Author Nikki May is back with another dynamic release. I recently spoke with her about This Motherless Land.
Tell me about your latest release.
My second book, This Motherless Land, is a very personal story about identity and belonging. Bridging two decades and two continents, it delves into the thorny territories of race, culture, privilege, and prejudice. But at its heart is a story about love and how it can make the difference between surviving and thriving.
When Funke’s mother dies in an accident in Lagos, she’s sent to live with her maternal family in England. Against a backdrop of condescension and mild neglect, conformist Funke strives to fit in, determined to become one of them.
Free-spirited Liv has always wanted to break free of her joyless family, to be nothing like them. Fiercely protective of Funke, she at last has an ally. The two cousins give each other what they need most: love.
But the past casts long shadows and the choices made by their mothers haunt them, shaping the trajectory of their adult lives. It’s a page-turning read that will make you laugh and cry as you discover if they can escape their legacy.
Why did you decide to write it?
A lifetime of code-switching between my two cultures—Nigerian and British—has made me slightly obsessed with identity and belonging. My sense of belonging is not a straight line, sometimes it’s concrete, other times elusive. I’ve found it’s possible to belong to two cultures and also belong nowhere. But it wasn’t until I re-read Mansfield Park that I found my way into exploring these themes. The idea of a young girl being ripped away from everything she knows and loves and thrust into an alien environment where she has to prove herself over and over gave me my jumping-off point.
What was your most memorable experience writing this book?
I was surprised at how cathartic writing this book was. I’ve often thought that writing is like therapy, and with this book, I had to dig really deep into my own experiences of belonging and not belonging, place and displacement. It’s taken me a lifetime to realize I’m both, not half—and writing this book cemented that and made me feel even more comfortable in my skin.
Which character in the book would you like to have as a best friend and why?
Oh! That’s a brilliant, but tough, question. Funke and Liv would both be great friends, but I throw so much trouble at them, I think they’d be too busy to have fun with. I’m going to choose Oyinkan, Funke’s childhood friend. She doesn’t have a huge role in the book, but when she’s on the page, she brings positivity and joy. Oyinkan would be fun to hang out with and she’s loyal—exactly what I want in a best friend.
What’s something readers would be surprised to learn about you?
I dropped out of medical school when I was twenty! I felt like a huge failure for many years after but now I realize how many lives I’ve saved!
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Walk the dogs, read books, do jigsaw puzzles, watch (bad) reality TV shows, and hang out with friends.
What’s the most difficult part of being an author?
The battle to summon up arrogance! Most writers—me included—are plagued with self-doubt. We beat ourselves up continuously and only remember the bad reviews. But to write a book, you need to be incredibly arrogant. It takes a huge amount of confidence to believe what you have to say is worth reading. Finding self-belief to quieten self-doubt is a daily struggle!
Who are some of your favorite authors, and what are some of their books you love?
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a queen. Half A Yellow Sun is a masterpiece, and I can’t wait for her new book, Dream Count, which is out next year.
I auto-buy everything Liane Moriarty writes. My favorite is Big Little Lies, I love the gossipy style, the low-level bitchiness, and the way Lianne foreshadows that terrible night, keeping the reader on tenterhooks.
Charmaine Wilkerson is a wonderful writer—her prose is succinct, evocative and so layered. I’ve been lucky enough to read an advance copy of her next book, Good Dirt, and readers, you are in for a treat.
What’s next for you?
I’m busy summoning the arrogance I need to write my next book. I’m at that fun stage where watching TV shows, spending hours on Google, and reading books can be called ‘research’. But soon, I’ll have to knuckle down to the real work.
Do you have anything you would like to add?
Just a big thank you for showcasing and elevating black writers.
Use the Black Fiction Addiction affiliate link to purchase your copy of This Motherless Land.
To learn more about author Nikki May, visit her website or connect with her on social media.
Website: https://www.nikki-may.com/
Instagram: Instagram.com/NikkiMayWriter
X: https://x.com/NikkiOMay