The (Unnamed) Book Club: The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives

I always start these things with an apology - Book reviews aren't something I do well, I think. I'm more likely to tell you how a book made me feel, or think rather than a discourse on style and structure. So bear with me.

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives was gruesome to read. Not gruesome like Stephen King, James Patterson, or (gag) V.C. Andrews, more emotionally heart wrenching.

It started out well. We (the members of the book club) were clear on who to hate - Baba Segi and his first three wives. Feelings for Wife no. 4, Bolanle, swung between annoyance and sympathy. Then new information came to light. Gasp! And swung us all into emotional turmoil. I can't tell you more (spoilers!) but I can tell you that nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, is as it seems.

The best part of the book - the writing. Sometimes, it was the only thing that kept some of us reading. Lola Shoneyin's storytelling is very Old World. It brings to mind a wizened grandmother sitting to tell her gathered descendants a cautionary tale. I loved it, even though it hurt to read it.

Next month (in two days), is Chick Lit month, and we pick up Sophie Kinsella's Can you keep a secret? Watch this space.

The 200 Book Reading Challenge

2013 Reading Challenge

Timendu has
read 37 books toward her goal of 200 books.

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37 of 200 (18%)

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Yes, I changed my goal again. Let's face it, if I'm going to be reading all those romance novels (and I will), then the tally is going to go up rather quickly. Romance novels are definitely smack dab in the middle of my comfort zone, and since I'm trying not to over indulge with chocolate, cake, or chocolate cake, then well...hello Nora!

Also, this past week I was kinda sorta under the weather - nauseous, poor appetite, insomnia, headaches - bring on the comforting. That's not to say, I won't try to expand my horizon and read things I would normally not read. However, I won't lie...I really like my comfort zone.

In other news, work has resumed. I've started on the wrong foot and am behind schedule, but that should be sorted out by tomorrow. I've decided to put my personal feelings aside, and be a disciplined professional. Yup. A Disciplined Professional.

I'm not entirely happy with my prep work for Good Intentions, but I have to start. Writing is rewriting, I've been told, so I suppose I should just jump to it.

Wish me luck. I'm actually a little nervous.

PS. I write the weekly column Rita's Road for Poise Finishing School's insert in Business Day newspaper (every Tuesday). If you could check it out, and let me know what you think, I would really appreciate it. Muchos Gracias, and have a great week.

Whistle You Work

Hey y'all

Did you have a good weekend?

Anyway, I'm just swinging by to let you know that I'm changing Mary's height and occupation. Yes, she's going to be shorter, and she's going to be a make up artist.

In other news, one freelance contract is signed so now I have deadlines.

Another contract will be signed soon. Most likely next week, which will mean more deadlines.

...let the juggling act begin.

So whatchu been up to?

Holla!

I'm pleased to announce that I know what direction I'm going with Good intentions. I have a very rough outline. I have a beginning, a middle and an end. I have a theme and some character sketches, so YAY!

I'll start writing next week. The plan is a chapter a day. It's not going to be a lengthy book. 1,000 words per chapter is the plan. I'll keep you posted, and if there's anything I can share with you about the process I will.

In other news, I've decided to be realistic about my reading challenge. It was originally to read 300 books this year, and thanks to Goodreads' handy tally thingy, I was informed anytime I breezed by how far behind I was. The pressure got to me, and I abandoned my to read list of Neil Gaiman, Nelson Demille, Suzzanne Collins, Jodi Picoult and so forth for the easy to consume pleasure of Nora Roberts.

One fine evening, I clicked on the view books link to check out my reading exploits for the year, and discovered to my dismay that I had read 8 Nora Roberts and 3 other books. Well, that wasn't the plan. The plan was to read more, yes, but also to read outside my comfort zone. To discover new favourites, and learn new things. 8 Nora Roberts was not the way to go about it. So now, the plan has changed to something more realistic, and less stressful - The 100 Book Reading Challenge. It has nice ring to it, no?

2013 Reading Challenge

Timendu has
read 13 books toward her goal of 100 books.

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13 of 100 (13%)

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Anyway, I made the changes and now I'm 9 books ahead of schedule. Oh yeah! I am awesome.

What am I reading now?

Francine Prose's Reading Like a Writer.
J.R. Ward's The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide
Max Lucado's Cure for the Common Life: Living in Your Sweet Spot
Lola Shoneyin's The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
Nicole William's Earn What You're Worth

And my easy, breezy #fridayreads is (drumroll, please) - Nora Robert's Born in Ice.

...don't judge me.

More Than A Culture of Rape

Hey everyone!

I was hoping I would be back here with something fun, and light, and fluffy. I was going to tell you a little bit of what I've been doing with Good Intentions. I was, maybe, going to let you have a peak into the early stages of my character sketches. I was going to let you know how The (Unnamed) Book Club was going, and share some of the discussions on our book of the month.

But, I'm not.

Over the past few days, I've read about 3 rapes. Two fictional from J.R. Ward's Lover Reborn, and Lola Shoneyin's The Secret Lives of Baba Segis Wives. The non-fictional rape was the one that happened recently in India.

Normally, I avoid gory news. I don't think my knowing anything about it does anything for the victims or the situation. All that happens is that I get disturbed, and depressed. So I had been avoiding reading about the Indian rape case. I had noticed mentions of it on twitter, but I never followed the links. Then yesterday, my BFF, Cho, sent me a link and asked me to read and leave a comment. I asked if she had written it. She said no, but that it had made her angry and she wanted my opinion.

So I read it, or started it, then stopped half way. It was upsetting. Doubly so, because the writer was upset, and seemed to be writing on much more than the Indian rape case. The point of the piece that had annoyed my friend was that the lady said Nigeria has a culture of rape, and that women are raped here everyday and nothing is done.

I agree with the writer to a point. There is a culture of rape here, but much more pervasive is the culture of chauvinism. Rape is the fruit of Chauvinism. A culture that considers women as tools and toys. Women are not persons with thoughts, and dreams, but objects of pleasure, procreation or servitude. In both traditional and modern culture, women are second class citizens. If a woman is raped, it is because she did not dress right, she walked down the wrong road, she went to the wrong party/house/room, she trusted the wrong person, or she offended the wrong person.

Why didn't she make better choices?

If she was raped as part of a robbery, why didn't she lock the doors? Why didn't she hide in her room? Why did she come out in her nightie?

Come to think of it, how dare she go around with a vagina? Doesn't she know that she is putting herself in danger?

So generation after generation, we live in fear. We trust no one. Not brothers. Not uncles, cousins, teachers or friends. We have vaginas. We are victims waiting to happen. But there is a part of me that rebels against this, Scripture keeps running through my brain - God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. So how can I live in fear of anything with a penis, and still be walking in the fullness of God? Where do the two meet?

I'm honestly befuddled.

Because I live in fear. I have a daughter now who goes to school. Everyday she comes home, I watch her carefully especially when I give her a bath. Is she okay? Did anybody touch her?

Where does it stop?

When will men teach their sons that women are not toys? That stacking sexual conquest on top sexual conquest does not make you a man but a whore? When will men teach their sons not to rape?

So...

Let's start with the bad news. I think I've put on weight. I don't want to talk about it. I'll just make myself feel better by having a couple of jammy dodgers, and a Coke.

In other news, SuperGoo is still on vacation. I hear the theme songs of all her Disney Jr. and Nick Jr. shows in my sleep. When we do turn off the TV, she scribbles then tries to stab me with her crayons.

Sigh.

Oh, she naps for all of two hours, and doesn't fall asleep till late.

And, she thinks I double as a Jungle Gym.

Ain't motherhood great?

As far as my reading challenge goes, I've gone through five books, but according to goodreads.com - At my current pace, I am one book behind. Thanks a lot. Nothing I love more than pressure.

Maybe childbirth.

Anyway, I've decided to cheat with romance novels. They're nice, short, and don't require me to be fully awake, or lucid. No disrespect. It's a genre I have enjoyed for many, many, many years.

In writing news, all I've done is respond to interview questions (borrowed from J.R. Ward's The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide) for my heroine/protagonist for Good Intentions. I should actually be banging out an outline.

On the income side of things, I'm still talking contracts for possible freelance jobs, and exchanged a couple of emails with an illustrator for a non-fiction book I'm editing. I'm waiting for everyone, including myself, to get back to me.

How about I add you to the list ? Check out my heroine/protagonist's response sheet below, and let me know what you think. Feel free to send interview questions of your own.

MARY

Age: 26

Marital Status: Married. 2 months.

Height: 5'9

Weight: 60kg

Hair Colour: Black. Shoulder length when relaxed.

Eye Colour: Light Brown.

Identifying Physical Marks: Gap teeth with overbite. Multiple birthmarks scattered all over her back.

Occupation: Model/Housewife

Dimensions: 34 - 28 - 32

Description: Mary was beautiful, tall and somewhat striking, for such a shy person. You could almost feel her willing herself to be invisible. Maybe that's why she was such a great runway model, she was the perfect clotheshorse. Designers loved her. Skinny, with just enough curves to satisfy the local clientele, but not so much as to throw off a design. She was damn near perfect. If only she wasn't scared of cameras.

Married to: Tochukwu Clement Okoro.

Last Movie Watched: Love, Actually

Last Book Read: Summerhouse by Jude Devereux

Favourite TV Show: The Late Show with David Letterman

Last TV Show watched: Desperate Housewives

Last game played: Scrabble (with the computer as an opponent)

Greatest Fear: Divorce by Adultery

Greatest Love: God

Favourite Quote: My beloved is mine, and I am his.

Preferred Sleepwear: T-Shirt and Shorts

Watch: Kate Spade (a gift from Tochukwu)

Car: I don't drive

What time is it while you're filling this out?: 2 p.m.

Where are you?: In the parlour

What are you wearing?: T-Shirt and Shorts

What's in your closet?: Skinny jeans, a couple of black pants, lots and lots of T-Shirts in different colours, One black blazer, and one army green jacket. a couple of sundresses, a couple of leggings - one purple, one pink (got them at a show, never worn), a couple of dress shirts, one ankara dress from Jewel by Lisa (I saw it and couldn't resist), ballet flats in different colours, one pair of black Mary Janes, One brown Fossil handbag, jewellery box with one gold set from my mum, a lot of studs, and a lot of costume jewellery necklaces. A lot of skin care creams. A fully stocked, barely touched make up bag.

What was the last thing you ate?: Can't remember.

Describe your last dream: I can't remember. I did dream. It wasn't pleasant, but I can't remember a thing about it.

Coke or Pepsi?: Coke.

Audrey Hepburn or Marilyn Monroe?: Can I say both? One is strong and classy, the other's feminine and sexy. I love them both.

Omotola or Genevieve?: I love Genevieve, but Omo-sexy is so sexy.

Sports or Video Games?: Video Games, although I love to swim.

What do you like most about Tochukwu?: He’s so attentive. He’s always there when I need him.

First words spoken to him: “I’m not bored. I’m tired, and I want to go home”.

His response was: “I want to go home too! Wow! We have something in common”.

Last gift given to him: Had a cake delivered to his office on his birthday.

Most romantic thing he’s ever done for you: Proposed. He somehow managed to get a private dinner set up in one of my favourite restaurants on the island. It was on the 5th anniversary of our relationship, and I thought he just wanted to make it special. The mood was perfect. There were candles and everything. There was even some jazz playing, I think. When he went down on one knee, just before dessert, I swear, I almost threw up.

Most romantic thing you’ve done for him: Surprised him with some designer cufflinks he had mentioned wanting on Valentine’s Day.

Anything you’d change about him: No. I think he’s amazing just the way he is.

Best Friend: Naomi. We’ve been BFFs since secondary school. She’s like a sister to me.

Last time you cried:  No comment.

Last time you laughed: No comment.

Happy New Year!

Hey! Hey! Hey! It's 2013.

Welcome to the New Year.

I didn't put up a post earlier because I was not so compelled, and also because I was recovering from crossing over. Normally, it takes me a day of sleeping it off, but with a toddler who we shall call SuperGoo, well, let's just say I'm still sleepy.

Anyway, it's the New Year. And as a good citizen of Earth, I should have plans and goals. Well, gosh darn it, I do!

This is the year of my 300 Book Reading Challenge. Ridiculous, I know, but if it were feasible like a 52 Book Reading Challenge, then I wouldn't be interested. I'm one of those 'dream the impossible dream' people. A recipe for heartache, I tell you, but ooh what a rush. So far, I have finished one book - Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. I enjoyed it. It was a delightful romp with angels, demons, switched babies, and what I consider, a very cheeky premise.

I'm in the middle of Francine Prose's How to Read Like A Writer, and have just read the first seven chapters of The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin for The (Unnamed) Book Club. Expect an update on that soon.

Writing goals? Well, The Plan was to improve my craft while writing six short stories from January to June, and then write Good Intentions from July to December. But, then, I read Good Omens which made me dream up a totally unrelated idea that haunts me. So, the six short stories have been given the bump for Good Intentions, then I will write The Other Story from July to December. I hear you! Foolhardy. Sigh. I'm an all or nothing sort of girl.

Oh Lord, let it not be nothing.

On the Writing for Hire front, things are still kinda up in the air, but I would very much like to work only for the first six months of the year, then use the remaining months to focus on Writing for Myself. At least, that was the plan when I was doing the Six Short Stories and A Novel thing. Now...errr...

On the Weight Loss Goal, I would like to lose 10kg but 5kg would not be bad. I would like to go down two dress sizes, but one would be satisfactory. What's the plan? Well, I thought I would Zumba, Skip, Swim and do some Yoga. You know, slow and steady type of thing. However, Papa Goo got me the Insanity Workout DVD. Yay!

No. Not really.

Sigh. So we'll see.

Ah, well, Happy New Year!