AUTHOR

OPHELIA LEWIS is perhaps one of the most published Liberia female writers in recent times She is also a poet and an essayist. She kindly granted LLR an interview.

Thank you Madam Lewis for squeezing us into yourschedule. We are most grateful. We don't take any more of your time so, let us start this interview with the obvious- your story and right from the beginning. Tell us a little about you- your early childhood, upbringing, education.

My biggest blessing is the family into which God placed me; to have a set of parents who supported us in every way. My siblings and I (two brothers and five sisters) were always given the freedom of expression. Both parents participated equally in our upbringing; they attended our school functions and encouraged extracurricular activities like piano lesson, or sewing class, and we always had a tutor. It was near impossible to skip homework.

They gave us confidence, we made eye-contact with our parents when we communicated with them. They taught us moral values; to respect other people’s basic human rights—no one had the right to look down on us, and at the same time, we were not to think we were better than anyone else. We were taught to earn respect and give to those who earn them.

When you meet any of my siblings—Aaron, Marie, Veronica, Joann or Akitee (my brother Jenkins passed in 2009) —their life will tell the same story as mine. We had the best set of parents—Jeanette and J. N. Lewis (passed in 1981)—in the whole world.

LLR: What inspires you to write generally?

Life inspires me. Writing is like breathing to me. I have a notepad with me at all times, even an app on my phone. As life unfolds, I like to take notes; whether it’s people, nature… anything.

LLR: Who are some of the people/things that influence you?

My parents have had the most influence on me; as an entrepreneur, they always had their own business while they held down a regular job. And then, those people I admire; Maya Angelou (a phenomenal woman), Mr. Massaqoui (my high school economics teacher), the rappers from the 80s (when no one would give them a record contract, they created their own record label and made rap music a success). I practice what I’ve learned from these people.

LLR:What role does your family play in your writing?

 I could never have done it without my family participation and their support; my mother, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, the grandchildren, family-friends and relatives. They have all supported me in one way or another. My biggest fan is Cousin Bunch, (Gloria Grove-Akinsiku). I would keep writing even if she was the only person who buys my book.

LLR: Why did you choose your profession? When did you know you wanted to mold minds?

When I chose nursing as a profession—right out of high school—it was more of other people’s desire than my own. My passion has always been in art; writing, mainly. I’ve always known this, but at times situations compel you in directions, and decisions, that are certainly not from the heart. Since I can remember, my imagination has always served me well.

LLR: All things considered, do you wish you had chosen differently?

I wish I had studied English Literature in college, rather than nursing; then I would have had a writing career sooner. Then again, no education is useless. I’ve used my nursing skills when needed, and best of all, I got to meet some wonderful people along the way; some who are part of my life. I would never change that.

LLR: If you could change/improve one thing about you, what would it be?

I could socialize a little more. I’m always too busy to hang out with anyone or for any event. If I’m not sitting before my computer, I’m sleeping. There are so much to do because of the many hats I wear as project manager at Village Tales Publishing.

LLR: What’s the biggest mistake you almost made?

To continue with nursing and not follow my true passion, which is creative writing.

LLR: What character traits do your friends use to describe you?

I am quiet, and that’s because I’m painfully shy. I guess I do all of my ‘talking’ on paper.

LLR: How would you describe yourself using five words? I know it is not much but…

I’m a perfectionist.

LLR: Tell your fans two things about yourself they don’t know about you.

I love to play video games and consider myself a true gamer; I absolutely love my PS3. And, I hate to fly. If you see me on a plane, that’s because someone’s life depends on it.

LLR: Would you consider yourself a big-picture person or a detail-oriented person?

Detail-oriented… I don’t mind doing a hundred re-writes.

LLR: There's no right or wrong answer, but if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be? What would you be doing?

I’ve never thought of this until now, but there has never been a time when I wanted to be somewhere other than where I was. I’ve always done those things I wish to do, at one point or another. One of the things I always ask God for is being patient, and I thank Him for that. I am a very patient person, and self-discipline. I set a goal for myself, always has, and work toward that goal. The reward is truly in the journey.

LLR: Let’s talk books. What are your favorite Liberian books? Why do you love them?

I know it is everyone’s favorite, Murder in the Cassava Patch, by Bai T. Moore; and that’s because it was so brilliantly written. I actually own three copies… because one of my crazy hobbies is to collect out-of-print books written by a Liberian author and books written about Liberia.

LLR: Can you talk a bit about the inspiration for Heart Men? Why that title? What were some of the things that motivated you and kept you going?

The inspiration for my first novel, HEART MEN, comes from the ritualistic murders we were all exposed to growing up in Liberia. Other than ritual practice, I wondered if human organ trafficking was indeed carried out as it is now in parts of the world. I thought of many possibilities, including a justice system, in any part of the world, to be transparent in fairness. And, I thought about the accused, their families who survived them… especially their children. It is a daunting thought.

Heart Men is based on fiction, of course, because I found no one willing to discuss the affairs of those involved. Also, there were no documents I could research. The book is not a thriller nor is it horror. People would be surprised to find it is a romantic novel.

LLR: What is your writing process? How do you do it? How do you pick your topics?

I write every day, if not on paper, in my mind. In fact, I have written some of my short stories, the entire work, in my mind before putting to paper. A topic is taken from something I saw on the news, or heard in conversations, something I came across during the time of reading. I observe everything around me, I guess that’s why I hardly speak. I’m too busy taking note of something… someone.

I write everything down. I have a notebook filled with titles I could use for my book, or my blog.

LLR:  As a Liberian author, what advantages/disadvantages are there?

There are no specific educational requirements needed to become a writer. Anyone with a pen or a computer can attempt to become a writer, but the quality of your work is very important. Writing is more ubiquitous today than ever, so a Liberian writer is no different from writers everywhere. Earning an income as a writer is far more challenging when you have to think about important benefits like health insurance and retirement plans. So for most writers, you have to have a full-time, or part-time job at least, to make ends meet.

The advantage is you are following your passion, and as a freelance writer, you can produce and sell your written content, using the internet. You also have the freedom to write on topics that interest you.

LLR: How have Liberia influenced your works, and what do you think about the future of writing in Liberia? Where do you think it is headed?

As a descendent of Liberia settlers, I am drawn into that part of Africa with a sense of pride deep rooted in my heart. I never get involved in any discussion of rightful claims to the land, as that would be an argument luring to one’s opinion rather than history. This is my opinion, indeed. I believe, had the pioneers not been allowed that particular spot on Africa’s west coast, they would have acquired land at another spot, thus forming a country they had every intention of doing. And that spot, in which Liberia occupies today, would have been divided among the western powers as they were doing.

Having said that, 90% of my writing is something about Liberia, fictitious, or otherwise. I find it refreshing to see that nowadays, many Liberian literary works are no longer just political. I’ve met many Liberian writers among the generations after me, who are more than capable of taking the future of Liberia literary works further. We’ve won a Noble Peace Prize, just wait and see, soon one of our own will win a Nobel Prize in Literature.  

LLR: What is your impression about Liberian women author? Why are there not many?

There are many Liberian women-authors out there; I can name a few… Elma Shaw, Patricia Wesley, Helene Cooper, Hawa Golakai, Louise Barton, Mae Azango, Meah Tweh, Wayetu Moore, and of course, our president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. There are many others who aren’t in the news, but we are many and that number is growing.

LLR: Are you working with any Liberian literary group [home/abroad]? Or any Liberian author?

Yes. I’ve partnered with the MaryMartha Education Foundation to create the Liberia Literary Society, an online database library of every book written by a Liberian author and those written about Liberia by any author. It’s in its infancy stage; right now we’re building the website. I encourage people to sign up for free membership and we need volunteers and financial donations… even $1 would make a difference. www.liberialiterarysociety.org We also have a Facebook page, which isn’t doing too well at the moment. I wish we get more ‘likes’ and ‘shares’. The goal is to connect readers with Liberian literature, each book is linked to the Amazon website where they can be purchased, giving the author an opportunity to sell. It is a win-win project.

Our long-term goal is to build one digital media library in each county in Liberia—15 total— giving folks at home access to not only Liberia literature, but books and research articles. I’m jumping ahead here, but I pray for God’s blessings on this project. We (about three of us so far) are working very hard.

LLR: We have a female president and women have made up strides in Liberia, but in hindsight do you think that we have done enough all things considered? Or could we have done more?

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, first elected female head of state in Africa, Leyman Gbowee (Nobel Peace Prize winner), Matee Ajavon (pro athlete with WNBA), Izetta Wesley (first female in Africa to head a football association), Korto Momolu (international fashion designer), Frances Johnson-Morris (Chief Justice). Chou Logan (Olympian Bronze medalist 2011 All-Africa Games), Helene Cooper (Journalist), Antoinette Sayeh (economist with the World Bank)… we do not lack “Girl Power”. We’ve made history—Angie Brooks-Randolph, first woman Liberian lawyer and President of the General Assembly, UN 1969.

Women throughout the world—and in history—have faced the same challenges, fighting for their rights as well as other people’s rights. All things considered, I think Liberian women have played important roles in and out of Liberia; Could we have done more? Well, I promise you, we are not done yet. Every generation of Liberian women will, in fact, make this world a better place, one way or another.

LLR: What are the greatest challenges for a modern Liberian writer, especially in terms of publishing, distributing and promotion, in just getting out there?

We have to deliver on quality and stop being “aspiring” writers. Find your target audience, and not just write for a Liberian audience, expecting, and then complaining about not getting the Liberian people support. Write with passion, and create that great content that is unforgettable. Do this, and you will attract those people who are passionate about what you are passionate about, and you won’t waste any time on people who are not interested in what you are writing. Seventy-five percent of my readership is non-Liberian, and surprising enough, the twenty-five percent of readers who are Liberians, the majority are men. Now, I need to figure out what Liberian women like to read so I can expand my readership. I am working hard on earning their interest. I want to win them over.

LLR: What do you think about the future of writing and publishing in Liberia?

Liberia has always been a beacon of hope in Africa, why not? You are making a difference, so are many others like Stephanie Horton, founder of Sea Breeze Journal. It is heartbreaking to see it go on hiatus at the moment. I hope that wouldn’t be for too long.

I’ve come across so many Liberian blogs and online magazines, and try to read as many as I can. There are many good ones on the internet, which we will have their links on the Liberia Literary Society website.

As for publishing, e-publishing does keep that hope alive, and that’s why LLS will be a good investment for Liberian literary works. 

LLR: What do you think of digital media in general?

There’s a time for everything; and in this age and time, digital media continues to prove content-driven opportunities are more accessible and affordable for more people than before. However, you have to be willing to learning something new every day. It changes so quickly and it takes serious commitment to keep up.

LLR: What is your view on E-books and self-publishing? Have you used either?

I make a living using that platform of publishing. As publisher and project manager at Village Tales Publishing, we offer support services that help self-publish authors get their manuscript ready for print or ePub.

LLR: Would you advise writers [published/aspiring] to use E-book or Self-publishing?

Someone living in Africa, or South America, can write a book and sell it for 99 cents to a billion people worldwide. Magic, isn’t it? Nowadays, you could never reach the number of readers exposed to your work without digital publishing. Then there are readers who rather turn the pages, smell the paper and fall asleep with the physical book in their hand. Why not take advantage of both worlds… when POD (print-on-demand) makes it feasible?

LLR: What advice would you give aspiring writers?

 Read everything you can get your hands on, then write as much as you read.

LLR: What are you currently working on? What are some of your future projects?

I’m working on the next book in my Liberia-County series, Down Side Up, which settings are in Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Sinoe and Gbarpolu Counties. The first book in the series was published in 2012, Montserrado Stories,  included Montserrado, Margibi, Maryland and Lofa Counties. I hope to complete the series with all 15 counties.

As project manager at Village Tales Publishing, I’m looking forward to working with those aspiring writers in Africa, especially those who don’t have access to the services offered on the internet. I’d like to give them an opportunity to see their work in print.