E A Chile
Jeremiah is a young man gliding through life without much thought except to make the most of his carefree student years. But when he makes eyes at the wrong girl, he is in for the shock of his life when he falls foul of a confraternity tough guy.
He’s in for the shock of his death when he wakes up six months later to find out that he and his sister had been murdered. Desperate to understand why he is dead and yet alive, riddled with guilt for his sister’s death, beleaguered by nightmares, Jeremiah needs help. He finds it in the shape of the mysterious Mr Sunday. We are launched into the old world of African gods that most people have long forgotten about.
The gods and goddesses are many and varied with their own responsibilities and characters. They are troubled that they are fading from existence. If no one remembers them, they will cease to exist. Some accept this as their fate, others wish to fight against it. They all agree that the impact of the Christian religion, brought to their homeland by outsiders, has led to their current situation.
Jeremiah finds that he owes his latterly undead existence to his grandfather who remained faithful to the old ways, giving his life to resurrect his beloved grandson. Mr Sunday teaches Jeremiah that he may be alive but he is not simply human as he was. There are skills for him to learn. As Jeremiah learns, so he grows in confidence. His overriding desire is to seek revenge for his sister’s death.
Although Jeremiah may have been feckless in his behaviour, we come to see that he is still a young man. He feels an outcast. He cannot return to his family – he could not expect them to accept him given the circumstances. It would be too damaging for them. He misses his best friend. He is angry, bewildered and you want to scoop him up and give him a hug.
I found this book a fascinating mix of fiction and fact. The author informs us that although the people in the tale are fictional, the deities are real, as are the beliefs, languages, and some historical events. The book is set in Nigeria, giving an insight into the way of life there, with some dialogue in the Igbo language with an English translation. This works to demonstrate the different peoples that make up the whole.
In some ways this narrative is instructional. The author includes passages explaining the history of the country and how the western culture has deeply affected the people whose home it is. This helps the reader put the story in context and understand the dismay and anger of the African gods.
The author tells us this is an eccentric book with a tale constructed from Nigerian superstition.
When I first started to read this book, I soon realised that there were many formatting and grammatical errors to the extent that I was not certain that I would continue to read it. Having said that, I was hooked by the story so carried on reading. I’m glad I did. I fell in love with this tale.
However, the vehicle did not do the story justice. I contacted the author to discuss the issues. He is now well aware of what needs to be done to put it right, and he is working towards this. I understand he will be uploading an amended version shortly.
I asked the author to tell us a bit about themself and their publishing journey.
My publishing experience has been quite a journey; I have learned a lot about the publishing industry. It requires patience and the ability to overcome obstacles by looking for new alternative ways especially as an author from Africa.
I’m self-published. I tried going through agents especially in the US and UK. I got a few praises, some rejections and others never replied but when you know you have an untold story that needs to be out you won't give up, you will find a way.
My experience of using KDP was quite okay, but it can be frustrating in a country like mine where Amazon services are not available. If one is impatient you could give up. It took me years of studying/research to figure out how to make the platform work for me despite the disadvantages I faced. I was handicapped by a lack of access but my will was strong and after many months I found a way. Firstly I published in e-book, then paperback a few months later. Despite having made some sales, it took me over a year before I could get a copy of my own book in my hand because of my location. But finally I did it and I have it on my shelf. Hopefully one day I will find a way to get more copies.
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This author has had a greater struggle than many of us. I highly recommend you watch his book trailer on the YouTube link below. Incredible.
YouTube: https://youtu.be/eAy_DyC3IwU
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/Eachile-Author-page-104153061663221/
link to book: