Ruyi's World of Books & Stories Author Interview with Denis Olasehinde Akinmolasire

Q. How would you describe yourself? 

I feel I’m a down to earth person who is looking to explore a hidden talent.  I’m also keen on showing the world that software engineers can be creative as they have a perception of being geeky/nerdy.

Q. Tell us something about the books that you have written and the story behind them. 

I have had certain troubles and experiences in finding love and had to overcome various hurdles to achieve my ambitions in life.  I wanted to share my thoughts on how to handle disappointments in life, what to do when you achieve your ambitions, staying hungry and what it means to love someone.  I’m hoping that my first book Love, War and Glory: Spoken Words for All Seasons will inspire people to not give in and offer encouragement regardless of what stage they are at in life.

Q. What place does writing hold in your life, how has been your writing journey so far? 

I have always enjoyed writing but because of my career and where my life took me I never had the chance to explore it further.  Then the opportunity arose to write my first book.

Q. What is your writing process, a typical writing day routine?

I don’t have a typical process.  I have always written when the ideas and imagination have flowed.  I always tend to write from my heart.

Q. What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you? 

Blogger sites such as yours, book reviews and reaching to people.  There have been numerous occasions when I have been on the train or out and about handing out flyers, speaking to people about my book and people have bought the book off me or on Amazon straight away.

Q. What do you think makes a book sell, or makes a reader buy it? 

Being able to have a connection to the author and/or the subject matter of the book.

Q. What's the most moving or affecting thing a reader has said to you? 

A lot of the people who have read my book have said they felt like I was having a conversation with them.  In addition they felt they could relate to the topics I bought up. Which I really appreciated as that is exactly what I was trying to do.

Q. What are your favourite three books, and why? 

Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare as I felt the book was ahead of it’s time. Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dalh as I respected the ingenuity of Mr Fox.  I’m also enjoying Into the Vault: Fighting the battle for your heart as it was written by a friend of mines called Tolu Adesina.  It’s a very brave book and she really let her heart out with it.

Q. Who are your favourite three authors and what do you like the most about them?

Roald Dalh because he gave me a lot of childhood memories. William Shakespeare as I felt his work was ahead of it’s time.  I will also include Isaac  Asimov as I did enjoy his I Robot series.

Q. Tell us about the books that you are currently writing and their progress.

My next book is a fiction book that visits the story of slavery and explores what it would take to eliminate it from history.  It will also be the first book under my own publishing imprint/name called Akinster Books.

Q. What challenges do you think are faced by writers, what's the worst thing about the book industry according to you?

How to market themselves and build a reader list is I think an authors biggest challenge.  If you are self published you probably won’t have the resources to use platforms such as T.V so that is another challenge.  In addition I feel there are quite a few companies that take advantage of an author’s dream and extort money from them for very little return.  Also authors tend to focus on writing the book and not how to market/promote it something that I learned the hard way.  If you look at industries such as movies they don’t just release a film they have at least a 3 to 4 month building block to promote it.  Authors need to do exactly the same with their books and leverage pre sale to get exposure and interest.

Q. Apart from writing, what goals do you want to achieve in life?

In my day job I am a software engineer.  I have ambitions to further myself in that craft.  Mainly I just want to be able to happy and be able to look after my family when the time comes.

Q. What message do you want to share with budding writers? 

Pick up your pen/laptop and start writing.  However writing is the easy part.  Marketing and promotion is the challenge.  Start that early.

Buy Love, War and Glory at: 

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

The Promised Land is a Unique and well Analysed Story of the Journey of Moses written by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren

Moses was a great leader. God asked him to lead the people of Israel to the Promised Land. On their way home, the people cried out for water because they were very thirsty and some were fainting. There was no well or river around that they could get water. All they could see were rocks! As the cry for water grew, Moses took his brother Aaron and they went to a corner. They fell on their knees and prayed to God for help.

God heard Moses and his brother and He came down to meet them. “Moses, I have heard your prayers. Gather the people and speak to the rock. The rock will give water, which will be enough for the people and their livestock to drink. Is that clear?”

“Yes, my lord,” Moses bowed his head gently.

God smiled down at them and moved into a shadow.

Moses rose to his feet. He grabbed his rod with an iron grip and swallowed hard. Rather than stay happy for his prayers that was answered, a ray of anger flushed over his face. It was easy to tell why he was angry. He was frustrated by the unbelief of the people.

Aaron was with him and they went back to the people. Angry, Moses said to them, “You rebels, why cry over little things? Must you drink water from the rock?” Before the people could say a word, Moses raised his rod and hit the rock two times with it. Water came out of the rock. The people and their animals drank and they were happy. While everyone including Moses drank to their fill, God watched them sadly from His corner. Moses did not do what he was asked to do.

While the people drank water from the rock as if there was no tomorrow, God looked on in anger because nobody said “thank you” to Him. Moses and his brother Aaron did not tell the people that God gave the water. The people thought Moses was the one that made the water to come out of the rock!

Later on that day, Moses was alone. He sat on a piece of wood, probably thinking about the Promised Land. Then God appeared from the evening’s shadows and walked up to him. “Moses!” He tapped him on his shoulder.

       “Yes, my Lord,” Moses raised his head. He answered, smiling.

       “Come,” God wore a frown. Moses rose to his feet and followed Him to a corner.

“What have you done?” God thundered.

      “What? I did what you asked me to do,” Moses shrugged. “I did not do any wrong.”

      God shook his head as He breathed fire from His nostril. Chewing His lower lip, He said, “No, you failed, Moses. I did not ask you to hit the rock. I said speak to the rock!” Red with rage, God crossed His arm over His body. “I was always there in your time of need, but you took me for granted. You forgot me! I made you, and the world is mine! Since you did not tell the people that I gave the water, you will not take them home!”

Moses fell on his knees, with his hands stretched out and palms up. He cried out, “Ah! My Lord, I did not mean to hurt you. I was angry and I forgot…”

It was rather too late as God’s voice echoed as He walked away, “It is normal to be angry. It is only wrong if you cannot control yourself!”

It is good to get to the end of a thing. Moses always wanted the best for his people and he was always there for them.

After the meeting with God, Moses had a meeting with the people of Israel. He told them to be good to one another, which include strangers. After the meeting, Moses walked to his tent. As he laid down to rest, God came into the tent. He walked to the side of the bed where Moses had laid down to sleep. “Moses!” He tapped him on the shoulder and Moses woke up. As he raised his head to check who had tapped him, he saw a bright light by the side of his bed. God cleared His throat and said, “We need to talk, Moses.” The bright light stood and crossed his arms over his body.

Moses rolled out of the bed and sat up. He lowered his head and avoided eye contact with God. “I am listening, My Lord!”

“Not here,” God smiled faintly. “Follow me!” He turned and walked quietly out of the tent. Moses rose from the bed and followed Him outside.

They had a walk out on the field. After covering a good distance, and a huge silence hung between them, God cleared His throat and said, “You have done enough for these people, Moses. Your time is up. Leave the people alone and go to Mountain Abarim and die!”

Shocked, Moses said, “I don’t understand, My Lord.”

“You are a good man. You have done enough for mankind. It is time you step aside for another to lead,” God revealed, gazing into space.

“Why? But I am still young? I can carry on much longer,” Moses protested.

“No. you cannot. You are old. It is my grace that has brought you this far, Moses. You have done well. Another man must lead.”

“My lord, you sound as if you have not forgiven me,” Moses cried. He began to sob gently.

God gave Moses a pat on the back. “I have forgiven you, my friend. The truth is: you need a break. There are chances that you will offend me again and I don’t want that to happen. I love you, Moses. As you know, you are the meekest man on earth. You have served me well enough. You deserve a break.

“I am a just judge. I don’t want you to offend me again. How can I kill or destroy a man that I so much love? Moses, it is not your fault. The people are also part of the reason you did what was wrong. Listen, you should be happy that I will bury you myself. Such are only reserved for men of good conscience. Go now.”

Moses shook his head as tears began to roll down his face.

“Don’t cry, Moses. I have nothing to lose if I bury you,” God smiled.

It was a hard move, but what could Moses do? He wiped his tears with the back of his hand and walked away. God watched Moses walked up to the mountain.

Moses never aged. He was like a man of forty even when he was already over eighty years old. That is the work of your God...

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