I have always believed that some things in life find you – not the other way round. Writing for me has always been that kind of love story.
If you had asked little me what I wanted to be, I probably would have rattled off a few dreams – lawyer, maybe a doctor. But somewhere between growing up and growing into myself, I discovered a soft spot for storytelling. I did not call it ‘being a writer’ then. I just loved painting pictures with words.
My teachers often praised my essays. Friends would come around asking, “Can you write one for me?” (Of course I did not, ethics, people!) I would scribble fictional scenes in my notebooks, and my little sister, who has always been my biggest cheerleader and reader, would beg for sequels like we were doing chapter drops. Writing felt easy then- effortless, even. But I never imagined it could be more than a hobby.
Then, life happened. I stopped writing creative pieces. Adulting took the wheel, and my once – frequent journaling turned into sporadic thoughts stored in my phone notes. Until a random day last year, I decided to write an essay again, just to see if I still had the juice.
Spoiler alert. I did.
What began as a simple idea kept growing. A character formed, then another. Suddenly, plot twists were showing up uninvited, and there I was hooked on a story I did not know I was capable of telling. I looked at the pages and thought, “Wait, is this becoming a book?”
That was the birth of Heart of a Dilemma – my work-in-progress that is as emotionally charged as it is now. The story follows Elise, a top cardiothoracic surgeon whose life gets turned upside down by love, the very thing she thought she understood. The betrayal from her husband and his mother is not just scandalous, it is life-shattering. She loses her job, her womb, her marriage, and the identity she has worked years to build. But even in the ruins, Elise starts again. She chooses herself. She chooses healing. She chooses the pen, and so did I.
Writing this book made me fall in love with writing again, and not just as a personal outlet, but as a tool for storytelling, healing and connection.
That is also how this blog was born. I wanted a home for my thoughts, my stories, and all the lessons I have picked up on this wild journey of moving abroad, finding my footing, and navigating life as an African girl chasing purpose in a foreign land. I wanted to create a space where others like me could laugh, cry, and breathe easier knowing they are not alone.
So, no. I did not always have this vision of becoming a writer. But somewhere along the way, the words chose me. And I chose to stay.
Now? I am writing blogs, I am telling stories, I am learning copywriting, and I am nurturing a budding community one post at a time. And Heart of a Dilemma? She is still cooking, and she is going to be worth the wait.
Want more behind-the-scenes into my writing process, freelancing tips or just some soul-nourishing storytelling? Join my Inked Mondays tribe by subscribing to the blog, and let us walk this beautiful, messy, magical writer’s journey together. One word at a time.