An interview about me, my debut novel Olawu, what inspired the story, and some of my advice to aspiring writers.

FULL TRANSCRIPT

An Interview with Author P. J. Leigh

Hi, my name is Phylicia. You may know me as author P. J. Leigh. I write commercial fiction for women and girls. I have two daughters of my own, and I’m excited to share my debut novel Olawu with you.

One Interesting Fact About You

In 2018 I had to have heart surgery. I spent several months in recovery and during that time, I wrote a novel. I tried for the next two years to get it in front of an agent, and during that time I learned a lot about not just my craft, but the publishing business as a whole.

Tell Us About Olawu?

Olawu lives in a small village where girls are only allowed to be mothers and wives. Her father teaches her in secret, and that sparks in her a desire to follow in his footsteps and become a physician. Her path is full of obstacles, as you can imagine. There are cultural barriers and tribal conflicts that make this an extremely difficult road for her.

Is There Romance?

There is a love story in the book. I don’t wanna spoil anything, but I will say this: One of the things I love most about Olawu is her strong sense of self. She wants to be loved, just like the rest of us. But she also recognizes her self worth and won’t settle for less. One of my favorite moments in the book is when she is standing up for herself and she says this line, “I know what I am worth. I know who I am. My ubaba taught me long ago what love looks like, and I will accept nothing less.”

Where Did You Get Inspiration For Olawu?

A lot of inspiration comes from my girls and just thinking about what kind of characters I would want them to see in fiction.

As far as the setting, I always knew Olawu’s story would take place in Africa, but it was while I was researching for a short story that I came across the Maasai tribe in East Africa. And that really sparked my curiosity about the region and the area. It was really fascinating to learn about their culture and then, there are so many cultures and customs and languages in East Africa. Olawu really just serves as an introduction into that space.

Any Advice For Aspiring Authors?

Read. Everything. And keep practicing your craft. Write as much as you can as often as you can. On the business side? Marketing is hard, but if you can remember the “why” of your writing, that will help you a lot.

Where Can We Find Olawu?

Paperbacks are available now. Hardcovers can be pre-ordered between now and November 1st in most online retailers in the US, Canada, and around the globe. There’s a digital special going on now for $2.99 between now and November 1st, so be sure to capitalize on that.

Updates On Olawu

Olawu very recently was entered into the BookLife Prize For Fiction sponsored by Publishers Weekly. Olawu scored a 9.5 out of 10 and earned a spot as a Quarter Finalist for the prize. For more updates you can always subscribe to my website which is pjleigh.com.

Any Special Requests for Viewers?

Thanks for listening, thanks for watching, and please, please request Olawu for your local library and help me share this amazing story.

Thank you!