PHOTO: Damien D’Soul, Nigerian-born author of contemporary novels and screenplays, known for his fearless exploration of complex relationships and genre-blending narratives.
Literary Voices Shaped By Heritage And Humanity
Damien D’Soul reflects on his journey as a Nigerian-born author, blending genres, heritage, and human complexities in works like The Rabbit’s Man and The Story of Michael.
Damien D’Soul was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and from there he has carved out a body of work that moves with striking boldness across genres. From contemporary thrillers to erotica and drama, his writing resists confinement, choosing instead to dwell in the spaces where human relationships, personal struggles, and cultural complexities intertwine. His novels, stories, and screenplays do not shy away from the uncomfortable—they confront, reveal, and compel the reader to follow.
In The Rabbit’s Man, a work first written on a dare and long kept aside before its eventual release, D’Soul demonstrates his affinity for intricately woven narratives shaped by influences such as Graham Greene and John le Carré. The novel reflects not only a literary lineage but also the lived realities of militant conflict in southern Nigeria, transforming personal and political tensions into a story both intimate and far-reaching.
Equally, works such as The Story of Michael reveal his gift for blending genres—infusing an erotic undercurrent into a heightened thriller while maintaining a sharp exploration of human motivation. At the heart of his writing lies an enduring fascination with how people relate to one another and to themselves, a focus that imbues his stories with rawness, vulnerability, and truth.
With over thirty works behind him, Damien D’Soul remains a restless storyteller, constantly seeking fresh ways to capture the complexities of life. His writing speaks both from his Nigerian heritage and beyond it, offering a vision of storytelling that is unafraid to cross borders, both geographical and emotional.
YOUR NOVEL THE RABBIT’S MAN WAS WRITTEN A DECADE AGO. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO REVISIT AND PUBLISH IT NOW?
The Rabbit’s Man was my first written novel, but not my first published work. I was unprepared for the grueling aftermath it brought me when I finished it. I wrote the book on a dare: A German writer, who was a mentor/friend, inspired me to give it a try; I’d only written short stories and novellas before then.
The book was daunting, and I stored it away for years after I’d finished, not feeling too confident about its worth. It wasn’t until years later when I’d gotten better with my writing that I felt courageous enough to rediting the work and put it out.
HOW DID YOUR EARLY INFLUENCES, SUCH AS GRAHAM GREENE AND JOHN LE CARRÉ, SHAPE THE NARRATIVE STYLE IN THE RABBIT’S MAN?
I’ve always loved reading John Le Carre novels; I once stole one of his books (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) from a public library decades ago when I was in my twenties. The way he was able to weave intricate plot amid diverse characters was always intruging, and when it came time to write The Rabbit’s Man, his style was the utmost choice.
I utilised the story arc from his book “The Tailor of Panama”, which also was a take on Graham Green’s “Our Man in Havana”, except mine is tailored towards the militant activity terrorising southern Nigeria at the time, and somewhat to this day.
THE STORY OF MICHAEL HAS RECEIVED HIGH PRAISE. WHAT THEMES OR MESSAGES DO YOU HOPE READERS TAKE AWAY FROM IT?
The Story of Michael was written as a sequel to The Story of Caya, and it continues where the Caya story left off, where the main character and her family got kidnapped in Nigeria and turned into sex slaves, the Michael story involves her American boyfriend travelling to Nigeria to see about rescuing her. It’s more of an erotic adventure story, except the thriller aspect is more enhanced than on the first.
IN YOUR WORKS, YOU OFTEN EXPLORE COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS. WHAT DRAWS YOU TO THESE INTRICATE DYNAMICS?
I enjoy watching people interact with themselves, each other, and their environment; it’s a social experiment I find most intruiging. People are often their own worse enemy, especially when it involves recognising an important aspect of their lives that they’re unwilling to address. I get thrilled when observing my characters interact to when they inevitably confront and accept their true nature in the end.
YOUR WRITING SPANS VARIOUS GENRES. HOW DO YOU APPROACH GENRE BLENDING IN YOUR STORIES?
That usually depends on the particular story I intend to tell. Some stories come to you with different aspects that forces you to see them different from whatever previous work you’ve written. Especially when writing short stories. I would love to write historical/periodic-driven works, though I feel I haven’t yet matured enough to tackle that genre. Hopefully when a particular story comes to me then I’ll see how to go about it.
BEING BORN IN PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA, HOW HAS YOUR HERITAGE INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING?
It has its ups and downs. Regarding the up, it’s served as giving me a distinct place to start. I’m lucky to have been born at a time when reading books meant something compared to know when almost everything you can get from your phone, hence most kids growing up know little about the value that comes with storytelling in books. I’m glad to say that I still uphold that culture, and I probably would have fared differently if where someplace else.
As for its downside, I’ve never wanted to be a mere Nigerian writer; my goal has always been to be a world-renowed storyteller. If I can showcase my brand of storytelling from my side of the world, including its cultural and historical background, then that’s what I’d love to achieve.
WITH OVER THIRTY BOOKS AND SCREENPLAYS, HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN CREATIVITY AND AVOID BURNOUT?
Books, poems, short stories, and screenplays. The truth is I’m equally amazed that I’ve written this much. There once was a time when I could cut down on my creative thoughts and pretend its just another ordinary day without me writing something down. But those days have long faded from memory. I’m steadily bombarded with ideas of stuff to write about, though some are too farfetched to see it clearly, I have to stay patient and wait for them to get bold and strong enough to grasp their clarity. Usually when that happens, I have to work as fast as I can to write it down or fear losing the idea forever.
I can say that my writing strength is somewhat dim because I haven’t travelled in a while. If I were in some foreign country, my pen wouldn’t stop flowing.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER TO ASPIRING AUTHORS LOOKING TO START THEIR WRITING JOURNEY?
Read as diverse as you can. Travel, if you can afford to, but if not, then read about other countries. Also, learn to know more about yourself. Only then can you unlock the hidden storytelling inside you.
