Interview with Louisa Onome

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! It is release day for Like Home by Louisa Onome and I'm excited to bring you an interview with the author herself. 

Where did you find the inspiration for Like Home?

Like Home was inspired by a collection of things, namely my own upbringing just west of Toronto, where I lived amongst friends who were like family. I loved that experience so much because, as a child of immigrants, you learn so much about yourself and the world that way. I had been wanting to write a book about a strong community and family aspect for awhile, but the true catalyst was watching this Korean drama ‘Reply 1988’ and really falling in love with the friends-as-family dynamic there. It was done so well!

Was it important to specifically set this story in Toronto or did you ever feel like you had to set it in the US?

 It was originally set in Toronto, then the US, then back to Toronto. Just like, for many writers of colour, it was a journey to writing a Black main character or main characters of colour, it was a journey for me to keep my setting the way I intended it to. While I was originally querying this book, I received a bit of pushback on the setting and it made me quickly change it to the US because I falsely assumed that would make it more universal. After I got signed, I was encouraged to change it back to Toronto, and I’m really happy I did. There’s so much vibrancy in Toronto and its surrounding areas, and it was important for me to showcase that to a wider audience. I can’t say for sure what people think of when they think of Toronto or Canada, but I’m sure whatever it is isn’t the Toronto that I know. I wanted to introduce my audience to that.

How important was it to write a story that teens can relate too?

So important! Even though young adult fiction has many adult fans (hello), at the end of the day, these are books for teens, so I was really mindful of that audience. I wanted to write in the tone and the slang that is most popular amongst the youth in my city, because that’s who I wanted to represent. 

Do you see pieces of yourself in your protagonist, Nelo? 

 I do! A lot of her qualities are how I imagined myself to be when I was her age, but she’s definitely bolder than I was. 

What was it like growing up in a Nigerian family in Canada? 

Too much fun, honestly. I have a lot of cousins and aunts and uncles, the majority of whom I’m not blood related to but are still my family, and I saw them several times a year for birthdays, holidays, breaks, anything. It’s really given me a broader perspective on what family can look like. 

Are there any books by Black Canadian authors that have left an impression on you?

I remember being in Edmonton and going out the day Téa Mutonji’s short story collection “Shut Up You’re Pretty” came out, and I devoured that in two days. It would’ve been faster but I was trying to pace myself! I just loved reading this human portrayal of a Black girl and her shortcomings and inner thoughts. It’s such a grounding read.

Did you always want to be a writer and did your family encourage that dream?

I did always want to be a writer, and I had always written in various forms growing up, but it wasn’t until I was 23 that I decided to start writing towards publication. My parents are Nigerian immigrants: they were as encouraging as they could have been while maintaining that I should focus on something lucrative. So, not always! But they never actively told me to stop writing. 

What has it been like preparing to debut during the pandemic?

It’s been stressful, I can’t lie to you! The debut experience is exciting and fun and scary and nerve-wracking all at the same time. It’s all been heightened because of the pandemic. Honestly, I’m still not sure I know what I’m doing. So far I’ve been trying to take things one day at a time and only focus on things that I find fun. I think it’s been helping! I do miss seeing people in-person, though, and I hope to one day be invited to a conference or a festival where I can hug people. I don’t even need to be on a panel. I can vibe in the back. Just wanna have in-person conversations.

Are there any shows or movies you’ve been watching during quarantine? And is there anything you’re excited about?

I really enjoyed Bridgerton and Bling Empire, and I’m slowly making my way through WandaVision. I’ve been watching a lot of anime too. I figure if I have unlimited time, I might as well catch up on some shows or pick up new ones. I feel like the pandemic has stolen my ability to think or plan ahead, so my excitement operates on a week-by-week basis! As of now, I’m only excited for the last season of Insecure airing this year. Excited, and a bit sad, but also comfortable in knowing the show is ending on its own terms!

Can you give us two truths and a lie about you?

I can swim, I’ve met Harry Styles twice, and I have a debilitating fear of werewolves.

Other than your own are there any books by a Black author you would love to see adapted for a movie or tv show?

I’m going to shamelessly say Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, even though I haven’t read it in full yet. The aesthetic is everything I love for an edgy TV show and it’d be so much fun to watch.

You’re also working on a new story Model Minority. What has that experience been like and how do you keep on track with writing with everything going on in the world?

It’s been a lot of fun! I tend to draft fast and then spend a lot of time revising, and I enjoy being in both stages. Drafting is my make-believe phase, so I can come up with things fast and throw them in, waiting to see what sticks. Revising is my fanfiction phase, where I usually approach it like I’m tweaking the source material. I’m usually not one to take breaks, but since the pandemic, I’ve been better at taking a day or a week off, and that’s really helped me stay on track.

You can follow her at @louisaonome_ on Twitter