Nnedi Okorafor’s space-girl odyssey, a novella titled Binti, has been a hit ever since it was published last year.
Little surprise that she is teaming up again with Tor.com to publish a sequel to the story about an African girl caught up in a whirlwind of Harry-potter-esque adventures in outer space.
The sequel titled Binti: Home is set for a 2017 release and will be followed by a third novel, which, according to tor.com, is as yet unnamed.
In the short statement below, she tells the story behind the sequel and reveals that she had actually begun writing it long before her publisher approached her.
So, I wasn’t done with Binti’s story. There was more. There has always been more. When I wrote Binti, her story and her world were so lush, clear, detailed and huge, that I felt intimidated. Plus, I’d never written anything that took place in outer space. I had to ease into it like a hot bath, slowly.
Back in August (2015), as soon as I returned to Buffalo for the beginning of the semester at the University at Buffalo, I knew I would start writing more of Binti’s story. And I knew that though I’d just left home (Chicago), I’d write about Binti returning home (to her family). I didn’t tell anyone what I was writing. The story came in a steady rush. I worked on it in my Chicago and Buffalo condos, in many airports, on cross-continental flights, in South Africa, Nigeria, Italy, Los Angeles. I finished Binti: Home in my hotel room in Wellington, New Zealand, the night after I went on a nighttime nature hike where owls followed us in the trees and I saw wild kiwis walk out of the bushes. In all the movement and chaos that is my life, Binti‘s story (and Okwu’s) still came forth; it was that much fun to write.
When I did finally tell my agent and Tor.com what I was up to, both were pleased. I’m ecstatic to continue Binti’s story with Tor.com.
Congrats to Okorafor! She is one hardworking writer. She keeps inspiring us with her amazing work ethics and unending love for crafting stories. We can’t wait for the sequel.
Order Binti here.
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