How To Buy Pepper Soup

First off, great news!

Pepper Soup was one of the books recommended for the week by Okada Books.

Hurray!

Do you see us?

Do ya? DO YA?

I want to say a big thank you to Okada Books for recommending us, and to all the readers who have bought copies - Thank you! You're awesome!

We're still selling at the Special Release Price but it will be back to business as usual by March 1st. So if you want to get it at N500, you have one day left. After February 28th (yes, February has only 28 days this year), we retail at our regular price of N1000. Why? Because despite what the rumours say, writers do not survive on fairy dust. You keep us alive! You have the power!!!

Okay, I'll stop all that silliness (not really, but feel free to remain hopeful), and move on to the recipe for purchase. That's right! I give you -

HOW TO BUY PEPPER SOUP FROM OKADA BOOKS

1. Go to the Google Play store. Search for the Okada Books app.

2. Install the Okada Books app. Don't worry. It won't take long.

3. Open the Okada Books app.

You'll be taken to the store's featured books page.

Pepper Soup is currently at the top of the page, and so you'll have no trouble finding it. However, if things change and Pepper Soup is no longer the first thing you see (deep breaths, Timi), then you can search for it, easy peasy.

4. Before you try to buy our beloved book, you will need to sign in. Calm down, they've made it easy for you. Just click the menu bar (those parallel lines floating next to Store), and select Sign In.

You'll be taken to this page, where you can sign up with a Username and Password, or sign in with Facebook.

I honestly don't know what happens when you sign up with a Username and Password. I signed in with Facebook. It's pretty painless, and the app won't post updates on your page. Sweet!

4. Now that you're signed in. Refill Your Account.

Click the menu bar (those parallel lines floating next to Store), and select Account/Refill. It will take you to the Account/Refill page. There will be a big yellow REFILL button. Click it, and you get this:

This is where some of us break into a cold sweat. It's okay. You're good. Everything is fine.

*hums soothing whale sounds*

Okada Books has got you covered by providing two ways to refill your account.

a. With your credit/debit card. Pretty basic stuff. Put in your card details. Put in amount you want to refill account with. Done! *dusts hands*

b. When you click for other refill options. You're taken to this page.

Where you can refill your account WITH PHONE CREDIT!!!

I'll be honest. This is the one that I find very exciting. The sheer convenience of it all! People were thinking, abeg!

Anyway get your credit, fill it up and Boom! You're done. You can now buy Pepper Soup. Hurray!

4. Go back to the store. Gaze upon the beauty of our cover, then click it. You will be taken to the About Book page, where you will see a shiny yellow BUY button. 

Click the shiny yellow BUY button. A confirmation pop up will...pop up. Click OK.

5. Congratulations! You are now the owner of an epub copy of Pepper Soup. Well done, you!

PS. If you're still having trouble with any of this, try these links:

What is Okada Books?

How To Refill, on the app, and website.

Or, Call or WhatsApp their Okada Books Customer Care Line: +2348167247508.

Pepper Soup: Author Interview - Joy!

Another Pepper Soup writer and yes, another exclamation mark. Why? Because she is also awesome!

I met Joy when she was...I'm going to say fourteen. She came to visit my then roommate, and forever friend, Cho. They both grew up in the same small town in Delta State, and now they were same University. Obviously, they had a lot to talk about. I hulked around, because this is what I do. Then I cowered because she didn't stop talking. It was a little scary. I mean, here's this tiny girl who's just going on and on and on, and I was like, "Who is this person?"

Well, that was Joy. She also had the *cough cough* annoying habit of saying things like, "You're so mean and sarcastic. I like you. You're going to be my friend". She said that to me. I didn't know how to feel about that but here we are about twenty years later, and we're still friends. Here's Joy!

Describe yourself in five words.

Spiritual, optimistic, cheerful, caring, enthusiastic.

Why those five words?

Because those are the qualities I have deliberately worked at cultivating and preserving, and people around me affirm them.

What do you do for fun?

Hang out with friends over food and drinks, or curl up in bed and read a fun book/magazine – it depends on my mood.

Which would you prefer – a quiet evening at home, or a night out on the town? Why?

A quiet evening at home; I’m a homebody.

What’s your favourite TV show? Why?

Desperate Housewives. I loved the narrative style.

What’s your favourite drink?

Amstel Malta.

What’s your favourite snack?

Cake.

What’s your favourite dish?

Fried plantain and chicken stew.

Do you like Pepper Soup?

I love pepper soup!

What’s your favourite type of Pepper Soup?

Chicken pepper soup.

Why did you agree to contribute to this anthology?

I loved the idea of pepper soup, “comfort with a kick”. I just knew I wanted to be part of it. I had avoided writing fiction for too long. I actually submitted a nonfiction piece at first, and when the editor informed me it had to be fiction, I knew the time had come. I did it afraid, but I did it anyway!

What inspired your story (stories)?

The way people sometimes find a very special, once in a lifetime kind of love, and have to give it up out of a desire to do the right thing, and be at peace.

Do you think happy endings are important? Why?

Happy endings are very important because they aren’t very common in real life. I believe we should at least be able to enjoy them in stories.

What’s your favourite kind of happy ending?

The romantic kind that suggests happily ever after.

What is the best part about writing happy endings?

Sharing in the sheer joy your characters feel.

What is the hardest thing about writing happy endings?

Making it work, especially when there have been daunting challenges and obstacles.

What’s your favourite genre? Why?

Romance. I love love!

What’s your favourite book? Why?

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.“I would do anything for you sir, anything that was right.” Deep love does not mean throwing caution to the wind or ignoring conscience.

Who are your favourite authors? Why?

Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury, Mary Higgins Clark.
The first two because their books enrih me spiritually while satisfying my craving for romance, and the last because she is skilled at blending relationships of all kinds with her special brand of suspense.

Which books have most influenced your writing?

The Pacesetters series I read as a teen - especially Helen Ovbiagele’s Evbu My Love-and Mariama Ba’s So Long a Letter.

What are your ambitions for your writing career?

To explore epistolary fiction and write an unforgettable novel in that style. I would also love to write and publish a collection of fun, light, enjoyable poetry – the kind I like to read.

Which writers inspire you?

Francine Rivers and CS Lewis.

What have you written?

Most of my writing has been nonfiction articles and reviews published on various online platforms, and I have tried my hand at poetry as well.

Where can we buy or read them?

ConnectNigeria.com, Sabinews.com, Ynaija.com

How can readers discover more about you and you work?

By visiting my blog, www.anafricandiva.wordpress.com, and following @anafricandiva on Twitter.

Blog: www.anafricandiva.wordpress.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/joy.ehonwa

Twitter: @JoyEhonwa 

LinkedIn: Joy Ehonwa

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions.

The pleasure is mine!

Pepper Soup is Now Available at Okada Books. Get it now!

Pepper Soup is Live!!!

Pepper Soup went live yesterday, and the night before I couldn't sleep.
Yes, there were some little things to do here and there but excitement, or nerves, or tension just didn't let me sleep. I couldn't even eat, but na work I dey so, so I advised myself to just put small something in my mouth. Hence, oats.

Even then, I was still feeling jumpy, and to be honest, a little sick. So I took a walk, took some pictures and thought about other stories that I'm working on.

Then I calmed down. Because stories.

Have you gotten your copy of Pepper Soup yet? It's available on Okada Books at the special release price of N500 (you know this, ya?)

You're welcome.

Pepper Soup: Author Interview - Kiah!

Yes, I put an exclamation mark after her name because she is AMAZING!!!
I met her on Twitter. Actually, it was one of those situations where someone retweeted a tweet of hers and she was arguing with someone. Passionately.

I wondered, 'Who be this one again?' and went to her profile page, and read some tweets and thought, 'She speaks her mind sha' and then followed a link and read a story, then another, then another , then I went back to Twitter and promptly followed her. She's off Twitter now. Either that or she's blocked me for stalking her and being a creepy fan girl, but she's here now, so please meet Kiah!

Describe yourself in five words. Hepzibah. Beulah. Ammi. Ruhamah. Kiah.

Why those five words? Google is your friend

What do you do for fun? Visit New York Museums all the time, Hike New England, Travel a lot. Write silly mushy stories, read my Bible.

Which would you prefer – a quiet evening at home, or a night out on the town? Why? None of the above

What’s your favourite TV show? Why? I don't watch TV anymore. When I did it was Nashville because I am a black country girl at heart. Loved CSI and Fuji House of Commotion too.

What’s your favourite drink? Starbucks' Gingerbread latte with whipped cream.

What’s your favourite snack? Fried plantains

What’s your favourite dish? Pounded yam and Efo riro - I am Ijesha.

Do you like Pepper Soup? Sometimes

What’s your favourite type of Pepper Soup? Goat meat

Why did you agree to contribute to this anthology? I was asked and I don't know how to say no to writing offers.

What inspired your story (stories)? Trying Faith was inspired by Agege bread. I had a craving one morning. A Time to Fall just came along.

What’s your favourite book? Why? The Bible. It has everything.

Who are your favourite authors? Ann Patchett, John Irving

Which books have most influenced your writing? All of John Irving's. Chimamanda Adichie's The Thing Around Your Neck

What are your ambitions for your writing career? To retire to some Latin American country or Ilesha after being CEO of a F500 and stay there and write.

Which writers inspire you? Moses, Paul, John Irving, Aron Wright

What have you written?
kiahsscript.com

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions.

Cover Reveal Day!

Hurray! It's Cover Reveal Day!

For the blog.

If you follow me on Twitter, @TimenduCA or Instagram, @timenduaghahowa, then you've already seen it, but still, hurray!

Behold the shiny goodness...

But wait! There's more - Pepper Soup will be live on Okada Books on Friday the 10th of February. That's right, in a week! Seven Days! 168 hours! Hallelujah!

But wait! There's MORE - it will be released at the discounted price of N500.

 *gasp* 

Yup, this helping of tasty literary goodness will be sold at a discount for the month of February, because frankly, we're just so happy to share this with you all. However, it goes back to our regular price of N1000 by March 1st, because writers need to eat or they'll die and then there will be no more Pepper Soup for anyone. Sob. I know you won't let that happen. 

Till then, do a celebratory dance, download the okada books app and count down the days.