Tomi Adeyemi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tomi Adeyemi
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Adeyemi at the 2024 National Book Festival
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| Born | August 1, 1993 |
| Occupation | Writer, Creative Director |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
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Tomi Adeyemi (born August 1, 1993) is an American writer and a coach for creative writing. She is famous for her book Children of Blood and Bone. This book was the first in her Legacy of Orïsha series. It quickly became a #1 bestseller on The New York Times Best Sellers List.
Her book won several awards, including the 2018 Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy. In 2019, she was listed in Forbes magazine's "30 Under 30" list. In 2020, TIME magazine named her one of the 100 Most Influential People. Her book Children of Blood and Bone is being made into a movie by Paramount Pictures.
Contents
Tomi's Early Life
Tomi Adeyemi was born in the United States on August 1, 1993. Her parents moved to America from Nigeria. Her father was a doctor in Nigeria. In the U.S., he worked as a taxi driver while waiting to get his medical license. Her mother worked as a cleaning woman.
Tomi grew up in Chicago. Her parents did not teach her or her siblings their native Nigerian language. Later, as an adult, she learned to appreciate her Nigerian background. She said that when you are young, you just want to fit in. You don't realize how special your culture is until you get older. She has called one of her books a "love letter" to her culture.
Tomi wrote her first story when she was five years old. She kept writing all through her teenage years. She finished Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale, Illinois in 2011. She also won scholarships during her high school years. Tomi then went to Harvard University and earned a degree in English Literature. After that, she studied West African mythology and culture in Salvador, Brazil. This trip inspired her to write Children of Blood and Bone, which started her successful writing career.
Tomi's Writing Journey
After college, Tomi moved to California. She worked at a film company in Los Angeles. When she decided to work fewer hours to write a book, her parents were a bit worried. Tomi explained that as a first-generation Nigerian-American, her parents hoped she would become a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. She was lucky that her parents supported her dream, even if they were not completely sure about it at first.
Tomi wrote a first novel that did not get good reviews. So, she gave herself one year to write another book. This book became Children of Blood and Bone. She entered it into Pitch Wars, a program where new writers get help from editors and authors to improve their work.
The Legacy of Orïsha Series
Tomi's first book, Children of Blood and Bone, came out in March 2018. It quickly became the number 1 Young Adult Hardcover Bestseller on The New York Times list. It is a fantasy novel for young adults. The main character, Zélie Adebola, fights against a monarchy to bring magic back to her people.
Tomi said she wanted to write a fantasy book set in West Africa. She wanted "a little Black girl [to] pick up my book one day and see herself as the star." She wanted them to know they are beautiful and important, and can have amazing adventures. Children of Blood and Bone won the 2018 Andre Norton Award and was a finalist for the 2019 Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book.
In 2017, Fox 2000 Pictures bought the rights to make the book into a movie. This was a very big deal for a first-time author.
Her second book, Children of Virtue and Vengeance, was released in December 2019. It also became a #1 New York Times Bestseller.
In 2020, Disney announced that its companies, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Studios, would make Children of Blood and Bone into a movie. However, Tomi was not happy with how slowly the movie was moving forward. She wanted to write the script, but Lucasfilm said no. Since Lucasfilm wanted to focus on its own movies like Star Wars and Indiana Jones, they let the movie rights go in 2021.
In 2022, Paramount Pictures bought the rights to the movie. This time, Tomi Adeyemi will write the script and also be an executive producer. In 2023, it was announced that Gina Prince-Bythewood would direct the movie.
In June 2024, Tomi released the last book in the series, Children of Anguish and Anarchy. This book also became a #1 bestseller on the New York Times list.
Other Things Tomi Does
While writing her first book, Tomi Adeyemi also worked as a creative writing coach. Besides being a successful novelist, she teaches creative writing through her online course, The Writer's Roadmap. Her website has been named one of the best for writers.
Tomi also appeared in the last episode of a web series called Hermione Granger and the Quarter Life Crisis. She was also hired to work on an animated series called My Dad the Bounty Hunter.
About Tomi's Life
Tomi Adeyemi lives in New York City, New York. She is of Yoruba heritage, which means her family comes from the Yoruba people of Nigeria. She has two siblings. Her mother manages places that care for sick people near Chicago. Her father is a doctor, and her brother is a musician.
Tomi's Books
The Legacy of Orïsha Series
- Children of Blood and Bone (March 6, 2018)
- Children of Virtue and Vengeance (December 3, 2019)
- Children of Anguish and Anarchy (June 25, 2024)
Companion Books
- Awaken the Magic (journal) (April 7, 2020)
See also
In Spanish: Tomi Adeyemi para niños
