1). How did your writing journey begin?
I have always been a writer. As a child I wrote and performed poetry, wrote short stories, and even won awards in my elementary class for it. As long as I have known how to arrange words into a sentence, I have been a writer.
2). Who are your writing inspirations?
My biggest inspirations are the ancients. I grew up with the Mahabharat and the Ramayana as my bedtime reading. I am an addict for medieval Moorish poetry and folktales from all over Africa. I strive to write with the beauty, imagery, and passion that the composers of these great works did, and that motivates me to write.
3). Are you an outliner or a panster?
I am an outliner. I need to have at least a vague idea of where I want the story to go, who should be involved, and what major events need to take place in order to get to the conclusion I ultimately want. That conclusion may change if it means a better story, or it may take longer to get there, but I at least want to have an idea of what kind of story I am trying to tell and where I want to take the reader.
4). What are your favorite books?
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is probably my favourite book. A close second would be the Lord of the Rings series, followed by the Game of Thrones series.
5). Describe your writing process.
When it is time for me to write, I look for music that puts my head in the place it needs to be to tell the story. If the story is new, I will review my notes. If I have already been writing it, I look at the last 5 pages, and then I continue from there. Music is very important to me as a writer. The songs I select are the soundtrack to the images in my mind, and I imagine the scenes playing out to those songs. Once I get into the zone, the words literally fly out of my hands and onto the page as if I am watching the events unfold before my eyes.
6). What inspired you to write The Songs of the Sunya?
I love epic stories written on a grand scale. I love reading about great battles, heroes, and all of the fun bits that come along with the fantasy genre. Unfortunately, I did not find much in the way of material on this scale written using Africa as a template. I felt that if I wanted to read a story like that, I would have to take it upon myself to create it.
7). Tell us a bit about your story.
The Songs of the Sunya is a collection of stories, poems, and songs that tell the tales of the people that inhabit a fictional world that I created called the Sunya. The histories of this world span 20,000 years, spanning from when they were stone age villagers up until they have built great palaces and empires. The stories that take place in this world are told and retold by those same people as their history through poetry and song. The series really is a journey following an entire civilization through its trials and tribulations as its people develop through the generations.
8). How do you feel about Atlanta being a Black Speculative Fiction hub?
I wish I lived in Atlanta to be honest. Having a place where my work can have the freedom to grow and the support it needs to be actualized to its fullest potential would do my heart good.
9). Will there be more stories from the Sunya?
My plan is to continue creating material from the histories of that universe so that there is a full series of literature for readers to choose from.
10). How do we keep up with all things Adam Myrie?
· Facebook:Adam HC Myrie
· Twitter @ahcmyrie
· Instagram: @ahcmyrie
· Website: ahcmyrie.wordpress.com
11). What advice would you give to new writers?
Don’t let anyone tell you that you shouldn’t do it. Live your dream and write. Do what you can to sharpen your craft and make your stories as strong and beautiful as you can, and don’t give up. Keep working at it and you will succeed.
Pick up you copy of Songs of Sunya today!
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