I don’t mind being called a crime writer – Leye Adenle

Leye Adenle is author of the award-winning ‘Easy Motion Tourist (Prix Marianne 2016), ‘When Trouble Sleeps’ and most recently ‘The Beautiful Side of the Moon’. His short story, ‘The Assassination’, in the anthology, ‘Sunshine Noir’, was a finalist for the 2017 CWA Short Story Dagger Award. He lives and works in London. Here, he talks […]

Leye Adenle is author of the award-winning ‘Easy Motion Tourist (Prix Marianne 2016), ‘When Trouble Sleeps’ and most recently ‘The Beautiful Side of the Moon’. His short story, ‘The Assassination’, in the anthology, ‘Sunshine Noir’, was a finalist for the 2017 CWA Short Story Dagger Award. He lives and works in London. Here, he talks about `his writing journey, and more. Excerpt:

 

Bookshelf: How many books have you written so far?

Leye Adenle: I have two published novels in the crime thriller genre, my stories have been published in two anthologies, and my first book in the speculative fiction genre, ‘The Beautiful Side of the Moon’ was recently released. In it a Lagos IT guy saves the world.

I also have two yet-to-be published novel manuscripts, and have lost one novel manuscript, written in longhand, which would have been my first novel, several unpublished short stories, a library of unpublished poems and songs, including a rap, and many more written stuff that should rightfully remain unpublished.

 

Bookshelf: What prompted the title of your latest work, ‘The Beautiful Side of the Moon’?

Adenle: ‘The Beautiful Side of the Moon’ is set in Lagos, in other dimensions, and on what is erroneously referred to as the dark side of the moon. For me, it’s like calling Africa the dark continent. If people knew what goes on at the side of the moon that’s hidden from us, they would never look at the moon the same way again. In my novel, I reveal these secrets.

Bookshelf: Your book, ‘When Trouble Sleeps’, is about corruption in Nigeria’s political landscape. What propelled you to write it?

Adenle: I came up with the plot seven years ago. I’m not sure why, but I knew I wanted Amaka to play thieving politicians at their own game. The subplot involving a lynching is an attempt to draw attention to the issue.

Bookshelf: Your most recent novel is under the speculative fiction genre, but you are mostly described as a crime fiction writer. How do you feel about that?

Adenle: I don’t mind being called a crime writer if the point of reference of the person labelling me as such is a crime novel, they have read that I have written. If someone else reads my speculative fiction short stories and novel and calls me a speculative fiction author, I will equally take it.

Bookshelf: What do you usually hope to achieve when writing crime fiction?

Adenle: Crime fiction usually draws attention to societal issues, but while we show society as it is and what is wrong with it, we do not preach a better way or proffer solutions. That would be pompous. We simply report things as they are. We hold a mirror to society; it’s left to the readers, whether they look away or gaze into their own truth.

Bookshelf: How do you view Nigeria’s publishing scene?

Adenle: It’s booming, essential and important.

Bookshelf: What do you do when you are not writing?

Adenle: I work out a lot, even if my large belly says otherwise, and I love to cook.