In a very special episode, Ashley sits down with the award winning, NY Times Best Selling author of the Children of Blood & Bone series, Tomi Adeyemi. Tomi shares her creative process, reflects on how she found purpose in storytelling, the struggles & triumphs of writing her record breaking series, and the final installment of the trilogy Children of Anguish & Anarchy hitting shelves June 25th. Ashley & Tomi also talk about navigating rejection, conquering creative hurdles, and how to build your writing muscle. (For all of you aspiring authors out there!) Tune in for a heartfelt conversation about embracing your true self, the power of perseverance, and the importance of staying true to your creative process.

Watch today's episode on Youtube here!

Episode Timestamps:

05:10 Tomi discusses the concept of embracing your light in everyday activities

15:22 Tomi's journey from being defined by work to finding her purpose in storytelling

19:45 Challenges & surprises while writing Children of Anguish & Anarchy

30:12 Tomi on why storytelling is her true calling and needing privacy to create

37:40 Realizing the pattern of writing characters who didn't look like her

41:18 Not getting into the creative thesis at Harvard but choosing to work on her book anyway

46:03 Struggles with learning the craft of writing and pushing through despite setbacks

49:40 "Children of Blood and Bone" getting 63 rejections before hitting it big

53:28 How personal experiences shape the best stories

55:16 Advice to new writers about loving their writing and the importance of reading and writing consistently

57:44 Reflecting on what Tomi would tell her younger self with love and validation

58:53 Ashley's love for Tomi's work and excitement for what's next

01:02:15 The joy of connecting with fans and the upcoming movie adaptation with Paramount

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The Slay Girl Slay podcast is an AshMedia production, hosted by Ashley Leggs. If you’d like to support the show, you can send a donation via CashApp at $ashleyleggs

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