Ayo Onatade

My Misspent Youth

Ayo Onatade
Ayo Onatade

Everyone is passionate about something in his or her life for some it is football or shopping.  For me it is a crime fiction in all its connotations and it has been the case for nearly forty years.  It started with an Agatha Christie book to be precise.  I must hasten to add that the book in question is not my favourite crime novel nor is it my favourite Agatha Christie novel.  Those honours go to Farewell my Lovely by Raymond Chandler and Murder on the Orient Express respectively.  However, the book does hold a lot of memories for me and it was what set me off on my journey to a life of crime.

stylesThe book in question is The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which introduces readers to Hercule Poirot.  It is the very first mystery novel that I ever read.  My memory of this book is quite clear to this day.  I remember exactly what I was doing and where I was when I first read it.  I was in fact on a plane from London to Lagos (Nigeria) where I would spend the next ten years of my life.  There is only one person that I have to thank for all this and that is my beloved mother, for she is the one who put the book in my hands.  The Mysterious Affair at Styles will always have a special place in my heart and on my bookshelf.

So what am I working on currently?  Quite a number of things.  Ideas are running through my brain for my next article for Crimespree Magazine.  I have an article to write for the forthcoming Queens of Crime conference due to take place in London and I am also jointly editing an anthology.  There is also my day job to contend with as well.

Social Networking Administrator Ayo is a clerk for a judge in the Court of Appeal, a book reviewer and a major fan of athletics and American football living in London, England. She is the Special Crime Reporter at Shots Ezine and also is an associate member of The Crime Writers Association (CWA) of Great Britain. http://www.shotsmag.co.uk

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