Proof of Life
Some of what's going on this side of the Mississippi
Who has 2 thumbs and just updated their website?
Sometimes, you get so caught up in writing (right now, drafting a thematic sequel to the Russian Novel) that you forget, on occasion, you’re obligated to write about the writing. Ah, the joys of promotion! /s
So, Tochi, what fire got lit under your ass that you’re finally performing those professional duties so essential to the not-starving of the artist after nearly 2.5 years of cobweb buildup? you might be asking. And, ah, I have an answer.
This baby—
—just got not one but two starred reviews in trade publications, namely Library Journal and Publishers Weekly.
From LJ:
Onyebuchi (Goliath) writes a compelling mystery, adds corrupt politics, a feet-on-the-ground exploration of postcolonialism that isn’t all that “post,” and a jaundiced discussion of the supposed good old days, all told through the eyes of a Raymond Chandler–style detective.
And from PW:
Blending elements of classic noir fiction (including a Chandleresque narrative voice) and fantastic acts of terroristic martyrdom, Onyebuchi crafts an equally heady and page-turning narrative. This is an unforgettable portrait of a place and a person trapped between two worlds and two cultures.
Hot damn, I’ll take it.
Anyway, it goes without saying that the novel is available for pre-order.
But that’s not it! There’s more!
A cover’s currently in the works, and there may be a (slight!) title change, but my personal lore drop, er, essay collection titled (for now) Is This a Race Book? is also available for pre-order! It’s out in October, which may seem a light-year away but, given the way current upheaval can eff with our sense of time, will likely be here before you know it. Between now and then, be on the lookout for more updates, perhaps, even, some cover-shaped news.
It’s a personal history of the Internet in reverse, and, as I’ve said before, if you dig the writing you find here, you’ll find a lot to like there. As much as I love essays, I’m relatively new to the form (I was about a decade into writing novels by the time I first started playing around with personal essays), so it all still has that playground feel where I’m discovering myself and my capabilities, learning rules, learning how to go about breaking those rules. The result is some of my best writing yet.
I’ll probably talk more about how I put the thing together and the general process of writing a collection of essays in a later post, but the great takeaway is that it was so much fun that I can’t imagine this is a one-and-done kinda thing. As with many things, it’ll depend on what kind of numbers we do, but I’m incredibly happy with the product and chomping at the bit to share it with y’all.
Cheers.
Currently reading: My Country, Africa: Autobiography of the Black Pasionaria - Andrée Blouin
Currently listening: Chandelier - Architects