Meet Amarachi Ike

Madame Ann: Welcome to MABS Book Reviews. I’m Jametta, AKA Madame Ann. Please introduce yourself.

Amarachi: Hello! Thank you for having me here. My name is Amarachi Ike, but you can call me Amara or Amie, whichever is your preference. I’m a Nigerian writer, reader, final-year medical student, and digital content creator living in Enugu, Nigeria.

Madame Ann: Wow, that’s amazing. So please tell me what type of books you like reading and what inspired you to start reading and writing.

Amarachi: Thank you for the questions. I enjoy reading dystopian books. That’s at the top of my list in terms of genres. Sign me up for anything end-of-the-world: war, destruction, famine, and hunger! (laughs) I adore the works of Bradbury, Atwood, Ishiguro, and Lovecraft. They are all white and either old or dead, but their fiction speaks to me. I also love good old literary fiction, especially the variety written by the continent’s writers. I’m not trying to brag or anything, but at the moment, we have the best storytellers worldwide.

Madame Ann: I agree with you

Amarachi: To the question of inspiration, I was inspired to start reading from a very young age. Way before I had an idea about it, my father invested in books and built a library for my siblings and me to read. We had encyclopedias, picture books, story books, and lots of Enid Blyton and Lady Bug tales, too–those were recommended reading from school. My father did this to ensure that we were reading at every stage in life. He loved reading, and he loved learning as well. He was always reading his medical textbooks and papers for hours on end. That’s the one thing he did the most in life. So, I guess I was inspired to read because of him. The inspiration to write came years later when I found myself craving a means of self-expression. But it didn’t mainly start that way.

Madame Ann: How do you mean?

Amarachi: Well, it was my first year in junior secondary school, and a friend had bought a forty-leaf notebook and filled it up with a story. I can’t remember the story, but I remember the seniors going wild for it. That particular friend gained a lot of “reps” for writing the book (reps meaning good reputation). Seniors fought tooth and nail to get a turn at reading my friend’s book. So, I thought… this seems like an exciting way to gain the friendship of seniors. And that meant A LOT back then. It offered a junior some level of immunity from bullying, which was a severe problem at that school. I did just that. I was eventually pulled out of the school because of bullying. No shocker there. (laughs). Perhaps my storytelling skills then weren’t as good as they are now. But the fire to write would ignite once again—this time from a genuine interest in wanting to tell our stories.

Madame Ann: Haha, that a funny story. Would love to hear more of it. How do you balance being a writer with medical school?

Amarachi: Well, being a writer and a medical student is difficult. If I could go back in time and do it all over again… I probably wouldn’t do it. It’s like being at the center of a tug of war, being pulled by both your creative side and the side that’s super serious. On some days, the writer in me is sitting at the clinic. On other days, the clinician in me sits in front of the page. I only balance it out by loving and feeding into both halves of myself. Often, the measure is unequal, and more times than not, the clinician wins. I try as much as possible now to not forsake that side of myself.

Madame Ann: Mmmm, that’s deep. Tell us more about your writing style and what you’ve been working on lately.

Amarachi: My writing style… I’m not sure if I’ve figured out my writing style yet. I think my writing is still very much evolving. But if I were to sell you my writing, I’d say it’s usually a slow burn. My narratives are never rushed. My characters are genuine. And I always intend for my reader to leave a story of mine, thinking or considering something about their life and maybe even the world at large, differently.

Lately, I’ve been working on a book—my very first one at that! It’s a collection of short stories that I hope to be done with before the end of the year or early 2025. I’m also doing small things here and there that, God willing, will find homes in certain magazines of my choosing.

Madame Ann: I love that you said God willing. At the end of the day all we can do is rely on God’s will and grace. Please tell us, what inspired you to write your book? What was your inspiration?

Amarachi: I’ve wanted to write a book… probably since I saw what writing a book did for my friend’s reps in junior secondary (😂). But seriously, I started writing the book in January of this year, just as an idea I was leaning into. But with my father’s passing this June, I felt more and more of a need to write this book and share it with the world. Initially, I believed I had to earn the right to write a book. Have some literary credibility or the validation of certain circles. But then you realize that nothing is promised in this life, not even the life itself, the very thing that allows you to pursue all these ambitions. All of it can be taken away. As I march forward in my career, it’s clear that this window between finishing medical school and residency is probably the best time to throw myself back into writing. So, I’m writing a book. Little by little, I’m writing a book.

Madame Ann: So sorry to hear about your Dad. may God rest his soul. Tell me more. Give us more detail about your book.

Amarachi: Well, like I said, the book is still a work in progress. There are a lot of moving parts at the moment. But it’s an interesting collection of my stories. The stories bleed into each other. They have similarities and differences. They are longer than what I’m used to, so I’m really pushing myself with this one for my readers. A common theme in the stories is family. I explore family throughout this collection—all kinds of family within the African context—so I’m sure it’s something everyone will enjoy and relate to.

Madame Ann: Super excited to see the finish product, I will definitely love to read your book. Ah just remembered I shared one of our templates with you the other day, I was trying to determine what type of doctor you aspire to be. I was so shocked to see we chose different things, haha. So apart from writing, what is your dream specialty, and why? 

Amarachi: I don’t have a dream specialty, but I always say you won’t find me dead in Internal Medicine. I’m more open-minded about internal medicine because I factor in the work-life balance I desire. Surgery is where the fun is, and that’s really where I want to be. But I’d have to give up everything to become a surgeon. I’m waiting for the intern year (housemanship) to decide on what specialty I’ll settle with. Observing the lives of the residents and consultants in and out of the hospital will significantly influence that final decision. For now, I am keeping an open mind.

Madame Ann: Hahaha, that is so interesting. How do you plan to merge your writing skills with your profession as a doctor?

Amarachi: I have no intention of giving up on either ambition. I will keep walking into my future, holding on to both. Let life drag one out of me.

Madame Ann: Okayyyy girl. What is your secret strategy for writing? Tell us what makes you a better writer and what sets you apart from others.

Amarachi: There is no secret strategy to writing. If I had a good one, I would’ve won the Caine Prize or Commonwealth by now (laughs). My only wisdom for any writer is to write what is true. Honest writing resonates with people. It touches people. And it’s the writing that changes lives. The kind that inspires. I would charge my fellow writers to write honestly, just as I am doing. Even for something as seemingly silly as fiction (which some argue is the antithesis of truth). Be true to your characters and their motivations. Be true to your story. Tell the truth through your story. There is a world waiting to welcome it.

Madame Ann: Mmm, do you think this writing business is profitable for you?

Amarachi:  I think it is. This has never been business for me. This truly is a whole part of my life.

Madame Ann: Wow, honestly it was great having you here and I learnt so much from you in this quick session. I can’t wait to read your book. You guys can find Amarachi on all major social media platforms at @amaranextdoor

Did you like this post? Give us a like. And send me a message if you would like me to interview you too. We all have a lot to learn from each other.

Thank you for reading, here is a free game for you to try with your friends.