Nikki May's "This Motherless Land"

Born in Bristol and raised in Lagos, Nikki May is Anglo-Nigerian. Her critically acclaimed debut novel Wahala won the Comedy Women In Print New Voice Prize, was longlisted for the Goldsboro Glass Bell Award and the Diverse Books Award, and is being turned into a major BBC TV drama series. May lives in Dorset with her husband, two standard Schnauzers and way too many books. She should be working on her next book but is probably reading.

Here May dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, This Motherless Land:

I always cast my books before I write them – it’s one of the most fun bits. I print out pictures of my leads (and locations) and pin them to the board over my writing desk. When I can’t work out what a character would do – I look up and talk to them. It works!

For This Motherless Land, Funke was Thandie Newton and Kate was Rachel Weisz. I cast the supporting actors too, so Dominic West, Damian Lewis, Dame Maggie Smith and Dame Helen Mirren (I know – I dream big!) were on the board too.

The only thing is, Funke is nine when we meet her, and Liv is only ten – it’s easy to trawl the web for pictures of stars when they were young, slightly less easy to make a fifty-year-old pass for a pre-teen!

So, the real cast will be very different. I’ve just finished watching Industry and think Myha’la would make a great Funke (if she can drop her American accent). And Michelle Dockery could make a good Liv (though she might have to put on a few pounds).

The ink has just dried on the contract for the TV option for This Motherless Land (woo hoo!) so Myha’la and Michelle – are you listening?

Visit Nikki May's website.

Coffee with a Canine: Nikki May & Fela and Lola.

The Page 69 Test: This Motherless Land.

Writers Read: Nikki May.

--Marshal Zeringue