Date Published: 08 May 2020
Publisher: The Roaring Lion Newcastle Ltd
A Booktiful Love is a collection of poems that deal with the entirety of human experience in its various forms. Didactically rich, the poems explore ideas ranging from love, relationships, and patriotism to marriage, morality, and many other concepts pertinent to daily living.
Given its variety of themes, what unifies the poems in this collection is the simplicity and ambiguousness of language which the poet employs. The poems draw their strength from their clarity and meaning.
These are poems with a purpose. Poet Tolu' A. Akinyemi didn't shy away from this fact, as he wrote in the poems "Writers" and "Write for Rights." The poet's philosophy is evident in this collection. To him, a writer is saddled with the responsibility to use his words to teach, preach, and fight for freedom.
He writes:
"Let's change the world, one writer at a time,
Write those words till the world gets it right."
Another special attribute to this collection is the poet's experimentation with words. This is clear right from the title. The poet identifies himself as a creator of words. The reader is obliged to travel into the mind of the writer in each poem, to understand how his mind works. As readers approach the end of this collection, they not only become engrossed in its didactic richness, but also will appreciate the uniqueness of the poet's style and the sense of responsibility he carries.
Is There a Message in Your poetry That You Want Readers to Grasp?
I would like the emotions of love, loss, grief, and hope to resonate
with readers of this collection. I wanted to write a collection that would be
personal to the readers, and take them on wavering emotions and I think this
collection has achieved that aim.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
The nuance behind some of the poems might be hard to grasp for some
readers especially the political poems but that’s what poetry is about, it is subject
to individual interpretation depending on a reader’s perspective.
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
I have written seven books in total, Dead Lions Don’t Roar (Poetry) (Unravel
your Hidden Gems (Essays) Dead Dogs Don’t Bark (Poetry) Dead Cats Don’t
Meow (Poetry) Never Play Games With The Devil (Poetry) Inferno of Silence
(Short Stories) and A Booktiful Love (Poetry). I also
have two books out in January 2021 “Never Marry a Writer” and “Black ≠ Inferior”. My favourite till date is Dead Lions Don’t Roar as this has carved an
identity for me as an Author and a Poet. This might change by January when the new
books are out.
If You had the chance to cast your main character from
Will Smith will be a perfect match to play the protagonist in the story Inferno
of Silence. I’m sure he will be a perfect fit for the role as the melodrama of
entanglements and staying in a bad marriage forever depicts how a lot of men
suffer in silence in this day and age.
When did you begin writing?
I started writing from my teenage years. I remember I used to write
screen plays as a teenager but writing and reading for me as being a major part
of my life from childhood.
How long did it take to complete your first book?
I completed my first book in less than a year, though the time period
from start to finish was between 6 to 9 months.
Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?
There was a litany of
Authors who inspired me while growing up like Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka,
Charles Dickens, D.O Fagunwa however I only revered their works and never knew
I was going to someday be a published author.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Fleshing out the ideas is divine for me. Being able to transpose the
ideas from my mind to my device always gives me tremendous joy.
Describe your latest book in 4 words.
Heartfelt Poetry, Emotional rollercoaster.
Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the
future for your writing?
I have two poetry
collections out in January 2021“Black ≠ Inferior” - Black ≠ Inferior is a
collection of poems divided into 2 parts. The first part is a collection of
thematically linked poems exploring Blackness and the myriads of issues it
attracts. The second part oscillates themes— talking about consent, a query of
death, a celebration of love among others and “Never Marry a Writer” – which will
have a similar style to “A Booktiful Love”.
About the Author
Tolu’ A. Akinyemi hails from Nigeria and lives in the UK where he has been endorsed by the Arts Council England as a writer with “exceptional talent”. Tolu is the author of seven outstanding books, one of which is a collection of ‘short essays’ encouraging you to “Unravel Your Hidden Gems”. The five other books form the basis of his poetry collection, ripe for future growth, and which includes Dead Lions Don’t Roar, Dead Dogs Don’t Bark, Dead Cats Don’t Meow, Never Play Games with the Devil and his latest release, A Booktiful Love. He has also authored a widely acclaimed stellar collection of Short stories titled “Inferno of Silence”.
A former headline act at Great Northern Slam, Crossing The Tyne Festival, Feltonbury Arts and Music Festival, and featured in various Poetry Festivals, Open Slam, Poetry Slam, Spoken Word and Open Mic events in and outside the United Kingdom. His poems have been published in The Writers Cafe Magazine Issue 18 and 57th issue (Volume 15, no 1) of the Wilderness House Literary Review and many other literary outlets.
His books are based on a deep reality and often reflect relationships, life and features people he has met in his journey as a writer. His books have instilled many people to improve their performance and/or their circumstances. Tolu’ has taken his poetry to the stage, performing his written word at many events. Through his writing and these performances, he supports business leaders, other aspiring authors and people of all ages interested in reading and writing. Sales of the books have allowed Tolu’ donate to charity, allowing him to make a difference where he feels important, showing that he lives by the words he puts to page.
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