Welcome book fiends and coffee aficionados! Today we are lucky enough to be chatting with, and learning more about, talented author Myne Whitman. Thanks for taking the time to be with us today, Myne. To start, could you tell us something about your recent release, A Love Rekindled?
Ten years ago, Efe Sagay dreams of winning the United States Visa Lottery, until she meets Kevwe Mukoro in University. Kevwe is happy to remain in Nigeria; only he wants Efe by his side. Over time, Efe finds true love with Kevwe, and promises to marry him. Their dreams unravel when Efe wins an American Visa, and fresh violence erupts between their warring ethnic groups. Now, Efe is back in Nigeria, and she knows it’s a matter of time before Kevwe returns to her life. They finally meet again, but renewed desire is no match for bitter memories of heartbreak. Efe wants the traumatic events of the past resolved before she gives in to rekindled love.
I see you have travelled quite a bit, from Nigeria to Scotland and now here to the US. What was your favorite or most interesting place to visit so far? Where would you still like to see in the world that you haven’t yet?
I love travelling and have enjoyed the many places I’ve been. It was a marvelous experience visiting Geneva in Switzerland on a visit to family. It was my first European city outside of the United Kingdom and I loved the architecture. I would still like to visit Asia and South America sometime, if possible.
There were some very steamy moments of passion between Efe and Kevwe. Do any of your fantasies ever get put into a story?
LOL…can I plead the fifth on this one? OK, I blame the characters. Efe and Kevwe had been apart for so many years that they just wanted to be together.
What usually inspires your story ideas?
It is usually the most common things, a thought on relationships, a movie, news, another book, or noticing a trait in a friend or a stranger. Inspiration also comes from listening to music.
What kind of books do you read for pleasure? Stuff nothing like what you write, or pretty close to the same genre?
I read very widely but my best genre is single title romantic fiction, which is what I write. I also enjoy literary fiction that is close to life
What inspired their characters in this plot? How about the driven and intelligent Efe?
Efe was inspired by some of the people I’ve met in my life, who seem not to have the time for love or pleasure. I often wondered about such people and whether relationships in their past had any hand on who they now were. Kevwe was just my fantasy, a sensitive man who wasn’t ashamed to be open with his emotions.
If you weren’t writing romance, what would you be writing?
Probably literary fiction or children’s adventures.
The communication between the twins was fascinating. Did you do a lot of research on twin phenomenon’s or do you know anyone who has experienced this sort of closeness that inspired this unique element in your story?
The rumors that twins often had special abilities was something I’ve heard for a long time, and they intrigued me. When the character of Kevwe came to me as a twin, I just had to weave that in. The extent of my research was making a blog post about the topic and inviting my readers to share their own experiences. I got about two people who knew twins with special bonds.
A Love Rekindled mentioned cults and a lot of the political issues that were going on in the background of the plot. Do you think that the history and current affairs of your homeland effect how you write?
They definitely do. I want to make the settings of my book very realistic and so there’s no way I can escape that aspects of the plot.
What do you do when the characters stop ‘talking’ to you while you are writing?
I will take some time off and do something else. I could also start revising and editing, and sometimes that brings them back.
Where can your readers find you online?
I blog and I am also on Facebook and Twitter.
Do you have anything else you would like to add/say to our readers?
I really appreciate them and I want to say, Thank you all.
Well, fellow book addicts and coffee lovers, it was truly a pleasure to get to know a new author and thank you for stopping in to read with us today. I also want to make sure to thank the author for the worlds you create and transport us to with your words and mention that we look forward to more great reads in the future!
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