Tomi Adeyemi on why it's important to write fantasy stories with Black protagonists
Author Tomi Adeyemi discusses her debut novel, Children of Blood and Bone, and talks about what it was like creating a universal fantasy story that's deeply rooted in her own Nigerian culture.
Originally published on March 13, 2018
As a young girl, Tomi Adeyemi didn't see herself represented in the stories she read — so she started writing stories herself. Her debut novel, Children of Blood and Bone, is set in a fictional West African kingdom. It follows a young girl named Zelie who's fighting to restore magic to her people after it's banned by a ruthless king. Adeyemi joined Tom Power to tell us more about the book and what it was like to create a universal fantasy story that's deeply rooted in her own Nigerian culture.
— Produced by Tayo Bero