Ghanaian writer and author of The Hundred Wells of Salaga, Ayesha Harruna Attah, says she was inspired to write her latest novel during the COVID-19 pandemic: ‘The inspiration for Zainab Takes New York came from being stuck indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the uncertainty of those first months of the pandemic, I thought to myself: write what you’ve always wanted to write—and that turned out to be a romantic comedy.’
First Draft is our interview column, featuring authors and other prominent figures on books, reading, and writing.
Our questions are italicized.
What books or kinds of books did you read growing up?
I read anything I could get my hands on! My parents had a magazine called Imagine, and I would read it from cover to cover. Also, my grandmother ran a nursery school, and I spent my summer holidays devouring the books in her library. I was the library prefect in primary school. After tidying the shelves, I was spoilt for choice for books to read. I loved Ann M. Martin’s The Baby-Sitters Club series and anything by Roald Dahl. In high school, my friends and I exchanged books by James Patterson, Dean Koontz, and Jude Deveraux, and our library introduced me to Toni Morrison and Alice Walker. My mother and aunt were big readers, too, and it was through them that I read books like Barbara Kingslover’s The Poisonwood Bible.
What’s the last thing you read that changed your mind about something?
A chapter in Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer made me see plant life so differently. Kimmerer writes about the symbiosis between corn, beans, and squash in indigenous gardens, and it is so powerfully told. Corn reaches for the sun, beans dig deep and produce nitrogen for all three plants, and squash creeps low on the ground, keeping humidity for all three of them. It is more complicated than this, but their relationship is such a great metaphor for how we can learn to coexist with all our differences.
What is the last book/text you disagreed with, and why?’
It is an ancient text called the Instructions of Ptahhotep by Ptahhotep. Written thousands of years ago, it is a list of instructions on how to lead a good life. One of its messages is for men to keep power out of women’s hands. It made me wonder if women have ever had a break. That said, the text is a wonderful resource for learning about ancient African philosophy.
I was the library prefect in primary school. After tidying the shelves, I was spoilt for choice for books to read.
Your novel, Harmattan Rain, was shortlisted for the 2010 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, Africa Region. What was your process for writing this book?
I was selected for the Per Sesh residency—a residency for African writers looking to complete their first novels—in Senegal. While I was there, I learned novel writing techniques from Ayi Kwei Armah, the author of The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born. I spent nine months developing Harmattan Rain, which included intensive craft classes focused heavily on reading, individual writing periods, and workshopping each other’s work.
Looking back, what’s one thing you might revise/do differently if you were to write it again?
I might have played more with the structure of the book. As it is written, Harmattan Rain is divided into three sections, each focusing on one woman, interspersing their stories might have made for a more engaging read.
How did your approach to writing change while working on your acclaimed novel, The Hundred Wells of Salaga?
The Hundred Wells of Salaga was a much slower book to write. It did not take nine months, but instead close to six years. I spent the first two years getting familiar with the book’s world, while working other jobs. I moved continents, had a baby—there was a lot going on in my life as I was writing. I found that I had to deliberately make time for the novel, whereas with Harmattan Rain, I gave the book 100 per cent of my energy.
And what’s one thing about the reactions to the book that surprised you?
Just how much of a conversation starter it was, no matter where I was in the world. I have toured with The Hundred Wells of Salaga across Ghana, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Italy, and the United States. Everywhere I went, it sparked conversations about slavery, family histories, and the meaning of freedom.
What inspired your latest novel, Zainab Takes New York?
The inspiration for Zainab Takes New York came from being stuck indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the uncertainty of those first months of the pandemic, I thought to myself: write what you’ve always wanted to write—and that turned out to be a romantic comedy.
What’s the first book you read that made you think you wanted to be a writer?
That would be Toni Morrison’s Paradise.
I have toured with The Hundred Wells of Salaga across Ghana, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Italy, and the United States. Everywhere I went, it sparked conversations about slavery, family histories, and the meaning of freedom.
Who is the most compelling character you’ve ever encountered in a book, and what makes them memorable?
The protagonist of Broken Glass by Alain Mabanckou. A former schoolteacher, he is irreverent, constantly drunk, and is supposed to be chronicling the lives of frequenters of a seedy bar called Credit Gone West. He gets very creative about their lives!
Which three books from/on Ghana should everyone be reading at this moment?
His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie, The Year of Return by Akotowaa Ivana Ofori, and My Parents’ Marriage by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond.
And what’s one thing readers should be aware of when reading about Ghana?
Our food is so delicious, every Ghanaian writer includes food in their work—get ready to drool!
What’s one book you would recommend gifting a loved one this holiday season and why?
The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak. It is a beautiful book about the friendship between Rumi and Shams of Tabriz, with a modern story to anchor the reading. Shafak does historical fiction so well.
What’s on your Christmas/end of the year wish list?
I would love a telescope.
What’s one word, line or quote that captures how this year has gone for you?
Cool runnings.
What’s the best book you’ve read this year?
Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo. It was published in 1977 but could have been written today. It is a very sharp book.
What is your favourite topic to write or read about these days?
I love to read anything that tells me more about the interconnectedness of all life, and the intelligence of plants. Human beings are doing everything we can to destroy the planet, and it is heartbreaking. I like looking to other species for how we can do better for the planet.
And what topic do you wish more authors were writing about these days?
I love humour. I want to see more humour in stories (This is a message for myself included).
I love to read anything that tells me more about the interconnectedness of all life, and the intelligence of plants. Human beings are doing everything we can to destroy the planet, and it is heartbreaking.
What are you currently working on?
I am finishing my sixth novel. It is about two women connected through space and time, but that’s all I can say for now.
Question from Dennis Mugaa: What story or novel do you wish you had written differently?
I have a short story in Between the Generations, a tribute to Ama Ata Aidoo, which I love. I wish we had edited it better.
Bonus: Please suggest a question for a future author’s First Draft
Who would you want to star as the main character if one of your books or short stories was adapted for screen?
Who do you think we should interview next?
Bisi Adjapon, Novuyo Rosa Tshuma, or Jori Lewis⎈
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