Orikinla:

I got three rejection slips and then the same American publishers accepted my childhood recollections of the Nigerian civil war and the publishers will give me 40% of the royalties if I don't give the story to another publisher.

I have given them the rights to the print, audio, video and film rights to the true life story of a Biafran child.

I won't mention the title for security reasons, because the title alone is a best seller.

This is a major literary break through not only for me, but for Nigerian literature.

The story is from my yet to be published 480 pages novel, Man of the Earth.

Orikinla:

SMC,
The process is cumbersome and I just want a publisher that can increase the mileage of my writings. Most of the requirements are not applicable to a writer in Nigeria, such as SSN, EIN, or TIN.

I have an attorney, but I won't bother her.

They asked for my agent and manager.

I am my own agent and manager.

I just want to be published by a notable publisher, because the major publishers like Random House and Jonathan Cape have the network to attract top flight literary critics and reviewers.
We don't have all these in Nigeria.

I am trying to learn how their system works. How their books sell in millions.
I don't want to wait for 20 years to sell millions of copies.

SMC:

At this stage, I'd like to say that based on what you have written above, I think the title of this thread is quite premature. Nevertheless, let me give you some free friendly advice. You will be commiting financial/commercial and intellectual suicide if you decide to go through the process without having one expert or the other oversee things. I do not know how involving your solicitor will be "bothering" her, as surely this is her job. It is very important that you have her check the contract out especially as you say that you neither have a manager nor an agent. You say that you want to learn how the western publishing system works, anyone worth their salt will tell you that it is a very bad idea for the author to act alone without professional advice. Remember you will be coming against people/establishments that have a great legal team going over everything and they can smell an easy target a mile off.

Talk to your solicitor, if it is an issue regarding her remuneration, you can come to an agreement with her as to gradual payment or payment when you receive your royalty. This may end up being an investment that will save you tons of money or which will prevent you from signing away your sweat.

At the end of the day, it is your work and your decision so you can do as you please. All I can say is think carefully before you act. Wishing you the best.

mrmayor:

Just like the Redneck Lizard said to himself when he fell from the palm tree "If no one praises me,I will praise myself".The self adulation continues

Many thanks for this submission. I truly respect your ability and tenacity with your writing -- it's the mark of any successful writer. And while I recognize the effort to outline a story of magical realism, I'm afraid that the way the story unfolds is just too fragmented and develops too many strands that are not tied together in an effective enough way to make this story commercially viable for our program.

I am unfortunately going to pass, but urge you to submit other pieces if you are amenable, and as you continue to refine your craft.

Best,

Daniel

sisimose:

can i have a copy , i am not asking for awoof oh, i'll buy it

Orikinla:

I know that comprehension is not very easy for some Nigerians, but the first sentence of the post says it all.
Let me help.

Here is the text from the last rejection slip before the good news of acceptance came.

I said I have made it after the same publishers rejected three of my stories.
So, it is not premature.

Getting published by a leading American publisher is an achievement.


I am still having problems with being misunderstood.
I posted on others more than I have posted on Orikinla.

Nigerians need to see beyond their noses.

Ignorance is still our common problem.

SMC,
I am used to publishing contracts and lest you accuse me of boasting again, let me not go into the details.

[size=14pt]The burden of my post is:
You can make it as long as you don't give up.[/size]

Therefore, take your tiime to read Orikinla very well before jumping to conclusions and I hate when I state things matter of factly, the facts are misread and misunderstood out of context.

Orikinla:

If I post the title of the story before the publication, I am afraid that it could be stolen and published before my publishers will release their first impression.

Thanks Sisimose,
One open door leads to other open doors.

I have left it for the publishers and continued with other projects.
My first book was Children of Heaven published in 1987 and the last one was publihsed in 2006.

The publishers of my true life story of the Nigerian civil war are Amazon.com, Inc and Amazon Services LLC. They are going to publish the digital edition of my story in visual and audio media in different languages.

The narrator of the story was a refugee child in Biafra during the Nigerian civil war.

It is the story of how my mother who was a grass widow lost three of her six children during the civil war.

How she had to bury her Singer sewing machine as many others also buried their cumbersome tools before fleeing their villages as the Nigerian Army invaded Biafra.

How an innocent child swore he saw an angel in crutches flying in the sky.

How a father drove his young son to the war front and the son never survived.

It is not fiction.