Today we’d like to introduce you to Ase Omavuaye Otite.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Ase Omavuaye. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
At the early age of ten, my passion for literature began to manifest.
My father always encouraged me to explore my artistic interests. It all began when he took the entire family to our village, Okpara Inland, in Nigeria, for the holidays. On Christmas day, he gave me a big retractable red and silver pen with multiple ink colors. Later that day, I was playing outdoors when I noticed a bird in its nest. I thought the nest looked creative and drew my father’s attention to it. My father suggested I write about my discovery. So, I wrote a short story, in many colors, with my new Christmas pen, about the bird and its nest.
In the years that followed, I kept ignoring the urge to write. Finally, in 2014, I decided to explore writing again. One December night, I stayed up and wrote my first book, Happystarville.
I will always be grateful to my father for that pen and unlocking my gift of writing.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not always been smooth. I had no idea how much would go into self-publishing. This past year has been such a journey for me – learning lessons but staying persistent, even when dog-tired from my day job.
I searched “How to self-publish a book” on the internet, found a checklist to use as a guide, and thought it looked easy. Then, like an onion, I discovered several layers of unknowns, like obtaining an ISBN number and barcode, to hiring 5-6 illustrators, graphic designers, and editors. The hardest part was finding the right printing company to produce the highest quality book.
Through it all, it was exciting to see my vision realized.
Seeing my words magically transform into beautiful illustrations was breathtaking.
Please tell us about Happystarville.
Happystarville is a fun and exciting children’s book series that incorporates innovative technology and futuristic gadgets, while still showcasing a sense of community, family values, and friendship. It takes the reader’s imagination on a magical adventure. This book teaches great morals to young children; allowing them to see how the consequences of their actions don’t just affect them—but also everyone around them.
This first book introduces readers to each character. With the upcoming books, each character and their friends will share their adventures and challenges. The Happystarville brand will grow to include animation and be translated into other languages. My dream is for children all over the world to love the story as much as I do.
After receiving an overwhelming response, from both parents and children, at my book launch on November 2nd in Atlanta, Georgia, I am confident my dream will come true.
As an author, I am proud to have successfully self-published my first book, and I believe what sets Happystarville apart is the fusion of technology and magic.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Absolutely nothing. I learned so much about publishing and building a team on my Happystarville journey. The entire experience was of great value.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://happystarville.com
- Email: Happystarville@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happystarville/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Happystarville
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/happystarville
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/happystarville/s?k=happystarville
Image Credit:
Kivenchy, Ase Omavuaye Otite, Ngozi Omenka, Dana Eason
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