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A PEEP INTO THE WORLD OF RISING STAR GHANAIAN WRITER, GRACE ECKLU

The Rising Star Series

By Cathy (Christine Acheini) Ben-Ameh Published 2 years ago 4 min read
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Grace Ecklu is the author of two contemporary inspirational drama novels. “Guilty as Grace” and “Lemonade”, and a novella titled “Lucy’s moment”.

We met in boarding secondary school, Bethany Christian Academy in Barkin Ladi, Plateau State Nigeria and after almost twenty years reconnected on Facebook when I was congratulating her for the short film she wrote and produced with her friends (The Johnson Brothers and Kobina Johnson) in Ghana this year, titled “Seguwa” (say-guwa).

It was the buzz around “Seguwa” on social media that peaked my interest and so I caught up with her on WhatsApp to find out all about it.

The Stunning Grace Ecklu.

Cathy: Thank you so much Grace for joining me for this interview. Let’s dive right in.

First, we’d like to know, how long have you been writing. When did you start?

Grace: I have been writing since 1999, that was in secondary school so that would be 23 years now.

Cathy: What do you think are the most important elements of good writing?

Grace: One of the most important elements of good writing is being real. I think human emotion is something we cannot fake, even if we try. People connect with each other on that plane so if I'm telling a story and it's not real your radar would pick it up. So, for me it's all about tapping into the reality of our existence by using words. Once people can relate to your writing, then you have a good story.

Everyone has a writing style and for me the key thing about my style is that it must flow. So, when I write I don’t have chapters or big breaks. I sort of stuff them in at the very end. Hence, flow is very important.

Cathy: What comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why?

Grace: Plot and characters- those two are hard to separate really. When I think about a story it comes in maybe one or two sentences- the entire synopsis- and that has the plot and the main characters. At that point it's about letting that drive the details. I see a "situation" and I see someone (character) in that situation. I don’t sit down to figure it all out. I discover more about the characters as the plot unfolds. But the end game will always be those few sentences at the beginning, it doesn't matter what the middle looks like.

Cathy: What is the most difficult part of your writing process?

Grace: The most difficult parts of my writing process is having to interrupt it because real life is happening. For me that's something I must grapple with. I would like to write till maybe 4 a.m. but then I have a job I must do so then I have to stop wherever I'm at just to make sure that I can fulfil that obligation. And that's tough.

Cathy: In the movie “Seguwa” which of the characters do you relate to most and why?

Grace: “Seguwa” is a short film about two lovers, a snapshot into conversations which happen behind closed doors. I had to keep going back and forth stepping into both their shoes. I would like to say I relate more to “Seguwa” but because it's a snapshot, I honestly did not finish figuring her out. In fact, they both haven't completely figured themselves out yet, and that I can relate to.

Cathy: Which of your books did you enjoy writing most and why?

Grace: I have published two books on Amazon and Okada books- “Lemonade” and “guilty as grace”. Each book is a revelation on its own, even for those yet unpublished. And that instance, the characters are everything to me. And since I write inspirational romantic drama, I must fall in love with the characters too, get inside their heads and you could be talking to me, and I would be thinking about them. So, to answer your question, there is no favorite...yet. I have asked myself this question before and I couldn't come up with a winner. I honestly enjoy writing them equally. Each book has its own challenges. If you want a long epic-like, love never dies story, then go for “Lemonade”. If you want it intense and quick, then go for “guilty as grace”. They are both happily ever after. That's a given. There's too much ugliness in the world - and I believe in love and the grace of God to give us love. So, I enjoy wading through each book to a satisfactory ending.

GET "GUILTY AS GRACE" ON OKADA BOOKS

Get the LEMONADE novel

Cathy: What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?

Grace: I generally need it to be quiet. I can't write with music, that's something I realized. I love music but I can't write with music.

Cathy: If you could spend the day with a popular author, who would it be and why?

Grace: Tough. There is Beverly Cleary or Maeve Binchy, but sadly they are both late.

So definitely Kevin Kwan. Just because I think we might have fun swapping stories. Culture shock is a big topic for me, and I see a lot of it in his ‘Normal meets Crazy Rich World’. Plus, I'd like to know whether mentioning Ghana in his book was random or not.

Cathy: What can we expect from you (readers and viewers) in the coming year?

Grace: Well, there can only be more from here on. No definite timelines but there's always the blog. That's how I keep up with the world.

Cathy: Thank you so much for your time. We look forward to seeing more of you. From all appearances, the sky is only your starting point.

Grace: It was a pleasure. I appreciate you too.

"Seguwa" is available online on February 22, 2022 (2.22.2022).

It is directed by Kobina DeGraft Johnson.

Authors
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About the Creator

Cathy (Christine Acheini) Ben-Ameh

Bio:

Cathy Ben-Ameh has published two books; "The Impact of Music Streaming on The Music Industry: Case study-Spotify" and "'13- A Chapbook of 13 Short Poems". https://linktr.ee/cathybenameh

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