Happy (Un)Holidays
Happy holidays, friends and subscribers! 🎉🎉🎉
Forgive the title of this letter—I’m well aware these holidays are not quite happy for all of us. I mean, I myself have been away from this newsletter for months. (Cone of silence: the reason because I’ve been working on a ton of good new stuff).
With the shitstorm of a year we’ve all had—some of us more than most—I’m sure there are pockets of us who just want this whole 365 days of a thing to be done and dusted. They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but it was a stubborn one, this year. Really tried to turn that adage on its head, and tried to call out Kelly Clarkson while at it. Rude much?
But I’m a glass-half-full kinda guy, and since remembering is a choice, I’m choosing to remember of the parts of the year that were filled with good stuff, and I’m inviting you to do so with me. This holiday season, in honour of those who have had the Worst Year Ever as well as those who have had the Okayest Year Ever, let us mine for happiness and joy wherever we can find it. Whether you are celebrating the Orange One being kicked to the curb, or Baby Yoda being made a holiday icon, or so many other good things that have happened in 2020, feel free to share with me and celebrate in the comments!
Here are my pockets of joy for 2020:
I was able to reunite with family late in the year after being away from them due to COVID-19.
Sold the Nameless Republic trilogy, beginning with Son of the Storm releasing in May next year, which I got to the coolest cover reveal of.
Joined in the #EndSARS movement, Nigeria’s first youth-led movement in a very long time, that led to the dissolution of Nigeria’s most brutal and endemically violent police unit. (While the physical protests have ended, the movement lives on.)
Went viral for venting over colonization, then for speaking truth to power, then for a funny author reel. And somehow because of these, I got to exchange messages with Sephanie Beatriz, Cobi Smulders, Abbi Jacobson and Estelle.
David Mogo, Godhunter won the Nommo Award.
Completed my first YA novel. (Fingers crossed you get to see it real soon!)
Did some work with UNICEF on the future of health in Africa that will end up somewhere at the United Nations (and hopefully make some change).
Published some really good short stories and essays, the two of which I’m most proud of being “We Come As Gods” in the BreatheFIYAH anthology, and “The African Superhero and the Legacy of Captain Africa” at Tor.com.
“Dune Song” got featured on LeVar Burton Reads as well as made the Year’s Best Science Fiction edited by Jonathan Strahan.
Put myself more out there as an author and became more comfortable with being an author, speaker and people person. So comfortable, in fact, that I shot videos of myself and did not balk at the idea of posting them!
That’s just a slice of my 2020 pie, but why don’t you share what good stuff happened to you this year? And while you’re at it, have a wonderful holiday season, and the best of the forthcoming new year! 🎉🎉🎉
Yours until 2021,
Suyi.
