Author Spotlight – Joyce Ashuntantang

Joyce Ashuntantang needs little introduction. With a growing list of single-authored and co-authored or edited volumes, this award-winning and bestselling author has been writing since her secondary school days. A poet, creative writer and Associate Professor of English at the University of Hartford, Connecticut, she has appeared as an invited poet in many countries around the world including England, Germany, Nicaragua, Greece, Costa Rica, Colombia, Bangladesh, Cameroon and USA. She has also contributed to nine international anthologies of poetry including the most recent, Peace for Afrin, Peace for Kurdistan edited by Hussein Habasch and Miao-yi Tu and Dhaka Anthology of World Poetry 2018 edited by Aminur Rahman and Bilkis Mansoor. A graduate of three continents, Dr. Ashuntantang received a B.A in English with a minor in Theater Arts from the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon, a Master’s in Library and Information science from the University of Aberystwyth, UK, an MA and Ph.D. in English/African Literature from the City University of New York. She is the author of many scholarly and creative publications, which include three poetry collections, A Basket of Flaming Ashes, Beautiful Fire, and Their Champagne Party will End: Poems in Honor of Bate Besong edited with Dibussi Tande.  Her poems have been translated into Spanish, Romanian, Greek, Hebrew, Turkish, Bangla and Arabic. Beautiful Fire, her latest work published by Spears Media Press in 2018 has just been translated into Arabic and will be published in Egypt in 2020.

One of our editors was honoured to interview Joyce for our February edition of “Author spotlight“.

SPM: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

JA: I started writing for publication when I was in secondary school, but I never thought of writing as a career. In Cameroon where I grew up “writing” was not presented as a career. It was something you could do on the side if you had the aptitude.

SPM: How long did it take you to write your poetry book, Beautiful Fire?

JA: It took me several years because these are poems I wrote over time with no planned publishing deadline. I don’t consider myself a career poet. I write poetry whenever I can.

SPM: What events or experiences inspired your writing of Beautiful Fire?

JA: Ha ha ha! I wish I could actually point to particular experiences, but the volume captures the way my world makes an impression on me from myriad angles.

SPM: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

JA: I love listening and dancing to music especially Makossa oldies. Thanks to YouTube I can immerse myself in the music of my childhood. I am an old soul at heart. I even enjoy music that was created before my time which I strongly recommend. The songs by Franco and L’Ok Jazz, Victor Uwaifo or the Ghanaian E.T Mensah all get me going. I also love ethnic African music. So, you can easily catch me listening to Bate Nico who is from my ethnic group in Cameroon or the late legendary Bi Kidude- the Queen of Zanzibar Taraab music.

SPM: What does your family think of your writing?

JA: For the most part they do not engage with it. They have allowed me to be me and I am grateful. Every now and then they are amazed at the way I can creatively make them see with “new eyes” an experience they considered ordinary, but which ends up being insightful.

SPM: Who’s your favourite African writer?

JA: Chinua Achebe, any day, any time!

SPM: What is your favourite childhood book?

JA: Cyprian Ekwensi’s An African Night’s Entertainment

SPM: What advice do you have for aspiring young African writers/poets?

JA: Read a lot and write every day. While I would not want them to aim at perfection but they must give room for growth.

SPM: Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

JA: Yes, especially because I also write a lot on social media. Herewith the most recent which I received recently on January 28, 2020: “Every day you add value to the world with your literary output. You make the world a better place with your pen (aka PC keyboard).” Ekemini Uduakabasi

SPM: How many books have you written? Which is your favourite?

JA: In terms of creative works, I have published three books of poetry and just finished a fourth, a co-edited volume. I have also contributed to 13 volumes of international poetry anthologies and one short story anthology. As Achebe responded to a similar question, this is like asking to choose between one’s children. I abstain! Lol.

SPM: As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

JA: I come from the forest zone in Cameroon, so animal spirit possession is a cultural reality, so it is not something we joke around with. However, to play along I would say leopard because of recent it was brought to my attention that every other thing I buy has the leopard print design. I am the queen of the 6th sense and the leopard is known for its instinctive intelligence.

SPM: Tell us one last thing readers don’t know about you.

JA: I am more conservative and shy than people think.