Reaching out to the
fluid storyteller, at the heights of distinguished treasury of juvenile
literature
Darko: A paragraph of
your biography reads “The more African children see themselves in the pages of
books they read, the more they will realize they can be anything they want to
be.” If such image-reflective materials are to be made available to the access
of the African child, who bears the responsibility?
Ruby: The responsibility lies on all of us, not just on authors and publishers but on every single person on the continent. In Ghana, there’s been a move to support products and services made in Ghana. Through this, the #wearGhana campaign has become a huge success. I believe we could have a #readGhana or #readAfrica campaign that would actively promote Ghanaian and African writers.
Ruby: The responsibility lies on all of us, not just on authors and publishers but on every single person on the continent. In Ghana, there’s been a move to support products and services made in Ghana. Through this, the #wearGhana campaign has become a huge success. I believe we could have a #readGhana or #readAfrica campaign that would actively promote Ghanaian and African writers.
Why don’t we have book review
columns in our leading newspapers? Why isn’t there a Ghanaian top ten list of books
in the various genres? There are a lot more questions we can ask but if
everyone does their little bit, African children seeing themselves reflected in
the pages of the books they read would not be a novelty.
Darko: As an author who specializes in children’s literature, have you made any conscious effort to guide your writings on Act 5 of the objectives of the National Book Policy, which seeks “to ensure gender balance of content of books.”?
Ruby: Honestly, I didn’t even know there was a National Book Policy, but what it entails and who oversees its implementation is a discussion for another day.
Darko: As an author who specializes in children’s literature, have you made any conscious effort to guide your writings on Act 5 of the objectives of the National Book Policy, which seeks “to ensure gender balance of content of books.”?
Ruby: Honestly, I didn’t even know there was a National Book Policy, but what it entails and who oversees its implementation is a discussion for another day.
There should not only be
gender balance in the content of books but there should be an ethnic balance as
well if we want all children to see themselves reflected in the pages of the
books they read.
For my young adult
books, most of my characters have deliberately been female because teen girls
in our setting, need all the help they can get to succeed in whatever endeavors
they choose and I’m hoping by reading about girls in settings such as theirs,
they can make the right life choices.
Darko: To be at ease with the coordination of an artwork to your text, what informs you (or your publisher) about the choice of illustrator?
Ruby: Though we are told not to “judge a book by its cover”, the first thing that would make a child pick a book is how attractive the cover is. Illustrations in picture books enhance the text and children really engage with the story when the illustrations are good. There are now “text-less” books where the story is told entirely through pictures.
Darko: To be at ease with the coordination of an artwork to your text, what informs you (or your publisher) about the choice of illustrator?
Ruby: Though we are told not to “judge a book by its cover”, the first thing that would make a child pick a book is how attractive the cover is. Illustrations in picture books enhance the text and children really engage with the story when the illustrations are good. There are now “text-less” books where the story is told entirely through pictures.
I’ve been fortunate to
work with two really good illustrators Mr. Edmund Opare and Mr. Elkanah Mpesum
during my career and so far my publishers have given me free reign to decide
whom I want to work with. Do permit me to use this opportunity to remind people
that “exposure” does not pay bills. Artists and creative people need to be paid
for their work.
Darko: In the market of books meant for young readers, have you (as a regular participant) seen any money-making potential in Ghana Book Fair?
Ruby: The emphasis should not be on the money-making potential of the fairs, we should leave that to the marketers, book publishers, and event organisers. The emphasis should be on creating more of such spaces and on promoting communities of book lovers all-year round. We should also be looking at how to make such spaces more attractive for non-readers and reluctant readers. We should also look at including a wider array of more diverse books on the display to cater for people’s diverse interests.
Darko: Is it positive to imply that: academic books have a commercial advantage over non-academic books, owing to the fact that the latter is least promoted?
Ruby: Definitely. It would be great if there was a recommended reading book list for each class like there is for textbooks. In addition to all the literary benefits that this would bring, schools could have “Meet-the-author or Meet-the-illustrator” days as well. Imagine what an inspiration this would be to budding writers and illustrators. On the economic side too, more jobs would be created in the publishing and book-affiliated industries.
Darko: At a period when family storytelling session is so low, have you any hope that professional book readings at schools and public libraries could revive the art?
Ruby: It doesn’t even have to be “professional readings”, anyone can read to kids. Everyone can volunteer an hour or two of their time, show up at a school or library and just read to the children. It doesn’t even have to be in a school or library. Meet the kids where they are—playing under the mango tree, waiting for their parents at a salon, at family gatherings etc. There are some organized children’s clubs that are doing this regularly now. Kudos to them.
Darko: Authors of double career backgrounds, like yours, have had peculiar ways of handling both interests. So I wonder how estranged a dentist you have become, at the peak of your writing endeavours!
Ruby: Lots of people work multiple jobs now. Dentistry is my day job. It doesn’t suffer because I write during my free time. There are bankers/ pharmacists/ nurses etc who are also parents/ caterers/ make-up artists/ event planners etc. So many people now have more than one job. I think the oddity would be finding a person with a single job. I’d love to ask what they do with all their free time.
Darko: As a multiple winner of Burt Award for African Young Adult Literature, would you dispute the opinion that; there is a marginal international recognition for the excellence of the Ghanaian writer?
Ruby: I doubt if anyone goes through the process of writing for the sole purpose of recognition. The reasons why people write are varied but I doubt if recognition would be among the top five. Recognition, if and, when it comes just provides a sense of validation for your efforts.
I firmly believe recognition should begin locally, from the people whose stories we capturing, from the people we are representing. Anything else from the international literary community is a bonus.
Darko: In the market of books meant for young readers, have you (as a regular participant) seen any money-making potential in Ghana Book Fair?
Ruby: The emphasis should not be on the money-making potential of the fairs, we should leave that to the marketers, book publishers, and event organisers. The emphasis should be on creating more of such spaces and on promoting communities of book lovers all-year round. We should also be looking at how to make such spaces more attractive for non-readers and reluctant readers. We should also look at including a wider array of more diverse books on the display to cater for people’s diverse interests.
Darko: Is it positive to imply that: academic books have a commercial advantage over non-academic books, owing to the fact that the latter is least promoted?
Ruby: Definitely. It would be great if there was a recommended reading book list for each class like there is for textbooks. In addition to all the literary benefits that this would bring, schools could have “Meet-the-author or Meet-the-illustrator” days as well. Imagine what an inspiration this would be to budding writers and illustrators. On the economic side too, more jobs would be created in the publishing and book-affiliated industries.
Darko: At a period when family storytelling session is so low, have you any hope that professional book readings at schools and public libraries could revive the art?
Ruby: It doesn’t even have to be “professional readings”, anyone can read to kids. Everyone can volunteer an hour or two of their time, show up at a school or library and just read to the children. It doesn’t even have to be in a school or library. Meet the kids where they are—playing under the mango tree, waiting for their parents at a salon, at family gatherings etc. There are some organized children’s clubs that are doing this regularly now. Kudos to them.
Darko: Authors of double career backgrounds, like yours, have had peculiar ways of handling both interests. So I wonder how estranged a dentist you have become, at the peak of your writing endeavours!
Ruby: Lots of people work multiple jobs now. Dentistry is my day job. It doesn’t suffer because I write during my free time. There are bankers/ pharmacists/ nurses etc who are also parents/ caterers/ make-up artists/ event planners etc. So many people now have more than one job. I think the oddity would be finding a person with a single job. I’d love to ask what they do with all their free time.
Darko: As a multiple winner of Burt Award for African Young Adult Literature, would you dispute the opinion that; there is a marginal international recognition for the excellence of the Ghanaian writer?
Ruby: I doubt if anyone goes through the process of writing for the sole purpose of recognition. The reasons why people write are varied but I doubt if recognition would be among the top five. Recognition, if and, when it comes just provides a sense of validation for your efforts.
I firmly believe recognition should begin locally, from the people whose stories we capturing, from the people we are representing. Anything else from the international literary community is a bonus.
There isn’t much
recognition for excellent literary works from Ghana. We must begin to recognize
and honour our own. Kudos to the Ghana Association of Writers who are
championing this.
Darko: What motivates you to volunteer in the Zongo Story Project?
Ruby: The most important aspect of volunteering for me is to enable children to see that I started off just like them and for them to know they can become like me or even better than me. Volunteering is my way of “paying it forward” and of inspiring aspiring writers to begin writing. It’s also a great way of getting feedback for my books.
Darko: Since the publication of Disfigured and In the Middle of Nowhere, you haven’t released any adult book. Should your elderly fans expect any title soon?
Ruby: I finished the first drafts of my third adult book, Rain Music, and an anthology about seven years ago. The manuscripts still require several rounds of editing and I haven’t had the time to do that so unfortunately, I can’t give a release date yet.
Darko: What motivates you to volunteer in the Zongo Story Project?
Ruby: The most important aspect of volunteering for me is to enable children to see that I started off just like them and for them to know they can become like me or even better than me. Volunteering is my way of “paying it forward” and of inspiring aspiring writers to begin writing. It’s also a great way of getting feedback for my books.
Darko: Since the publication of Disfigured and In the Middle of Nowhere, you haven’t released any adult book. Should your elderly fans expect any title soon?
Ruby: I finished the first drafts of my third adult book, Rain Music, and an anthology about seven years ago. The manuscripts still require several rounds of editing and I haven’t had the time to do that so unfortunately, I can’t give a release date yet.
Ruby Yayra Goka is a dentist by day and an author by night. She is currently pursuing a fellowship in Endodontics at the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Ruby has always
loved stories and storytelling. She is a multiple winner of the Ghana edition
of the CODE Burt Award for African Young Adult Literature (having won seven
times) which recognizes excellence in African writing.
She promotes reading and literacy by
volunteering for school visits, children’s workshops, “meet-the-author-days”
and when she serves as a judge for writing competitions.
Ruby is committed to ensuring African
children learn to develop the habit of reading for pleasure and to ensuring
that books African children read reflect their experiences and environments;
books that feature characters who are “just like them.”
Ruby believes that
the more African children see themselves reflected in the pages of books they
read, the more they will realise they can be anything they want to be.
When she isn’t holding conversations
with her imaginary friends, she’ll often be found reading, gardening or
spending with her two dogs and turtle.
Published Books
Adults
Adults
1 In the Middle of Nowhere Kwadwoan Publishers
2 Disfigured Kwadwoan Publishers
Young Adults and Children
1. When
the Shackles Fall Techmate
Publishers
2. Those
Who Wait
Techmate Publishers
3. The
Lost Royal Treasure Kwadwoan
Publishers
4. The
Mystery of the Haunted House
Subsaharan Publishers
5. Perfectly
Imperfect
Techmate Publishers
6. Plain
Yellow
Techmate Publishers
7. The
Step-monster
Digibooks Limited
8. A
Gift for FafaHarinex Publishers
9. Tani’s
Wish
(for the Ghana Cleft Foundation)
10. Mama’s
Amazing Cover Cloth
Subsaharan Publishers
11. To
Kiss A Girl
Digibooks Limited
Anthology
Mama
Literature Awards
IBBY Honour List 2020 Mama’s
Amazing Cover Cloth
AyiKwei Armah Award To Kiss A
Girl 2019
(GAW Literary Award: First Prize)
EfuaSutherland Children’s Story Mama’s Amazing Cover Cloth 2019
Book Prize
(GAW Literary Award: First Prize)
Children’s Africana Book Award Mama’s Amazing Cover
Cloth 2019
(Honour Book)
The Professor Kofi Awoonor Literary
Prize In the Middle of
Nowhere 2018
(Second Prize)
Burt Award for Young Adult African To Kiss A Girl 2018
Literature
(Honour Prize)
The Efua Sutherland Children’s Story
Book Prize A Gift for Fafa 2018
(GAW Literary Award: Third prize)
40 under 40 awards (Authorship and
Creative Writing) 2017
Burt Award for Young Adult The Step-monster 2017
African Literature: All- Star Edition
(Honour Prize)
Burt Award for African Literature The Step-monster 2015
(First Prize)
Burt Award for African Literature Plain Yellow 2014
(Second Prize)
Burt Award for African Literature Perfectly Imperfect 2013
(First Prize)
Burt Award for African Literature When the Shackles Fall 2012
(Second Prize)
Burt Award for African Literature Those Who Wait 2012
(Honourable Mention)
Burt Award for African Literature The Lost Royal Treasure 2011
(Second Prize)
Burt Award for African Literature The Mystery of the Haunted
House 2010
(Third Prize)
