tobiagbajeworld-blog

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This is getting annoying: Job Applications

This is getting annoying: Job Applications

I’ve been to several(feels like that to me) interviews since I graduated from University in 2017 to secure a job. You know. A place of work, somewhere that will give me some passive income, a role that will challenge and satisfy me. A role that I am passionate about. There are many definitions of what exactly a job is. My mother describes a job as something that should give me ‘peace of mind’.

We…

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Writing Prompt #1 Writing Prompt #1: She ran away so fast that when she looked back, all she saw was a blur.

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MY GO TO BREAKFAST MON-FRI

MY GO TO BREAKFAST MON-FRI

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Banana Bread For A Cloudy Friday

Banana Bread For A Cloudy Friday

I love baking. I especially love baking banana bread because I’m a banana fanatic. If you love quick and easy baking recipes, then you will be excited to know that this recipe won’t have you in the kitchen for long.

My older sister got me hooked on banana bread and during university times I created my own recipe and want to share it with you all. I know I’m biased but it’s so delicious. You have…

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Tiwalade is surrounded by people who love her but she does not quite feel the same admiration for herself. A special day arrives once again but this time seems to change her perception of herself and how she views the world. A  tragic event later becomes a blessing for her by reshaping cultural definitions of beauty and through this change starts to appear as good.

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WHO'S THAT DREAMER | JUST RELAX

WHO’S THAT DREAMER | JUST RELAX

Stress sucks so I thought I would share some ways that seem to help me cope with it. #WHOSTHATDREAMER

  How do you deal with stress?

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Learning through disappointment…

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27-year-old Kiran Millwood Hargrave, wanted to read as many books as she could. That is what she was passionate about. She could have been a lawyer but her partner Tom persuaded her to make a living from what she loves – books. The proof of him making a living as an artist gave her the courage to write. Her books echo that of author, J.K Rowling’s Wizarding world of Harry Potter books which is no coincidence with Kiran’s publisher being “the man who decided to take a gamble on J.K. Rowling” – Barry Cunningham.

Kiran’s debut novel The Girl of Ink and Stars (GOIAS) originally The Cartographers Daughter a “spellbinding world of magic, myth and adventure” book has become award winning so far that it was shortlisted for the Oxfordshire Book Awards, long listed for the Branford Boase Award, for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and more. The novel based on Kiran’s 13-year-old cousin in Delhi, Sabine, has opened the door to another fairytale world.

Her latest book, The Island At the End of Everything follows on with her “problem” obsession with islands, but the difference is that the book’s colony of butterflies take the focus. Even as a young girl, Kiran’s creativity resulted in a book of her delight stories so much that her parents were told by her school that perhaps her “imagination is a little too good”- maybe then being an Islomaniac is acceptable?

We met on a cloudy afternoon in Oxford at a family-run independent coffee shop known for its chocolates and breakfasts, located near the largest academic and specialist bookseller in the UK – Blackwell’s, and GOIAS was of course on the shelves.  She arrived a prompt 13 minutes earlier than we scheduled, ordered a bacon sarnie appearing relaxed and excited to talk to me. Her quirky wardrobe stood out with her long dress with flittering fairy-like butterflies flapping in various colours, mirroring the art work of her latest book. Shortly after her first bite, we began the interview, no surprise that the sarnie went cold.

How did the publisher, Chicken House discover you?

“Through the normal submission process – I got an agent and then she submitted to about 20 different publishers. I made a ranking of who I would like to be with. Chicken House were in the Top Two. I loved their output. I went with Chicken House having met Barry. He did not butter me up. He said the book needed a lot of work but believed  that Chicken House can make a career for me and that was the magic word ‘career’. As much as I love the GOIS, I want a career – I want to be able to get better and better. It was really hard work. We worked on it for just under two years. It was a process of proper intense revisions but he saw something in it and he believed in it and that was wonderful.”

Kiran laughed at how Chicken House was her second top choice but sincerely sounded grateful to Barry Cunningham for giving her a writing career. Early this year, Chicken House signed a three-book deal with her which she sounded delighted for CH to recognise her books and to know that her writing has received a home with CH.

She lived without writing for many years even though she grew up in a house full of books.

“If you make something a habit it will quickly become a need. I definitely believe in writing as a craft and not just a talent. I hope to get better and better.

My dad was obsessed with telling stories from the Vikings – Viking tales. My mum even before we were proficient readers would either read to us or would give us comic book versions of stories so I had the classics – The Count of Monte Cristo, Indian myths in comic book form.”

India played a huge role in Kiran’s books, not only because, the protagonist Isabella in the book is based on her cousin Sabine, who lives in New Delhi but also because Kiran’s mother is from there and most of her family reside there.

“Isabella’s Da is an amalgamation of my parents – wise and silly which I think Da is – quite playful and also very intelligent and Sabine is my cousin who lives in India. She is 13 now and I have seen her maybe seven times because of obvious distance so I was thinking about her and I based Isabella on her. I really had Sabine at the core-front of my mind. She loves reading but if she does not like a book then she won’t persevere – I love that about kids – they won’t read something just because everyone has told them they have to. “

All of the settings in GOIAS in truth exist which began of value to use for Kiran after her trip to La Gromera, the second smallest main island – which only pointed out to me that she is an ‘Islomaniac’

What is an Islomaniac?

“It is someone who is obsessed with islands. It is a problem. My first three books are set on islands – I am writing the third at the moment. There is something about whether it is the Scottish islands or the Canary Islands. I love being on an island. I just read a great book by Peter Conrad Islands. You can travel in books and they are really egalitarian in that way.”

She expressed that after finishing her first book she felt a sense of relief as she could distance herself from the book but only ever so slightly.

“There was a sense of fear because I can’t control when anyone buys it and reads it. It is like putting a bit of your soul out there – you have to focus on the people who do like it, otherwise you go mad.”

It is not hard to recognise that she is an authoress and her love for islands has developed her writing. The covers for both her books paint certain images in your mind too.

Who’s behind the magic of all the cover art?

“Helen Crawford White is the designer of all of my books so far and hopefully going forward. I love what she does. She does all kinds of  different books. She does lots with Chicken House. I think she is really good of getting to heart of what a book is and you can pick it up and you want to open it. The island and everything was based off my partner Tom’s work. I drew some terrible sketches. I don’t like writing plans – I am a very visual person. I drew myself a map. That is how I plotted my book.”

“The idea was there before I got a book deal and then I worked with CH to revise it. That was a really intense emotional process which is probably why it is so sad because I was feeling very sad.”

Euphoric to discuss her cat Luna and husband artist Tom, who she collaborates with often.

“I just love cats. They are independent thinkers; they are funny to watch because they take themselves so seriously. I love dogs too but I don’t like the unarmed devotion they give you. With a cat you have to work for it. When they do choose you, you feel special. I love just having something there at home for me in the day.

“He is incredibly talented. Him in himself outside of being my partner excites me – his talent, him being a painter is exciting to me. It is really nice to have that professional admiration for each other.

“I think so often like we are told – we have to be so grateful to find that in a man but actually men are people. People should be like that anyway. I was just loving you like you were loving me so having been through something like that together – it threw us together and it really made us.”

She discussed with me how when growing up, marriage was not the epitome of her life goals with a light-hearted tone of frustration.

“I have never been one of the girls who has dreamt about marriage. My mum did not particularly want to get married, it was because of her family in India. I have never been brought up where marriage is a goal, its more about your career, being a good person. Being someone’s wife was not– if it was anyone other than Tom then marriage would not be exciting.”

She laughed with admiration.

“Love yourself.”

She touchingly reflected on her love for criticism as something that she understands and appreciates.

“I read all my bad reviews and I think I freak out people because when it is helpful, I get in touch to thank them and they apologise – lots of people are not going to like it.

It is easy to fail at something you don’t want to do so you might as well fail at something you do. Life is so short. You never know. The younger, the better, there’s only going to be more baggage. You have to take that leap of faith – I would really encourage people to be brave.”

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It was lovely meeting Kiran and I wish her all the best in her writing career. After the interview, she showed me around some of Oxford’s classic spots such as Blackwell’s book shop and the Bodleian Library which famously featured in the Harry Potter films which was an ecstatic experience – As Harry Potter fans do, we had a look around and took some pictures. I had the best time.

Keep up with her latest work here

  Kiran Millwood Hargrave on being an Islomaniac, taking the leap of  faith, cats and drawing terrible sketches for her book. 27-year-old Kiran Millwood Hargrave, wanted to read as many books as she could. That is what she was passionate about.

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POEM: Lashes with Lashes

POEM: Lashes with Lashes

Look at how you react,

Unacknowledged anger,

Your words like striking lashes to my back.

  When I am not near,

I sprout like fresh green leaves,

Alone but in harmony.

  Advice mistaken for attacks,

Sadly,

You only continue to lash yourself.

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WHO’S THAT DREAMER| DON’T BE TOO SAD I realise that thousands across the UK received their A-level results three days ago. If your results were not quite what you hoped for...just please remember that grades do not define you.

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WHO'S THAT DREAMER| DON'T BE TOO SAD

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Haiku: To live is to love

To live is to love. Life is truly short and should not be wasted by being stubborn.

Accept me as yours

Accept thy child and love her

Accept my own life.

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WHO'S THAT DREAMER | I WANTED TO BE MJ

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Hello my fellow dreamers, I’m on youtube! 

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Hello my fellow dreamers, I’m on youtube! 

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Dear White People speaks a lot of truth

The Netflix original series pretty much fleshes out each character with some epically detailed backstories - they are intimate, hilarious, awkward and excitingly different. Dear White People cleverly tackles racism by speaking about it boldly and loudly at an Ivy league university that is predominately white. Woah. I applaud Sam’s radio show - some may laugh but it certainly burns too because the disturbance we feel as an audience, reveals the underlining truth there is to what she says...

Do not be fooled by the ratings - when you watch it... you will understand.

credit: Netflix

credit: Netflix

Netflix. Bring on Season 2. #Everydaymood

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She’s awesome!