Chinaza Bado: Fantasy Is More of a Truth Teller
In this interview, author Chinaza Bado discusses putting her characters through the ringer in her new fantasy novel, Birth of a Dynasty.
Chinaza Bado was born in Canada but is a daughter of a father from Obizi Mbaise in Imo state and mother from Okija in Anambra, both of the Igbo tribe, whose people are located in the Southeastern region of Nigeria. She grew up listening not only to stories of great Igwe's, Eze's, Obi's, travelers, and native rulers, but also of myths and legends from all across the world. You may also know her as the internationally bestselling romance author J.J. McAvoy—Chinaza Bado will be her pen name for her fantasy novels. Learn more at ChinazaBado.com, and follow her on Instagram.
In this interview, Chinaza discusses putting her characters through the ringer in her new fantasy novel, Birth of a Dynasty, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Chinaza Bado
Literary agent: Natanya Wheeler via Nancy Yost
Book title: Birth of a Dynasty
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release date: July 29, 2025
Genre/category: Fantasy Fiction, High fantasy, Adventure fiction, Historical fantasy, Epic fantasy
Elevator pitch: Game of Thrones meets Children of Bone in an epic story of vengeance.
What prompted you to write this book?
I have always been a reader of fantasy, historical fiction, and political drama. And I find it fascinating how often fantasy is more of a truthteller to history and politics than anything else—how nations rise and fall, how power is amassed and then lost. However, I often found the visibility of Black characters sparse if any are included at all. Countries with a majority Black population have experienced the ebb and flow of power struggles, too! I wanted to create a world where we exist at every level as the majority and tell the stories that happen in every society: power, drama, love, war, and nation building.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I wasn’t sure how long it took me to go from idea to publication until I checked my files. I just realized I began outlining Birth of Dynasty on August 8, 2018. So, it has taken about seven years. The idea changed as I was trying to figure out what ancient civilization to base my story in. I did so much research I found myself overwhelmed the first year. So, I put the story down and came back with the idea to base it in fantasy world reminiscent of Africa pre-colonization. Obviously, it’s not a complete similarity but that became my base.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I had previously written romance under a pen name. When I sent the manuscript to my agent, I told her that it was different. So, I was definitely feeling some nerves and vulnerability. But I had seen the fantasy landscape change as several other fantasy novels with Black or African connections not only became popular, but achieved bestseller status.
After she read, my agent called me to tell me she was floored and that she loved it. And then when we put it on submission, I think we got an offer in two weeks, which I know is incredibly fast. I’ve long admired Harper Voyager’s books and am so honored to be published by them. And I’m so grateful to all the Black authors in the fantasy space who unknowingly helped me and paved the way for my book to be possible.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I’m not sure if it was a surprise but the most pleasant thing I found as I began writing was just how much history and inspiration I was able to find throughout the whole continent of Africa.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope they get renewed sense of adventure, and I hope to get them emotionally invested in these characters. I do put my characters through the ringer, and I want readers to really laugh, cry, and rage with them.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
The advice I think I will always give is to Just Write. Even if you don’t think your idea will sell, even if your idea is too niche, even when you don’t want to; just write. Because a space will open one day and when it does, you can move without hesitation to grab it.
