Kaitochukwu departs for Cleveland, Ohio, excited to fulfill the American dream of his media-driven imagination where every house is a castle, and every American life is complete with luxurious cars, designer clothes, and widescreen TVs. What he, instead, encounters is a path beset by unstable relationships with women, violent crime, and job loss. Edible Bones follows Kaitochukwu’s journey as an undocumented African immigrant in an unwelcoming American urban square, chronicling the distance between his grand expectations and his ensuing formidable fate. The need for a speedy decision becomes the one tough battle Kaito has to face when he finally visits how home country, Nigeria.
Edible Bones is inspired by the numerous immigrant stories I’ve heard and witnessed. Also being an immigrant myself prompted me to write the book. I also wanted to tell a story that I feel has not been told enough. The story of how America is not always the land of milk and honey for everybody. You have to earn that “milk” and that “honey”; you don’t just waltz into the country and stumble upon success. Some Americans “burst” their butts everyday, working to make ends meet, yet some of them don’t get it, talk more of an immigrant who, first of all, is unaware and then is illegal. So it gets complicated in almost every angle. And I don’t entirely blame Kaito for his mistakes. When you don’t know any better, you tend to fumble around a lot before you get your bearing. Some people learn faster than others and adjust accordingly, others never really learn.
The processes I employed involved research and observation. I conducted a number of interviews in order to have an idea of how to craft the prison parts of the story for instance. I also conducted interviews to have an idea of how some Nigerian immigrants reacted to the issue of homosexuality. For example, it was important to find out if their views on the issue changed because of the changed environment. The result of the interviews is surprising and one would need to find out from the novel.
The other process that was part of writing the novel was the need for me to take a long break, three months or four months in a year, to be alone and not be distracted. It was a successful attempt even though I found myself constantly explaining why I had to turn down that lunch or dinner invitation. The sacrifices required to see Edible Bones come to life were well worth it.
I decided to publish Edible Bones in Nigeria first because the primary audience of the novel is the Nigerian public. There is also a conscious effort on my part to practice the saying that “charity begins at home.” This may not necessarily apply to all my subsequent novels, but for this particular one, delivering it first to my people is as urgent as the message the novel bears.
—Unoma Azuah
The Edible Bones Review Contest: To participate, buy a copy of the book, read it, and then write a review of no more that 500 words. You stand a chance of winning the following cash prizes: First Prize: 15, 000 naira; Second Prize: 10, 000 naira; Third Prize: 5, 000 naira. More information here.
Edible Bones is inspired by the numerous immigrant stories I’ve heard and witnessed. Also being an immigrant myself prompted me to write the book. I also wanted to tell a story that I feel has not been told enough. The story of how America is not always the land of milk and honey for everybody. You have to earn that “milk” and that “honey”; you don’t just waltz into the country and stumble upon success. Some Americans “burst” their butts everyday, working to make ends meet, yet some of them don’t get it, talk more of an immigrant who, first of all, is unaware and then is illegal. So it gets complicated in almost every angle. And I don’t entirely blame Kaito for his mistakes. When you don’t know any better, you tend to fumble around a lot before you get your bearing. Some people learn faster than others and adjust accordingly, others never really learn.
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| Author's photo courtesy of Wordsbody |
The other process that was part of writing the novel was the need for me to take a long break, three months or four months in a year, to be alone and not be distracted. It was a successful attempt even though I found myself constantly explaining why I had to turn down that lunch or dinner invitation. The sacrifices required to see Edible Bones come to life were well worth it.
I decided to publish Edible Bones in Nigeria first because the primary audience of the novel is the Nigerian public. There is also a conscious effort on my part to practice the saying that “charity begins at home.” This may not necessarily apply to all my subsequent novels, but for this particular one, delivering it first to my people is as urgent as the message the novel bears.
—Unoma Azuah
The Edible Bones Review Contest: To participate, buy a copy of the book, read it, and then write a review of no more that 500 words. You stand a chance of winning the following cash prizes: First Prize: 15, 000 naira; Second Prize: 10, 000 naira; Third Prize: 5, 000 naira. More information here.
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