THE PLACE BEYOND HER DREAMS
by Oby Aligwekwe
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GENRE: Young Adult
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BLURB:
2021 National Indie Excellence Awards Winner for Young Adult Fiction!2021 Indies Book of the Year Awards Finalist for Young Adult Fiction!2021 Best Book Awards Finalist for Young Adult Fiction!“We are most courageous at our weakest; when we believe we have faced what we fear the most and have nothing more to lose.”Set against the backdrop of two warring towns, Oby Aligwekwe’s Young Adult debut—told from the viewpoint of her main character—is inspired by her West African heritage, fables, and spiritual beliefs. Ona’s journey reveals the power of choice, the true source of happiness, and, most importantly, the transformation one must go through to realize and eventually occupy their purpose.At the sudden death of her grandfather, Ona’s pain transports her to mystical Luenah—a place of infinite possibilities, free of turf wars and other ills that plague the earthly dimension she lives in. In Luenah, where her grandfather awaits her, Ona learns she is an Eri, one bestowed with unique intuitive and spiritual gifts passed down from generation-to-generation.On her 18th birthday, she returns to Luenah and is handed a box to deposit her "exchange" for love and happiness—her greatest desires. Burdened by her quest, Ona crosses paths with danger and heartbreak as the two men that love her dearly are viciously pitted against each other. As evil looms, she learns that dreams carry a hefty price, and no one is who they seem. Now, she must unmask the villain and save the one she loves, even at the risk of losing everything she holds dear.“Young adults and older readers will be enchanted by this fantasy's magic, romance, and life lessons.” (Booklife by Publishers Weekly)
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EXCERPT
ONE MONTH AFTER my eleventh birthday, the desiccating north-east harmattan winds
blew a flurry of red dust and some dirt as I walked into my grandfather’s
compound. I sprinted in the opposite direction as I feared the tornado would
carry me away to some unknown land where I could never see my grandparents
again. It subsided as quickly as it had started, but it left behind particles of
dust and dirt, making it hard for me to see. I managed to observe the blockage
caused by cars parked haphazardly on the road facing the compound and extending
into our driveway. It then made sense why my school bus driver had asked me to
alight a block from my home. I was not happy about the fact that I had to walk.
The dust had turned my white stockings a reddish-brown, which meant I wouldn’t
receive my usual compliments from my grandfather, who often marveled at how my
clothes always remained so clean even after a full day at school. Every day, I
removed my stockings during the break period and put them back on after I had
played with my friends—that’s how important their cleanliness, and my
grandfather’s praise, was to me.
I got closer to the gate and discovered there were more important things to
contend with than my stockings. A throng of visitors was inside the compound,
some seated on benches, others leaning on their cars, and several more
whispering in little circles. No one had noticed when I walked in. I felt
invisible and remained so as I crept by the men and women that blocked the
entrance to the staircase and every single stair, all the way to the landing.
I pushed and shoved countless times until I finally made it past the hallway
that led to my grandmother’s private parlor. Stopping for a moment to catch my
breath, I started to hear crying; something had gone seriously wrong.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Oby Aligwekwe is the award-winning author of Nfudu, Hazel House, and The Place
Beyond Her Dreams—her third novel and Young Adult debut. In 2021, The Place
Beyond Her Dreams won the National Indie Excellence Awards in the Young Adult
Fiction Category.
When Oby is not working on her day job or whipping up stories, she enjoys
traveling to exotic locations and bringing pieces of her travel with her. She
lives in Oakville, Ontario, with her family and supports her community through
her charity Éclat Beginnings.
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION
The author will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn host.
I liked the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteHow did you come up with the ideal for this story?
ReplyDeleteThe idea came from a dream I had in 2018.
DeleteThank you for hosting!
ReplyDeleteDo you have a favorite travel destination?
ReplyDeleteI do. Anywhere in the Caribbeans. I always love any opportunity to visit Nigeria, too.
DeleteThe blurb and excerpt sound good.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteThank you so much for hosting.
ReplyDeleteI love the cover art, blurb and excerpt, The Place Beyond Her Dreams is a must read for my teen-aged granddaughters and I. What was the most difficult part of writing this story for you? What was the easiest?
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