Nigerian love stories often find themselves entangled in a familiar web of heartbreak, betrayal, and trauma. They captivate us with their raw emotion but rarely offer an escape, a dream, or a reason to hope. Comfort Omovre’s debut novel is a refreshing departure from this well-worn path. It is a love story that chooses healing over pain, joy over despair, and hope over cynicism. Uju and Tade are not battling each other or drowning in toxicity; they are two souls navigating the beauty and vulnerability of love. Set against the festive backdrop of Christmas, Omovre’s When Love Visits is a narrative that feels like a warm embrace, perfect for the season. It is a story about surrendering to possibilities and finding strength in connections that uplift rather than destroy.
In this interview, Nwodo Divine speaks with Comfort Omovre about her inspiration, her mission to redefine Nigerian romance, and why her novel is one to cherish this Christmas season.
- Love in literature can reveal as much about the times as it does about the characters. How does your novel speak to modern relationships, and are there any cultural or social issues you felt compelled to address?
If my novel speaks to modern relationships, I believe it primarily challenges the status quo. Because of the work I do as a counsellor who also runs an online brand geared towards helping people build healthier relationships, I’m constantly privy to the intricacies of modern-day relationships across social classes, ages, and ethnic groups. One thing I’ve come to realize is that a lot of relationships these days are gravely unhealthy.
However, because that seems to be the norm—what is commonly obtainable—people have begun to believe that perhaps that’s just how it’s meant to be. If anything, I wrote this novel to show people that love and relationships can be better than and different from what they’re used to. I wanted to exhibit what was possible in an ideal relationship and how the people involved could both thrive in their love if they chose to do it the right way. My utmost hope was that, more than seeing what was possible, people would try to emulate this in their various relationships as well, optimistically leading to the birth of new, more wholesome, real-life love stories.
As for cultural or social issues, I’d say there were about two I wished to briefly touch on: domestic violence and the concept of waiting to have kids long after marriage. As someone who’s made the latter decision herself and knows others who have, I’m well aware of the opposition and presumptions we often face. With my book, I wanted to reiterate that waiting to become a parent until one feels ready is completely fine and, in fact, something that should be celebrated in our society.
Most of all, I also wanted to, if only subtly, convey the message that being hit even once by your partner is more than enough “times” to make you walk away. That families of victims have a role to play in ensuring that their daughters can safely escape their abusers and rebuild beautiful lives for themselves.
- Readers often look for something to take away from a love story. What do you hope readers feel or learn by the time they close the final page of your book?
That love can be soft, wholesome, and easy—not in a way that doesn’t require any work, but in the way that doesn’t feel like a struggle you must wake up and fight through every other day of your life, with only glimpses of joy in between. I wanted my readers to leave their reading experiences with these facts: that effective communication, willingness to be vulnerable, transparency, and honest intentions are often the foundational pillars of any successful relationship. I wanted them to have their hope restored for the idea of finding love again, even after being hurt, and most importantly, to encourage them to embark on their healing journeys without waiting on a new love to suddenly ‘fix’ everything for them.
- Many readers have expressed their pleasure with the emotional depth of the dialogues between your main characters. How did you approach crafting the conversations between your protagonists to capture their chemistry and emotional journey?
Ans: Personally, I’m a huge fan of dialogue. Even whilst reading, I find myself skimming past narrations so I can get right to the dialogue, as I believe they do more in succinctly portraying the personalities of characters as well as the dynamic across various relationships. So, for this book, I wanted the dialogues to feel as real and natural as possible, like an interaction that you’d typically witness, or even partake in yourself, in real life. Hence, I immersed myself in each character, my understanding of their persons, as well as their relational ties across board, and I kept asking myself, “What would someone like this character typically say in real life?” What action seems most natural to accompany these words?” I suppose that really worked well, and I’m glad that my readers were able to see and appreciate it too. Although I have heard from a lot of editors in my ghostwriting years that my dialogues are often their favourite parts of my books, so I suppose there is also a possibility that it’s just a natural flair I have.
- Which actors or actresses do you envision as the leads in a film adaptation of your novel, and why?
To be honest, I’d choose Nancy Isime for the role of Uju. I must admit that it’s more of a personal bias. I adore Nancy and I’m a fan of most of her works, if not all. For me, seeing her play Uju would be a dream come true. There’s also the fact that when it comes to physique, I may or may not have taken a cue from Nancy’s looks. Aside from my bias and the similarities in physique, though, I think Nancy is a brilliant actress who would carry Uju’s character well. As for the male lead, to be quite honest, I’m still a little undecided. I’d say Shamz Garuba definitely fits the physique I imagined for Tade, but a lot of readers have been voting Ayoola Ayolola when it comes to charisma, and I cannot argue against that. I too think he’s such a charming actor, and Tade, if anything at all, is well known for his charms. So, there you have it.
- The endings in romance novels are often eagerly anticipated. Without spoilers, what kind of ending did you feel was necessary for this love story?
A happy ever after ending, of course! It’s such a beautiful love story. Honestly, I think there was only one way it could have ended—the way it did!
- Many writers have a specific routine or ritual that gets them “in the zone.” What does your writing routine look like?
Ans: I wouldn’t say I have any ritual per se. I do know, though, that I love to write straight out of sleep. Whenever I’m in the middle of developing a story, especially with a countdown ticking, I do this thing where I just shut out the rest of the world and focus only on writing. I turn off notifications, block off my calendars, take a break from my business, and I even forget to eat a lot of times (I know, I know). It’s like I become a wordsmithing zombie. I just wake up, brush my teeth, drink some water, go to my desk, and start typing away. That is, until my stomach begins to gnaw at my insides or my husband forces me to prioritize myself. All in all, I’d say one thing I always do is sleep before writing. I suffer from brain fogs a lot, and I’ve found that a little nap or a long sleep helps clear my head enough for the creative juices to flow uninterruptedly.
7. How do you handle critiques on your work, and has reader feedback ever shifted your approach to writing romance?
As for critiques, people always look at me amusingly when I say I welcome every single one. Even the ones that were delivered harshly, rudely, or weren’t even critiques at all, just straight up bashing. I would say that my years as a ghostwriter have significantly contributed to my ability to do this. For that duration, I worked with multiple publishing presses across the globe, all of which had a myriad of editors who often never ran out of “feedback” to give. Some were kind and considerate; others didn’t care to wrap their words in flowers.
The feedback that fell into the latter category at the start used to sting and make me feel awful about myself as a writer. However, I soon realized one thing: that after my sulking, when I eventually tied on my big girl shoes and put all their corrections to work, the project often turned out so much better. Even more so, taking their feedback as pointers and applying them subsequently to my writing only made me a better writer overall. So, I learnt to be grateful for and even began to look forward to critiques of my writing, as I now saw them as one major way to grow as an artist.
Despite having quit ghostwriting two years ago, this is a disposition I continue to have and hope to carry through my years as an author. I just want every new work to be better than my last, and as such, I’d always be open to critiques—even though there’s no denying that sometimes they do still sting (hehe). But that’s to be expected, I suppose. After all, I am only human. Regarding whether feedback has ever influenced my approach to writing romance, I would say it has, to some extent. However, feedback has never fundamentally altered the core of my work as an artist. I want to be an author that stands out in the way she writes romance stories and the relational dynamics she portrays between characters, and that wouldn’t happen if I let myself be turned and tossed by every gust of wind. A little bit contradictory, I understand. But many times, life is all about checks and balances, isn’t it?
- Have you experienced “writer’s block” on your journey? If so, how did you overcome it, and did that experience teach you anything about your process or style?
I wouldn’t call them writer’s block per se, they’re more like creative fatigue. Then again, I suppose it happens differently for every writer. During this time, I simply let myself rest and focus on consuming other kinds of art—movies, animations, and books. Give it a few days, and I’m often ready to get back into the “zone,” with enough rest and stimulation (inspiration).
- What’s a lesson from this novel-writing journey that you wish you’d known when you first started writing?
That writing and self-publishing a book was the hardest thing I was ever going to do, and that I was going to take so many wrong turns before finally getting to my desired destination. I wish I’d been aware of all the wrong turns ahead of time so I could have avoided them. Nonetheless, I’m grateful for the experience and all the hard-learnt lessons. At least now I know so much better.
- Are there any particular authors or books that inspired or influenced your approach to writing romance?
Ans: To be quite honest, right now, I can’t think of any author that has influenced my approach to writing romance. That’s because I’m very deliberate about the way I choose to write romance stories. But if you’re asking if I’ve been inspired by any romance authors in general, the answer is yes—countless. My favourites are Debbie Macomber, Nora Roberts, Christina Lauren, Chief Chimamanda Adichie, and Elizabeth Lowell.
- What advice would you give to aspiring writers who are just beginning their journey?
Whatever your dreams are, they’re entirely valid. Never stop writing and sharing your work. Ask questions if necessary. Get in touch with authors and form genuine connections; attend workshops if you can. Join an active community and participate. Overall, keep writing every single day if you can, and never stop reading. As long as you remain on the journey, taking steps towards your goal each day, one of those days you’ll look up and realize that you’re already living your dreams. I’m rooting for you! You’ve got this!
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