Author of Tomorrow 2019 - Innocent Ilo

And the Rain Will Come from the Mountain by Innocent Ilo (age 21)

Zim is a young boy who sets off to Mmili Mountain to save his village from drought. He is armed with his strength, wisdom, and a magical map his late father drew for him.

1. What is your favourite book?
   I wish I had a favorite book. It's so hard to pick one book as my favorite. Any book that has magic and wonder that makes the reader feel new things is an instant favorite for me.
2. Who is your favourite author? Or one who has inspired you and why?
   I don't have a 'favorite' author but I knew I wanted to tell stories after reading Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
3. What is/was your favourite subject at school?
   Geography, economics, literature.
4. What does ‘adventure writing’ mean to you? Why did you choose to try your hand at an adventure story?
   Adventure writing for me is creating wonder, exploring new worlds, stakes, quickened pulses, an escape from the boring reality I live in. My father told me adventure stories when I was little, filling me with a sense of wonder to write them as I grew up.
5. If you could ask an author anything, what would you want to know?
   Ummmmm...How do they deal with self-doubt?
6. Who would you consider one of your heroes and why? (This does not have to be a writer…)
   My hero is Cristina Yang. She makes me brave.
7. What is the most adventurous thing you would like to do, or place you would like to visit and why?
   I would like to visit the Great Pyramid of Egypt!!!
8. Where do you find inspiration for your stories? (Books, historical events, famous adventurers/explorers, news etc.)
   People. People inspire my stories the most; family, friends, classmates, strangers. I'm always wondering "What is the story behind this person?".
9. If you could time travel, where would you go and why?
   I've read enough SciFi to know how tricky time travels can be
10. What three words would you use to describe your story?
    Ethereal. Emotional. Compelling.