1) Personal news: A new writer has joined the group chat

Let’s start with the good news! Sometime over the winter, my partner and I welcomed a new addition to the Okungbowa household.

I can’t describe the immense joy, surprise and reflection that being a parent to The Youngling brings. Being responsible for another human who relies on you for everything brings with it some of the biggest life lessons I’ve ever had to learn (and unlearn). New parenthood is also one of those times you’re forced to look at the bigger picture of your long-term self. Staring at The Youngling’s face and seeing mine within is like an exercise in assessing my choices: if they are wise, sufficient, good for me, for those I love, for the world.

It is within this carousel of diaper changes, midnight snacking (me and The Youngling both) and becoming a soothsayer of circadian rhythms and bodily functions, that I’ve taken the time to re-envision my approach to everything: writing, life, work, etc. Therefore, if you notice at any time that I have begun to do less—or more!—of a specific thing, this is probably the reason. Either way, I’m excited for this new chapter of my life!

2) African Writers’ Fellowship

In case you missed it, I announced the Literary Laddership for Emerging African Authors early last month. Two selected fellows will receive $500 funding for a 3-month digital residency, access to a private community of practice, and publishing ecoystem support. Applications have now closed (we received 76 applications) and the judging period is on. Fellows will be contacted by June 30. Stay tuned for further news!

I want to extend a massive thank you to the donors who have supported this program thus far: Jeff Xilon, Asim Fayaz, Evan Winter, Ayodeji Rotinwa, Jill Achineku, Tobias Bernstein, Aaliyah Ibrahim, Michael Procter, and Birgit Konzmann. Your generous contributions will help shephered these inaugural fellows forward. For everyone else reading this, feel free to throw a coin in the hat!

And lastly, as I said in my announcement:

I don't have a grandiose plan to save or fix the world. I don't even know how long this fellowship will last. But I do know this: I have built a raft. Now, we follow the winds and learn how to sail as we go.

3) Stranger Things, Warrior of the Wind, and a surprise!

On to the books dem!

Stranger Things

I’m sure we’ve all been vibing to Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill since the new season of Stranger Things dropped and we saw That Episode.

Luckily for you, there’s more Kate Bush in Lucas on the Line (in stores July 26). I don’t know if it’s a spoiler to say this, but Running Up That Hill plays a huuuge role in Max and Lucas’s on/off relationship in the book, and That Scene in particular is a centerpiece of the novel. Don’t miss it!

The Nameless Republic Book #2

Warrior of the Wind is now complete and in my editor’s hands. Developmental edits will probably last until late August. Copyedits and production passes begin right after that. From what I gather, expected publication date is now sometime in early 2023, but nothing’s been cemented yet.

I’ve long documented my challenges with working on this series through 2 pandemic years, so right now, I’m just happy for this book to be chugging its way over to you. Expect all the stuff I promised: new fantastic beasts, many more trips outside Bassa, more Lilong (who’s the centerpiece of this novel), more [evil and not-so-evil] Esheme, same [mostly aloof] Danso, exciting new villains, frenemies and love interests, more Iborworking, a heist, a quest, a beauty pageant, a hurricane, magical sailing, updated maps, and lots more!

As a special perk for being a newsletter subscriber, here’s a not-yet-finalized short synopsis I sent over to my editor once the book was completed. ⚠️ POSSIBLE SPOILERS ⚠️ for those who haven’t read Son of the Storm!

After escaping Bassa and crossing the Soke moats, Lilong must leave hiding with Danso and travel the Lonely Roads East to Namge, her home in the Ihinyon Islands. Armed with the Diwi—the ibor heirloom sought by newly crowned Bassai emperor Esheme—she must forge alliances (and make new enemies) to facilitate their journey.

But the empire’s reach continues to extend over the continent. Esheme gathers new powers and enemies alike, and her insatiable thirst offers even more twists and treachery to Lilong’s journey through the Savanna Belt.

Still, surviving each other is the least of their problems.

A new power brews in the Sahel. Something sinister and uncontrollable awakens in the seven islands. Trouble heads for Bassa, and the continent of Oon would need more than ibor to fix what's coming.

A surprise standalone novella

This is news I’ve been holding in for quite some time now. Contracts have yet to be finalized and announcements yet to be made, but it is safe for me to say that I have an agreement for a standalone novella to be published early 2024!

Tentatively titled Lost Ark Dreaming, it started as a small project circa 2019, and I finally completed it in early 2021. Here’s how we pitched it to editors:

Lost Ark Dreaming is a post-climate-disaster, science-fantasy hopepunk novella in the vein of Rivers Solomon-meets-Station-Eleven, with the brutal class divisions of Snowpiercer. In 2050, five submerged towers—called The Fingers—are the last surviving infrastructure in a post-flood community off the Lagos coast. When a member of a group of undersea-dwelling beings called Yemoja’s Children breaks into the highest and most fortified tower, three citizens are drawn into a conflict that may endanger all of the tower’s existence.

4) Works-in-progress

The Nameless Republic Book #3

I haven’t even sniffed at this book yet, haha. This might honestly be the least challenging of the three books to write, though. For one, it won’t be written in a pandemic year, knock on wood. But it also arrives with so much pre-knowledge that it’s closer to completing a puzzle than creating one from scratch. I even have a scene already written, one you’ll probably see in the endnotes of Warrior of the Wind. And speaking of Endnotes…

Endnotes from Oon

I’ll continue churning out more endnote material for The Nameless Republic (and other works), but rather than make them newsletter specials, you’ll now find them under Book Extras on my website. WOTW will also contain some endnotes in the book itself, including a glossary of terms, character lists with pronunciations, etc. On my website, I’ll publish more Endnotes from Oon as we draw closer to the WOTW launch, including a book playlist, notes on time, distance and languages, as well as an expose on a very important desert festival that appears in Book 2.

Short publications

I have a couple of short works that will be published sometime this year, including:

• A Get-Out-esque slow-burn psychological horror story @ Tor.com

• An essay on exposition tax in the soon-to-be-released Ex Marginalia

• Another essay in a yet-to-be-announced Marvel anthology on the cultural impact of the Black Panther movie

• A story for ASU Center for Science and the Imagination’s Us In Flux series

Stuff that didn’t sell

You’ll recall from the Suyiverse Report #1 that I completed a young adult novel? Well, we shopped it around for quite a bit but no one bought it. Can’t say I wasn’t bummed, but the lessons I learned from it with regards to the publishing ecosystem are unrivaled. Especially the big reveal that I might have, in fact, written a middle-grade novel in disguise! Now, back to the drawing board.

New fantasy series?

I have started putting notes together for my next big adult fantasy series. Think: Jade City meets Into the Badlands. Yes, it will be lit. No, I will not be taking questions at this time.

5) SuyiAfterFive.com

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you’ll notice I’ve pared back my social media involvement significantly, as I promised to do in my last report. Mentions and DMs get little to no response these days, but new posts (and likes & reshares/retweets) still happen intermittently. Once in a blue moon, I upload any videos of interest to my YouTube channel, as I did with my recent Black History Month interview.

Is this the new state of affairs? I’d say so, except for periods leading up to a book release or other major announcement. See #1 above for reasons.

If you wish to continue to stay in touch with me, the best way to do so will be via this newsletter (because I will always respond to your comments/messages here). I have therefore decided to purchase a separate domain name, a “home” for this newsletter: SuyiAfterFive.com. Now, no matter the platform or location this letter moves to, you can always find me by typing that into your browser. Go ahead, try it out right now. Fancy, isn’t it?

Other newsletter changes: After Five is now solidly running at a tri-weekly format:

• Week 1: craft letter (unless otherwise stated)

• Week 2: guest feature

• Week 3: short essay + recommendations

• Week 4: “rest week,” unless there’s something important to announce

Thank you for going on this journey with me. Long may it continue!