ABOUT....
The Author
Oluseyi worked in a bank and later at a Training and Consulting firm. She currently leads the Human Resources team in a Business Membership Organisation.
She discovered her love for writing and leadership growing up with a father who was a passionate leader within his spheres of influence and a book lover.
Her interest in leadership led her to the issue of sustainability; she is passionate about how leadership fosters sustainable development to guarantee a better world.
When Oluseyi is not writing, she is spending time with family, curled up with a great book, or surfing the net learning about varied subjects.
She also enjoys composing songs, singing, listening to sports commentary on radio, and watching cooking videos.
She is a healthy living enthusiast—an aspiring fitfam, really.
The Book
The rots must be cleared.
The divide must be bridged.
Is freedom coming?
Lord Clay Aster, a member of the Aristocracy of Onyx and a serving Lord in the Upper House of the Parliament, will do all it takes to rebuild the broken foundation of his fatherland. Joining forces with the new breed of nobles called the New Order, he must reduce inequality across the clans by entrenching justice and peace, as well as building safe and sustainable communities.
But when the plan suddenly involves Ava Woods—a Structural Engineer who is passionate about the environment and also craves freedom for her ostracized clan, he is not prepared for the ensuing chaos. People are being kidnapped; young men are being left for dead. The divide between the Upper class and ‘the least’ tribe of Onyx cannot be bridged after all. The taboo that the age-long filth of the Ilana clan cannot taint the Aristocracy cannot be broken.
The plan could free a whole clan from decades-long bondage. But Ava has spent a good part of her life loathing the Upper class. Will she allow forgiveness and healing to take the lead? Can Clay and Ava figure out who they are up against and stop the raging violence?
Author's Note
I had a wonderful time writing the story of Ava and Clay in the first book of the Ancestry of Hope series.
It was a delight spending time with these inspirational characters and their friends who display what true leadership is about. They are remarkably courageous people—working tirelessly to bring about societal changes.
They show us that we can live in a way that ensures ‘the meeting of the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.’ They remind us that it is the responsibility of everyone to build a sustainable and vibrant now and future.
Flaming Ice is set in Onyx, a fictional African country where a form of Aristocracy is being practised. Onyx is a class-conscious society in which a lot of rot (corruption, inequality, oppression, etc.) runs deep. However, a new type of nobility is emerging called the New Order. They are the set of nobles that want to balance the scales and create a country where everyone is made to feel important and respected—a country that is built on love, truth, integrity and excellence.
Flaming Ice was inspired largely by the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN; it was an unexplored vantage point from which I felt I could attempt to broach the challenges of failing leadership, worsening ecological degradation, poverty, oppression, conflict, injustice, discrimination, and many others that had become common to our society. Seeing how we can transform our world if we all commit to the protection of the environment, economic advancement, and social development; I knew I had to write it. My interest in writing this book was also stirred by great African leaders who, despite the various barriers in their pursuit of change, made a positive impact.
Thus, this book is about the strong connection that exists between leadership and sustainable development. Without good leadership, sustainable growth or development cannot happen. Poor leadership has been the bane of advancement in our continent; it is a cankerworm that affects us all. Therefore, everyone needs to develop their leadership capabilities irrespective of whether they hold any position of authority or not. When we all act as leaders in our various capacities —however little it may seem—we will be in a better place than where we are now.
It is my hope then, that you will be inspired to get interested in transformational and sustainable leadership and apply the principles you learn from this book in your family unit, at work, or anywhere you may find yourself. By this you will consciously and responsibly create a better everyday life for yourself and others.
Each book as it will be released in the Ancestry of Hope series can be read as a standalone. They may be about serious issues affecting the continued existence of the earth and its inhabitants; however, the stories of the memorable men and women in the series are told in an exciting political, romantic thriller style that would enlighten and entertain you.
You will certainly be hooked from the beginning!
Flaming Ice will gladden your heart, motivate you to ignore barriers—limits and fears—and push forward each day with the mindset of victory. It will also show you how choosing to forgive, however deep the hurt, can be so liberating. You will see that above all, truth and love conquer all.
I do hope that just like the uncommon and resilient heroes of the Onyx nation, you will be challenged to love and live in a way that values and enriches the lives of others. And that no matter how small the chance to make a difference, you take it—grasp it!
The future is here; we act now!