Emem Uko's Blog

Hello All!

It's so good to give you an exciting update on my new book. It is titled, "The Place That Gave," and will be released on May 7, 2020.

Here is a synopsis:

Buzzcut, doll face, secret prude and healthy snacks brand ambassador, Theana Green, loses her money, boyfriend, and reputation in a matter of days. She thought her ‘rags to riches’ story would stay on “riches” for a long time. But the discovery of illegal additives in the snacks she promoted kicked her back to the bottom of the pit. The once-beloved doll was now a disliked troll. Even an escape to a distant village in Nigeria couldn’t hide her from mistrust and scheming of the villagers. Her plan to reinvent herself wasn’t working…and a sexy crooner with a face that could melt even the strongest of icebergs refuses to leave her alone!

Heartthrob and talented musician, Ramsey Edet makes women lose their cool. Despite his success and fame, his bad reputation kept catching up with him. One sight of Theana looking like a chocolate beauty that walked out of an Afremov painting was all it took to get him interested in what life had to offer after all.

If you would like to preview it, here is a link to the first three chapters below:

The Place That Gave - Chapters 1 through 3

I can't wait for you all to read it.

Thank you for your continued support and stay safe!

Emem

Coming up with character names is one of the best parts of writing a book in my opinion. I put so much thought into the names that thinking back, it seems ridiculous and like a waste of time and energy. But that's not the case. I find that questions about the character names arise when readers notice the oddity of the name or feel like there is a meaning behind my reason for choosing a certain name. It so happens that Notice Me, my latest book, is filled with names that are 'interesting.'

Let's start with the main character, Anders. Anders' name was very easy to come up with because I had spoken with a stranger and he said his name was Anderson, but he pronounced it as Ander - son (like son, daughter). It stuck. I didn't want a long name for my main character and I wanted a name with no particular meaning behind it because he was going to have a complex-no-ethnicity-in particular-background. I randomly called him Anders and deleted the last two letters.

Now, his parents' names took a lot of thinking on my part. The Quigleys. You think they're English, right? Feng Quigley is Anders' father's name. What do you think now? Exactly. I have mixed ethnicity with his name but my description of him makes him even more colorful and there's a reason for that.Feng is an Asian name and I was leaning toward the Chinese meaning. Quigley is “very British” like it has been described to me. Yes, I picked that for origin and sound-sake. Feng Quigley, put together, gives a light and heavy feel. Feng, like the wind, is light and smooth. Quigley, added to it, makes it seem heavy, but Anders’ father, a slightly big man, is formed around his name. He is a baker after all.

Everest Quigley is Anders' mother's name. I wanted a name for a slim, regular, but larger-than-life woman. It seemed perfect to me when I thought of the mountain.

These names were created to add to the ambiguity of the characters' ethnicity because that is not my main focus in the book. But you can tell that the Quigley household embraces multiculturalism. My aim is to make the reader input wherever they want Anders to be from and whatever country they think he moved to. I made it vague on purpose and I think you'll enjoy it immensely.

This name game didn't end with the main character and his family. Here are the others. The band members - Trance, Twine, and Alphonso. I discovered that Trance was actually a real name for boys, but I named him this just because you'll see in the book how his behavior makes people react. No, he doesn't put people in a trance. The reason for the name, Twine, doesn't have to do with strength so much as it has to do with the appearance of the character. His muscly self can tie down the attention of swooning fans. Alphonso, a popular name in real life, was chosen for origin sake. I wanted to add a different flavor to the band members and this Italian/ Spanish name was my best choice.

The girls - Reva and Mabel-Agatha (don't laugh at the second name because it does grow on you). The meaning of Reva in Latin is to regain strength and there's another meaning in Hindu. But I chose this name for the Hebrew meaning, "to tie." Mabel means "lovable" and Agatha means "good." Now, do you understand why I said, "don't laugh?" The names together may sound ridiculous, but their meanings make them awesome!

That's it for the name-game from my book, Notice Me. Feel free to ask me questions about how I came up with other names you discover in the book.

 



 

 

Winter is coming! and there are free days in the season to chill with a hot book...see what I did here? Okay, so I don't have enough outlets and connections to spread the word about Hers to Tell but I have Z and S, my fun blog. I know this is barely a popular medium that gets traffic but I trust that anyone who sees this post will share it. Thank you in advance.



I started writing a while ago, just for fun. I still don't think I'm a great writer but I do know how to tell a good story. Writing books preserve the stories and get them in the hands of more people. My first published work, Facade, was not planned. But its wonderful reception lessened my fear of writing and I have continued to do so since then.



Now, I am shamelessly promoting my suspense novel, Hers to Tell because I want to share this book with everyone. It is a good book and I'm only saying this because of the positive comments I've gotten about it. If it is that good, why isn't it on the best lists out there? It will be, one day. But to get it there, I need you to pick it up, share it, and talk about it. There are good writers out there who already have the right connections to spread the word about their books even before they're published. They can get their books buzzing with a snap of the finger. There are also good writers who don't have the connections but have the support of readers who can change the game. I know I fall into this category and am grateful for that because I know the power of word of mouth.



Hers to Tell has gotten some buzz, but it needs to continue in order to get it to where it should be. Where do I want it to be? At the top of lists that appreciate a good book. I am busy writing other books at the moment but I know that I should never stop promoting my past works, especially if I like them. So please bear with me for doing this. I was told that I wasn't doing enough.



Here are some reviews and feedback of Hers to Tell.



Bella Naija weighs in on Hers to Tell



Amazon Reviews of Hers to Tell



Please Re-post and Share this.



Thank you!



With gratitude,



Emem Uko

Author



P.S. Below are links to the first three chapters of Hers to Tell and where to purchase the book.



First Three Chapters



Amazon



OkadaBooks



Barnes and Noble



EmemUko.com

Janus, the sequel to Façade, releases: March 15, 2017 on Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XNYDV8J/...

March 16, 2017 on Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/6887419

and everywhere on March 18, 2017. Happy Reading!

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Circumstances have made Emma grow up so fast within a year. Janus, the sequel to Façade, explores how she handles a budding career, grief, and danger.

After getting the part of a much-talked-about movie role, Emma’s path as an actress seems promising. But she finds that her journey in the movie world is full of pot holes. Rumors rise as easily as fog. Enemies are made as fast as a spinning wheel. Privacy is precious, but cannot be achieved easily. Is the life of an actress for her?

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I hope you enjoy Emma's journey as she continues to explore what lies ahead for her.

Good news! The 2nd edition of Façade has been released in preparation for its sequel, Janus. Enjoy this edition, which is a fraction of the cost of the 1st edition. Available right now on Createspace and will be available on Amazon in a couple of days.

Here is the link to purchase it: www.createspace.com/6790931.

Happy reading!Emem Uko

Read Chapters 1-3

http://www.ukoemem.com/2016/08/hers-t...


Available on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Hers-Tell-Emem...

Hi Everyone,
I'm so happy to be introducing you to another book and I'm grateful that you'll be sharing the moment with me on August 15. This is an Online Release Party - so you don't have to travel anywhere. Just stay close to Facebook :)

Order of Event

August 14 - I will announce Giveaways on www.ememuko.com and how you can enter for a chance to win any of them. There will be Two major prizes and others.

August 15 - "Hers to Tell" will be available for purchase in both paper back and Kindle formats. I will share what inspired me to write (HTT) and some of my favorite lines. Questions will be answered too.

August 17 - Entry for the giveaway will close at 10:00 a.m.

August 18 - Winners will be announced.
Good luck and thank you so much for your support. I look forward to August 15. Please share this online party with your friends :)

Mark your calendars. Hers to Tell, my first thriller will be released on August 15, 2016

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Born with OCA1b, Cara Ella Smith couldn't be more different from her sisters. The need to move far away from family lands her in Miami, where she becomes a writer. Her first novel indirectly aids Detective Abram Jonah in the arrest of a vile human being, and she becomes a target as a result. On the day of her 8th book signing event, she is almost run down by a vehicle, which she narrowly avoids because she is pulled away from the road by a dashing hunk, Jet Meyer.

There is a nagging fear that tugs at her. Jet is hiding something. He skillfully evades personal questions that Cara asks him. Cara is plagued with anxiety and nightmares from her near-death experience, but deep down, she knows that her distress has more to do with Jet than the incident.

Hers to Tell (HTT) is finally done. It is my first Thriller novel. As you all know, my debut novel, Facade, is a YA novel and I am currently working on its sequel entitled, Janus. I will keep you all posted on the release date for HTT. In the mean time, here are some HTT lines for you. Happy Reading!

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He raised one eyebrow, “There goes my plan to eat first.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what food will do to change what happened earlier, but it would be nice if you cleared up some things for me. I don’t know what happened and it doesn’t feel right.”

He cleared his throat. “Let’s just say we were there at the wrong time.”

“Why? Did you know those people?”

He looked everywhere but at me. I’m not sure when my vision became so acute, but, as he turned, I saw the pulse at the base of his neck moving so erratically, that I was really worried. Something was wrong, but Jet, outwardly, didn’t look or act like it.

I leaned across the table and touched his arm.
He pulled away and put his hands underneath the table. At that point, I was pretty sure I had turned the color of a ripe tomato.

“Your keys,” I said to him coolly, keeping my voice in check as I noticed that a girl from a table two rows from us was looking our way.

He turned to me, looking resigned. “Why?”

“I’m not hungry and I’d prefer to stay in the truck until you’re done.”

This time I got his unwavering attention. The odd thing was he smiled, eyeing me with an odd look that made my stomach growl.

“Are you sure you’re not hungry?”

I hissed and began to stand when he caught my hand. He chortled. “You’re stubborn, you know that? I’ll tell you everything, just sit.”

I sat down, still irritated. He could have avoided all this drama, and I’m not sure what was funny about the situation. My face was anything but happy, but he seemed to have seen humor somewhere. I was just about to tell him where to shove that irritating smirk, but he started talking.

“Yes, I know those people, Cara,” he said, looking down at his hands that were folded on the table.

I waited for more. He fell silent as Teresa poured some water into our glasses.

“Thanks,” we both said to her.

Then he sighed heavily and looked me in the eye, his hands tracing the cool film on the glass absentmindedly.

“Those men are not people to mess with. I guess I’m trying to say that I am not in their good graces presently, and if they’d seen me, it would have been bad.”

My pulse started to race, not from fear, but from the sheer excitement of the mind of a mystery writer. I’d known right from the start that Jet was mysterious, and I had suspected that his clean outward appearance was just a cover for someone totally different. What was it he’d said at the junk yard? Don’t judge a book by its cover, Cara. You should know this by now.

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