Author Interview: Ben Hinson, author, poet and video producer

Ben Hinson, author, poet and video producer

Tell us a little about yourself and your background?  Where are you from?

My name is Ben Hinson. I was born in Nigeria, and to date have lived in Nigeria, Ghana, England and numerous locations throughout the United States. New York City is my current stomping ground.

Your latest project, Eteka: Rise of the Imamba sounds like it will be an exciting read. Can you summarize what it is about?

Eteka: Rise of the Imamba is a novel based on global mercenary activity that takes place during the Cold War era and the 1990s. The novel falls under the literary/historical fiction genre and will be available hopefully by the end of this year.

What inspired you to write about mercenary activity in Africa, Asia and beyond?

My inspiration to write this novel came from a number of sources: my love of history, my experience with martial arts, my experience with different cultures around the world and my heritage as an African. My novel is the combination of all these elements. I wanted to tell a gritty, action packed, original story from a non-western perspective that transcends national lines and expectations. I wanted to create a universe filled with complex characters from diverse backgrounds that interact with each other against the backdrop of historic events. I also wanted to showcase the cultures of all the countries featured in my novel, and educate my readers while treating them to an exciting, suspenseful ride!   

I’m curious to know how your novel ties into Asia and vice versa. Can you shed some light on that?

Asia, specifically Indonesia during the 1950s is featured within my novel. This period, characterized by the Cold War, was an interesting time the world over. Military tensions were at play between the major western and eastern powers, fueled by differences in political and economic ideologies. Proxy wars were being fought across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The Non-Aligned Movement, which consisted of a few Asian and African member states, would make its presence known on the global political scene. It’s against this backdrop that Indonesia makes its appearance within my novel. I don’t want to give too much away, but there is a must read action sequence I created in this region that you’re not going to want to miss!

Can you personally relate to any of the scenes/experiences in your upcoming novel?

Yes. I have lived in a few of the regions featured in my novel, and I did attend a junior level military academy here in the US for three years, so I was exposed to that level of consistent discipline. I have also trained in a few of the martial art forms featured in my novel.  

In your blog, you've gone into great detail regarding the history and cultures of all the countries featured in your upcoming novel.  How many countries will be featured? Why so many countries?

My blog has been a project in itself (smile), which I created to give you and my audience the best reading experience possible. There will be a total of 14 countries featured in my upcoming novel. The simple answer as to why I wanted to feature so many countries is that I wanted the challenge of mapping two timelines across multiple locations. It felt like I created and solved my own puzzle! I also love the concept of diversity. The world is a very large place, filled with many different cultures and tons of great history to pull from. I wanted to create a gritty story that would both entertain and educate on not just history, but on the global melting pot that is our world.

What was the research process like for this project?

The research behind this project was very extensive! To give you a small disclaimer: every novel I write in some form or another is research based. This is why they take so long to create! For Eteka: Rise of the Imamba, my research involved collaborating with various university professors here in the United States and in England, reading through countless research journals, reading through books written on various themes featured in my novel, pulling from my past experience living in a few of the locations featured in my work, and spending many nights and afternoons in libraries all over New York City!

How long did it take you to finish writing this novel?

I started writing the first draft of Eteka: Rise of the Imamba in 2009, and we are wrapping up final edits as I type this. So, approximately five and a half years, rounded out to six if we take research into consideration.

How do you want your readers to walk away after reading your work?

With their mouths wide open and their brains overworked with literary pleasure! I guarantee that you and everyone who reads Eteka: Rise of the Imamba when it comes out will not be able to put the novel down and will beg for more when they are done!

For an author who is not out yet you seem to already have quite a following in social media. How did this happen?

One reason I believe people have responded positively to my project is that I take them along for the ride that is my publication journey. I get their feedback on the various parts of the project that I create, so they know they are taking the journey with me. It’s a beautiful thing because I know they are supporting me based on the projects potential. Another reason for the positive support is because I provide a lot of rich content around my novel, a lot of which you can find on my blog.

When are you most creative?

I am creative all the time, 24/7. If an idea crosses my mind I do my best to save it and go over it at a time in the day when I am free.

What are your hobbies besides writing?

Video games, swimming, basketball, drawing, and martial arts training when time permits. I also enjoy writing poetry.   

You mentioned poetry, how do you approach writing poetry and what are your influences?

I write poetry whenever I am moved to do so. True poetry I believe is an emotional impulse, and the best time to write is when the feeling and idea comes to mind, so the originality stays intact. If writing your thoughts is not possible when the impulse comes, say for example if you are working, in a meeting or driving, then I recommend jotting the idea down in a notepad or phone or committing it to memory so you can act on it later when time permits. This is a great habit for any idea you have, whether it be poetry, a new business idea, whatever it may be. I get inspired from experiences I have, things I have observed, teachings I learn from and faith in an unseen future. I write lyrical poetry, and I am convinced that connecting words lyrically with catchy punchlines in a format that makes sense is an art form in itself. Even more admirable is the ability to connect words lyrically in a mosaic that has a simple outward appearance yet timeless inner meaning. This is lyrical alchemy at its finest.

You have short poetry videos that you put together.  Can you share with us how you produced these videos?

First I selected which poems I wanted to visually illustrate, and then narrowed my selection down to as many poems as would fit within my budget. Then I went over the costs regarding camera equipment, editing software, talent and so on. Next came scouting the right locations across New York City to shoot the videos, obtaining permissions wherever applicable, shooting the videos themselves and then editing the videos.

"Wanna Be Rapper" 

Actor: Jennifer Robayo 

Shot in SoHo, New York City

"King" 

Actor: Isaiah Clifton 

Shot in SoHo, New York City

"Do You Believe" 

Actor: Paul Thomas Ryan 

Shot in SoHo, New York City

What do you want to say to your readers?

Thank you for your support and for considering my work out of the thousands of other options you have! I promise to give you the experience of a lifetime with my upcoming novel, Eteka: Rise of the Imamba!

Where can readers find your books or learn more about you?

You can learn more about me on my website, www.benhinson.com. I also encourage you to check out my blog at https://medium.com/@BenHinson/publications where I’ve given great overviews of all the locations featured in my upcoming novel, recipes from these places and so much more! Finally I invite you to follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OfficialBenHinson to stay updated regarding my activities!

Click Here to go to Eteka:  http://www.benhinson.com/Synopsis.html

*All data including images and videos for this interview was used with the permission of the author.  They belong to the rightful owner and this blog claims no ownership. 

The Black Chinese

In my book series, The Beijing Family, the main character Kara Chan is a Chinese American.  Her boyfriend is black.

GASP! OH MY GOD! HOLY SRIRACHA!   

That’s right, you heard me right.  A Chinese-American female urban professional is with a Black man!  This is how they might look:

Aiya! Tsk, tsk, tsk…..(if you ‘re not sure what Aiyah means, see my blog “The Real Meaning of Chinese expression Aiyah! click here: http://bit.ly/OIgn3f) 

That’s the reaction I got from my mother’s friends one fine Sunday afternoon when I was having brunch with them. 

Albeit, Eden Malone is a Harvard graduated attorney working in Hong Kong and fluent in Chinese in my book.  The fact remains he is Black.  Black as in African American, Negroid or my favorite - Hei Gwai 黑鬼, the Chinese slang for black person with a literal translation meaning ‘black devil’.  I didn't invent this crude and offensive slang, so don’t hate me.

That afternoon, I sat at a restaurant table with my mother and her girlfriends while enjoying Sunday brunch.  The bright California sun shined through the French door windows while a pianist delighted the room with classical music in the background.  A few months prior, my mother proudly gave her friends free copies of my books to show off her daughter’s accomplishments.  She was hoping that her girlfriends would read my books and enjoy them.

One of my mother’s friends wearing a strand of pearl necklace turned to me and complimented, “I read the books your mother gave me.  Congratulations on being published." 

I replied with a smile, “Thanks” and continued to eat my brunch.  I then asked her, “Did you enjoy it?”

Mrs. Pearl Necklace paused, placed down her glass of mimosa champagne and commented, “I did enjoy it.  It was funny.  However, I have to ask….do you have a Black boyfriend?”  Suddenly, the table turned quiet.    

I was caught off guard.  “Er…..what?” I asked.  

Mrs. Pearl Necklace asked again, “Do you have a Black boyfriend?”

“No...I don't have a black boyfriend” I replied.  Why is she asking me if whether I have a black boyfriend and where are they going with this? 

Then the lady to my right with a designer handbag placed visibly next to her plate chimed in, “Ahh….yes, ….Eden….Eden is Black.  He’s the attorney who speaks Chinese.”

“That’s right” I agreed.  I smiled in appreciation that they read my books. 

Then Mrs. Pearl Necklace turned to me with steely eyes and asked, “If you don’t have a Black boyfriend, then why you have Black boyfriend in your books?”    

I was stunned. It felt like the death-threatening Chinese interrogation by the Red Army Soldiers in China only with added racism and ignorance twisted in.   

"WHY YOU HAVE BLACK BOYFRIEND??" 

Immediately my mom chimed in to ‘save face’ for me and said in Mandarin, “Oh you know, these young generation….they’re always up to something.”

Then Mrs. Designer Handbag commented, “In The Joy Luck Club, the men were Asian and White, why you Black?”  

I sighed and couldn't help but rolled my eyes.  

Immediately, I replied, “I Black...because I’m not Amy Tan, this is not the Joy Luck Club.  It’s 2014 and the US has a Black president….for two terms! You know, the guy with the big ears?"

There you have it!  Sign of the times.  But is it really a sign of modern times?  Is this really just a modern trend?  History shows that the Blacks and Chinese have been weaving in and out of each other lives dating back thousands of years.   

According to historians, there is substantial evidence that blacks inhabited early China during the early migrations of early man beginning in Africa.  Archeological studies have located a substratum in the earliest periods of Chinese history and reports of major kingdom ruled by Blacks are frequently in Chinese documents. (Kwang-Chih, The Archaeology of Ancient China, Yale University Press and Irwin Graham, Africans Abroad, Columbia University Press).  Archaeology and forensic tests confirm that China's first two important dynasties, the Xia and the Shang/ Chang, were Black Afrikan.  In northern China, the Blacks or Africoids founded many civilizations.  The Shang/Yin dynasty (1700-1050 BC) and the Zhou dynasty were founded by black tribes living in ancient China.  In fact, one of the legendary Chinese emperors Fu- Hsi (son of heaven) was a black man with an afro.  (Afrocentric Culture by Design.blogspot.com). 

I wonder if Emperor Fu-His looked like this?

Don Cornelius, founder and creator of the American television franchise, Soul Train.  

Or did he look like this?

Don King, prominent American boxing promoter for champion fighters including Muhammed Ali and Mike Tyson 

 Both men with impressive backgrounds and equally impressive afros.

These findings also support the theory some scientists believe that all human life began in Africa from one race, which was the original and aboriginal Black Afrikan race from the tropical regions of Afrika, in particular the Omo region of Ethiopia.  

School textbooks in China have been teaching that the Chinese race evolved from Peking Man , but Shanghai scientists and international researchers have recently dismissed this theory after discovering that early human families evolved in East Afrika some 150,000 years ago.  In 2005, a Chinese DNA specialist, Jin Li, leading a team of Chinese and other scientists, proved through DNA tests that indeed the first inhabitants of China were black Africans.  This claim is based on the DNA analyses of 100,000 samples collected from around the world, which prove that the 65 branches of the Chinese race share similar DNA mutations with the people of East and Southeast Asia, and have originated in Afrika.

For more exploratory reading about Blacks in Modern China:  

Written by Don J. Wyatt 

For more information about the book, click link here: 

http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/14684.html

Today, there are Black Chinese or “Blasians” worldwide including fashion runways and television.  

  

Naomi Campbell, world famous British model. 

Her grandmother is Chinese Jamaican and is named Ming.

Tyson Beckford, first African-American Ralph Lauren male model.  His mother is Chinese Jamaican.  I’ve had the pleasure of running into Tyson one Saturday evening on a flight out of Las Vegas.  Many women of all colors and sizes were trying to chat up with him and take pictures for obvious reasons..... 

Whether we are Chinese or Black, history shows that we as people have cross cultural breeding more often than we know.  Many of us carry genes of other races from long ago that we may not even be aware of.  We are more alike than we are different.  Whatever race we claim ourselves, we are descendants of the human race.   

Here are my favorite Fung Brothers on Youtube- "What are the similarities between Blacks and Asians?" 

"What are the similarities between Blacks and Asians?" 

The Beijing Family book series is a comedy drama about a Chinese billionaire and his family living in Beverly Hills where people derive from all walks of life.  It is only befitting that my characters reflect the different races, gender, sexual orientation and the variety that make up the greater metropolis of Los Angeles. Most importantly, I developed Eden Malone as a successful black man dating an MBA graduated, business owning Chinese American girlfriend in my book series to step out of the box for a change. Isn't it time we break away from that all too familiar bordering on monotonous White man-Asian female combo for a change?  So often, people stifle themselves with their own limiting and often thwarted viewpoints and the same thing gets repeated over and over again and nothing ever changes.  As a writer, I like to entertain with good stories but I hope to at least open people’s minds.  If I can’t enlighten readers with a slice of the world they've never seen before, then what good are we as writers?  What good are we if our art can’t relay a positive message to society?

If my ancestors were black and if she were female, I hope that she might be someone like: 

Queen Latifah, Golden Globe and Grammy award winning singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, television/music producer and television show host. 

And if he was male, I would want him to be someone like:

Barack Obama, the 44rth and current president of the United States.  The first African American to hold office. 

If your ancestors were black, who would you want them to be? 

Written by Gina Tang, author of The Beijing Family book series, www.thebeijingfamily.blogpost.com 

Photo credit: Google, Wikipedia