighted The Valentine’s Day Anthology 2015 which was published by Ankara Press. Stories in this anthology are translated into Pidgin, Kpelle, Kiswahili, Yoruba, Igbo, French and Hausa. For every story in English, there is a translated version in either of the languages previously listed.

Some of the writers of the stories include: Hawa Jande Golakai, Sarah Ladipo-Manyika, Chikodili Emelumadu, Edwige-Renรฉe Dro, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim and my favorite- Binyavanga Wainaina, amongst others. A lot of work went into publishing this collection – translating stories is not easy. It’s been 9 years since the publication of the anthology and I think it’s still worth the read!

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In 2016, I read and reviewed African Love Stories: An Anthology edited by Ama Ata Aidoo. I still consider this anthology to be one of my ultimate favorite collection of stories. It introduced me to amazing authors like Leila Aboulela from Sudan, Vรฉronique Tadjo from Cรดte d’Ivoire and Doreen Baingana from Uganda, just to name a few.

I know what you were thinking when you saw the title, โ€˜African Love Storiesโ€™ โ€“ no, this is not a collection of sappy, romantic, unrealistic, happily-ever-after tales. African Love Stories: An Anthology is a collection of 21 contemporary short stories laden with breathtaking originality.

A quote from my 2016 book review of the anthology

I stand by this quote. African Love Stories: An Anthology was published in 2006 and is still worth the read! I must give it a re-read soon.

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This year, I had the honor of chatting withย a pair of writer-friends who love reading and writing romance and also co-host a bookish romance podcast called –ย 2 Hearts In A Pod – Kwatemaa Tweneboah (this is their joint pen name). In case you missed it, I highlighted the fact that they published their debut – The Kelewele Connection last year. I’m not a huge fan of the romance genre, so I found their romance-enthusiastic responses quite informative! Enjoy the book chat below – and get your TBR lists ready!

[Kwatemaa Tweneboah = the joint pen name of Abena Kwatemaa Karikari & Nana Adwoa Tweneboah Amponsah-Mensah]

note โ€“ โ€˜NAโ€™ represents Nana Adwoa Tweneboah Amponsah-Mensahโ€™s responses; ‘AK’ represents Abena Kwatemaa Karikari’s responses

  • Whatโ€™s your favorite romance novel by a Black author?

NA: A very tough question. I’ll make a list instead – Reel by Kennedy Ryan, Seven Days in June by Tia Williams, Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan, Behind the Scenes by Christina C Jones, and Call Me Legachi by Adesuwa O’man Nwokedi.

AK: Definitely Reel by Kennedy Ryan. All her books are great but Reel is a masterpiece for me. If I could add a second, Seven Days in June by Tia Williams.

  • Who are your top 3 Black romance writers and which of their work is your favorite?

NA: I think I answered this at question 1 without realising! Read above.

AK: In no particular order –

1. Beverly Jenkins – Forbidden, To Catch a Raven

2. M. Monique – Blu

3. Adesuwa O’man Nwokedi – Any Love

  • What about the romance genre appeals to you? Do you think thereโ€™s a difference between romance novels written by Black/POC writers and white writers?ย 

NA: The simple answer is the guaranteed joy at the end ie the Happy Ever After. I love reading a book, going through all these wild emotions, angst, sometimes pain, knowing that in the end, it’ll be ok. I love the assurance. It’s an assurance we don’t often get in real life and it’s soothing.

There is definitely a difference between books written by white authors and black or writers of colour. There is often the overarching sense of being the ‘main character’ that you get from stories by white authors. Their characters are self assured and don’t often question their place in their world. I enjoy both works by white and black authors equally but you can’t help picking up on this. Books by black authors often have a lot more riding on them. they have to be the ones representing their culture. Sometimes, that burden comes out in the story.

AK: The fact that the genre is the only one which can contain other characteristics of other fiction genres while maintaining its goal of a happily ever after. Example fantasy romance, historical romance, paranormal romance and so on. The diversity of themes the genre is able to address fascinates me and gives me so much joy.

There is definitely some difference between romances written by black/POC writers and white writers and this is especially evident from the themes addressed. There are also slight differences in terms of language and style particularly in black/POC authored romances that portray black love, it just hits different in a way that excites me as a black reader of romance.

  • Given that both of you are relatively well-read in the romance genre, what else/more (or less) would you like to see in the (Black) romance genre?

NA: I would like to see more whispy black romance. A story that doesn’t feel the need to be an ambassador but just is. I want to see black romance that is soft, kind and all about two people connecting and choosing to love each other kindly. They exist, I just want more.

AK: I would love to see traditional/mainstream publishing opening up to black romances that don’t dilute the black experience and also I would love to see more black romance writers experimenting with the fantasy romance sub-genre.

  • Did any African/Ghanaian romance writers influence The Kelewele Connection?

NA: By the time we were halfway through with The Kelewele Connection we had discovered Adesuwa Nwokedi. Her style definitely influenced us and continues to. I hope she can see some of her influence when she reads our works going forward as well.

Adesuwa O’man Nwokedi is a prolific romance writer of Nigerian descent! Above are some of my (Darkowaa) favorite book covers of her work.

AK: Adesuwa Oโ€™man Nwokedi was and continues to be a big inspiration for us having more confidence about self-publishing. She has published so many herself and actually accepted to read the advanced reader’s copy , and gave us encouraging feedback before we put it out.

Purchase The Kelewele Connection on Amazon

#ReadGhanaian๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ญ, Book Covers, Book Hauls, Ghanaian writers, Jeffrey Bones, Kobby Ben Ben, Kwatemaa Tweneboah

Friends With Books!

by Darkowaa11 Comments on Friends With Books!

Long time, no blog! (more on that at the end of the blog post)

I never thought I’d ever make a blog post on books written by my own friends. Since 2014, I’ve been blogging about books written by Black authors I either have para-social relationships with online, or who are acquaintances. This year, three of my Ghanaian friends published their debuts, and I couldn’t be more proud of them!

#ReadGhanaian๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ญ

The Kelewele Connection by Kwatemaa Tweneboah

Synopsis

What starts out as a quick trip to the kelewele joint on campus, leads two kelewele lovers to discover a connection like no other.


Afriyie just wanted to get some kelewele to munch while she enjoyed a movie in her room but is disappointed when she doesnโ€™t get the exact kind she loves. Her disappointment turns into a pleasant impromptu โ€˜dateโ€™ with the guy who offers to share the last bit of kelewele he bought.


Nana Yaw never shares his kelewele. Never. So when he catches himself offering to do just that with the cute girl heโ€™s been spying for the past few weeks, he knows this is a connection he cannot ignore.


They donโ€™t have much time till Afriyie has to go back to resume her studies in Edinburgh but the connection they share is too strong to ignore. Will their brief time together be all they have or will their instant spark turn into something long-lasting?

One of my favorite and smartest bookish friends – Abena Kwatemaa Karikari, (or better known as @BookwormInGH on her Bookstagram and Booktube channel) wrote a book with one of her good friends – Nana Adwoa Tweneboah Amponsah-Mensah. Their joint pen name is Kwatemaa Tweneboah. These two friends love reading and writing romance and also co-host a bookish romance podcast called 2 Hearts In A Pod.

Even though Abena and Nana Adwoa separately have their work published in a number of anthologies, The Kelewele Connection is their debut self-published novel under their joint pen name. Not only will readers of romance love this book, but I have a feeling food lovers (especially plantain/kelewele lovers) will enjoying reading this novel as well!

Kwatemaa Tweneboah (Nana Adwoa on the left & Abena Kwatemaa on the right) on a panel at Pa Gya! discussing their debut, in October

The book cover is very endearing – the natural hair, the skin tones of the characters and even the bowl of spiced plantain. I’m sure Kwatemaa Tweneboah have more books up their sleeve, waiting to be published. In fact, they have a Christmas novelette in the works called A Kelewele Christmas! Stay tuned!

Purchase The Kelewele Connection on Amazon or Akenkan Books

God’s Spear by Jeffrey Bones

Synopsis

A story about God, a spear and an angel’s thirst for unruly power.

Not forgetting, the return of Earth’s greatest saviour.

Head to the first page and I’ll meet you inside.

I normally do not review or highlight religious novels – mostly because I know people of ALL religions read this book blog. No discrimination here. But I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight God’s Spear by my good friend, Jeffrey Bones. I had the privilege of reading the book back in April of this year, when it was in its final editing stages.

Jeffrey Bones at his book launch in September

Without giving away any spoilers, God’s Spear is a 60 page graphic novel that follows an angel’s quest for power via a spear. I enjoyed the dialogue between the characters, as well as the gradual rise of suspense towards the end. The writing is pretty descriptive, which allows readers to use their imagination to visualize the text and interpret the storyline through their own understanding.

God’s Spear is suitable for readers of all ages; readers who appreciate animation would especially love the illustrations in the book! As with any graphic novel, the illustrations pleasantly augment the reading experience, as we actually get a glimpse into Jeffrey Bones’ (and the illustrator’s) vision for the characters we experience.

Purchase God’s Spear by contacting Jeffrey Bones for a copy

No One Dies Yet by Kobby Ben Ben

Synopsis

A genre-breaking novel from a powerful new African voice.

2019. The Year of the Return. It has been exactly 400 years since the first slave ships left Ghana for America. Ghana has now opened its doors to Black diasporans, encouraging them to return and get to know the land of their ancestors.

Elton, Vincent, and Scott arrive from America to visit preserved sites from the transatlantic slave route, and to explore the country’s underground queer scene. Their activities are narrated by their two combative guides: Kobby, their guide to Accraโ€™s privileged circles; and Nana, the voice of tradition and religious principle.

The pair’s tense relationship sets the tone for what becomes a shocking and unsettling tale of murder that is at times funny, at times erotic, yet always outspoken and iconoclast.

Last but not least, No One Dies Yet was published in August via Europa Editions. This book has been featured in so many of my ‘New Books to Anticipate‘ posts, so we are all elated that it’s finally out in the world! It will be published in the US in February of 2024.

No One Does Yet is a big book (over 380 pages) that’s basically the embodiment of Kobby’s complex, inspiring mind. Trust and believe that as soon as I finish this book, the review will be up. From my discussions with Kobby on the inspiration behind the book, one of the ideas behind the novel is slightly akin to an article another friend of mine wrote during Ghana’s Year of Return celebrations, in 2020.

Me and Kobby with an ARC of his book, back in January

Purchase No One Dies Yet on Amazon (UK), or contact Kobby for a copy

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African Book Addict will be 10 years old in 2024! Time flies. I plan on setting up a series of posts and (maybe) events to celebrate the 10 years. Stay tuned (and keep your fingers crossed because [traditional] blogging is quite challenging nowadays).