Kaylin Peyerk

Kaylin Peyerk is a lover of badass fantasy heroines and the sexy men who feel lucky to love them. She has five full bookshelves, a bursting Kindle library, and a total love for the written word. When she’s not crouched over the computer like a gremlin, you can find her curled up in a nest of blankets with a well-loved book, her two corgis Link & Gannon, and a steaming cup of hot cocoa...

Uncaged welcomes Kaylin Peyerk

Welcome to Uncaged! Your latest books are in the Her Ferocious Mates series. Can you tell us more about this series?

Her Ferocious Mates starts off with our main character, Jayden Yearwood, standing over her twin sister’s casket. Alexius has been murdered, and no one else seems to care but her. This lead’s Jayden to feel fury that is just as strong as her grief, and when the three princes of Ellion demand Jayden take her sister’s place as the next rising queen, she resents them for it. Rejects them as best she can while slinking around Ellion’s underground in search of answers about who murdered her sister and why. This is helped by her true alpha power which manifested the night her sister died, but not in time to save her. For this, Jayden feels an insurmountable amount of guilt that rides her even when she begins slowly falling for the triplets, who are her destined mates. This is a series full of zapping tension, political intrigue, and murder mystery! It’s great for lovers of plot driven, slow burn romance series with badass female main characters.

You also have a few other series out, what drew you to the paranormal genre to write in?

I’ve been reading paranormal and fantasy romance for way longer than I’ve been writing it. It all started in sixth grade when I discovered my love of young adult fantasy. The fantastical worlds authors could create from nothing were infinitely interesting to me. Plus, the sprinkle of romance was enthralling and kept me turning the pages. I wanted to write worlds just as praiseworthy, just as tantalizing. So, I wrote my first book at age fourteen—something that will never see the light of day—and have been writing ever since! Now that I’m an adult, there’s nothing wrong with fantasy that has a little steam to it. *wink wink*

What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?

The most difficult scenes to write are action sequences. I find it time consuming to make them realistic and worthy of the story they portray. In fantasy, the fight scenes have to be just as epic as the romance. Personally, I love writing stories that will hurt you first, and then give you the happily ever after you crave during the conclusion. To me, that makes the couple’s journey that much more real and worth fighting for. Thus, I take a lot of extra time polishing action sequences because they’re a big

In comparison, the easiest scenes for me to write are the small, intimate moments between the main characters. Their soft touches, longing glances from across the room, and laughter held between them. Alos, witty banter is my favorite thing between fantasy protagonists, and I find I really enjoy writing it.

What are you working on now that you can tell us about?

I’m currently writing Wolf Mated, book three of Her Ferocious Mates. It’s the epic conclusion for Jayden and her kings. They’ll get the justice they’ve been craving through some ups and downs that will make them that much stronger. The steamy bits of this book are hot, too. So, my readers can look forward to that!

Do you base any of your characters on real-life people?

This is a hilarious question I’ve been asked a lot, but no! I have never based a character off of anyone in real life. I’ve taken traits from some characters I loved reading about and portrayed them in my own stories, but that’s the extent of it for me.

What behind-the-scenes tidbit in your life would probably surprise your readers the most?

Before I became a full time author I was an accountant. A lot of people are surprised to hear it, as that job is very type A personality while being an author is type B. However, that was my practical side at work setting up a job that I can fall back on should I ever need it. But, for now, I’m basking in the glow of writing stories I love for a living!

Which comes first, the plot or the characters in the planning stages?

Most times, I get my plot ideas from wild dreams I have. I craft the characters after I get a solid look

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at the idea once it’s written down. If I like it, I run with it, and if I don’t then it sits on my massive google doc of book ideas until I pick it up one day! However, some of my most recent stories started with the idea of one strong main character popping into my head that wouldn’t let go. For instance, in my story The Failed Assassination of the Thunder God, my first thought was how interesting it would be to have an edgy, immortal assassin fall in love with a sunshine God. This is a tragic dark fantasy I’m writing and publishing for free on Tapas, WebNovel, and RoyalRoad under the pen name K. Klein.

What are some things you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing or working?

I love to play strategy centered video games like Team Fight Tactics or Civilization 5. They’re stimulating to the mind, but also really fun! However, I read probably ninety percent of the time, mostly high fantasy with heavy romantic elements. Another thing I enjoy is watching anime and reading manga of all genres. If you’re looking to get into it, try Attack on Titan or Demon Slayer!

What’s your favorite holiday? Do you have any special traditions?

My favorite holiday is definitely Christmas. This is because I’m a lover of wearing sweaters. drinking hot cocoa and watching the snowfall. There’s a certain measure of peace in the wholly consuming silence of a blizzard. I’m from the midwest, specifically Michigan where it snows a ton, so I’ve always enjoyed the cold. A special tradition my family has is opening the stockings the night before and one single present, just to enjoy the Christmas spirit two days in a row!

Do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or physical books? Are you reading anything now?

I prefer physical books but find myself reading eBook more often for convenience. As for what

I’m reading now—I’ve been incredibly interested in Chinese mythology centered stories following cultivation and political intrigue such as Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by MXTX. This story is so gripping and well done, I’d recommend it to anyone. There’s something about the tragedy of it all that pulls at your heart strings and makes you wonder what you would have chosen should you have been in their position. I love a narrative where the main characters have been through hell before grasping their happily ever after. If you do too and are willing to ride the learning curve of Chinese cultivation fiction, MXTX is a great author to try.

What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

I’d like to thank every single reader who picks up my book and loves my characters as much as I do. As most authors would tell you, my stories are all-consuming. When I’m not writing, I’m thinking about my plot, creating playlists for my characters, drawing them, and comparing them to stories I’ve read and will read. My characters will be loved by me no matter what, but it’s a privilege to have others enjoy them as well.

Stay Connected

kaylinwritesromanc.wixsite.com/ kaylinpeyerkauthor

Enjoy an excerpt from Wolf rejected

Wolf Rejected Kaylin Peyerk Paranormal Romance

True alphas are rare. . . And she is one.

A fact Jayden Yearwood has kept hidden since the night of her sister’s death. The power had come seconds too late to save her beloved twin—seconds too late to save her. For the moment Alexius rasped her final breath, Jayden’s fate had been sealed. If her sister could not become the next queen, the three princes demand Jayden take her place.

Because she’s also an omega, and omegas are meant to breed true alphas, not become them.

However, in the days that follow, Jayden can’t let the final words of her sister’s murderer go.

The princes will thank me for this.

Someone from the castle had her sister killed, and it will not go unpunished. In the shadows each night, Jayden slinks through Ellion with her new alpha power, looking for the person responsible for her sister’s murder. Yet, the more she uncovers, the more tangled the web becomes.

Now, she must find a way to be both the omega the world needs and the alpha she truly is. For the sake of her sister. For the sake of her family. Yet the princes make it incredibly hard. Pushing her buttons in all the wrong places. . . And sometimes the right ones.

Excerpt

Chapter One

Standing over your twin sister’s casket was a special kind of hell. Alexius looked like a perfect, bewitching doll. Hair elegantly styled, mouth set in a tasteful upward tilt, and resting in her favorite ruby dress. If Jayden wasn’t painfully aware of the bullet hole through her sister’s chest, she could almost convince herself Alex would wake at any moment. Sitting up to blind Jayden with one of her signature, mega-watt smiles. Her heart gave a violent tug, eyes stinging from refusing to blink. As though, if she did, she would never again see her sister’s face. Jayden had no will to cry, no need for it. She had done her fair share while holding her sister’s bloodied body; wailing until someone nearby had called the police. Now, her rage beat in time with her slow, monotonous heart. Twisting inside her ever since she witnessed Alex’s last breath leave her lungs in slow motion, taking half of Jayden’s soul with it.

The princes will thank me for this.

Jayden grit her teeth, flexing her hands at her sides. She took two steps away, moving so others could pay their respects but not going far at all. Her parents were nearby, speaking with whatever high order individuals had appeared at the service. Not once had they taken a break in their schmoozing to look at their dead daughter. Jayden watched them laugh and flourish their hands, blinking. How was everyone else fine? There was no universe in which Jayden existed, while Alex didn’t, that left her with any sort of comfort. Without thinking, she shoved her hands deep into the roots of her auburn hair, tugging.

Her eyes were still on the casket; the cherry wood she knew Alex would have hated. The peonies around it that her sister was allergic to. Her arms dropped back down to her sides limply. To any-

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the eventual personal mating toy of the men behind her—she never once spoke ill of it. Her sister wanted to marry the princes, and as long as it was her choice, Jayden had been happy to support her. But, with what she knew now. . .

The princes will thank me for this.

She’d do anything to turn back time. Yet she knew everyone and their mother who’d lost someone thought such a thing. Jayden sighed, dropping her chin to her chest and closing her eyes, brows furrowing at the continued commotion behind her.

F*ck, she wanted to throttle them for showing up here.

It had to be a publicity stunt. The murmurs grew louder, coming up to her back before stopping completely, the room falling so silent you could hear a pin drop. Hear the soft exhale Jayden let out between her lips, closing her eyes. They were behind her. Waiting.

She refused to turn.

“Have you come to pay your respects?” She asked. Many people choked on a gasp of outrage at her nonchalant tone. Deep inside, she knew she should at the very least address them properly, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so. Nothing in her chest was working right, not even her flip-flopping heart.

“Yes, we were saddened to hear of your sister’s death.”

She turned to stare them down, lips pursed. Were they now? Jayden would be hard pressed to believe them, but she forced herself to dip her chin in the barest showing of respect to their position. None of them appeared offended as they stared at her. Those luminous eyes of theirs narrowed. Not with disdain or dismissal, as she first assumed, but with curiosity. The one in the center smiled softly. “Of course. While we didn’t know her well, it was obvious she had a beautiful soul.”

Jayden’s lips twitched, aching to turn down at the corners, not at all impressed by his words. A beautiful soul? While it may be true, it wasn’t exactly a secret about Alex. Everywhere she went, she drew people along behind her. A simple grin of hers was enough to make a bad day a good one. But her sister was so much more than that.

Jayden held in the compulsion to blurt the words aloud. He was trying to be nice, not get on her bad side. Little did he know he was already there. Because, at the end of the day, they were the reason her sister was murdered. Just looking at them fueled the burning pit of rage in her stomach.

“Well, I will give you privacy,” she replied.

Jayden moved aside, allowing them forward. For a hovering second, none of them moved, eyes darting between her face and her sisters. Were they comparing them? The thought left an unpleasant taste in the back of her throat, so she turned, walking down the aisle toward the refreshment table in the back of the hall. Her parents watched her go with aghast expressions, having gone deathly pale. Yet Jayden felt no fear at all for the way she acted. She wasn’t rude, and if they wanted to execute her for her attitude, they could. It wouldn’t make much of a difference for her either way. Being alone in this awful society, which valued alphas over everyone else and used omegas as their playthings, felt like a nightmare.

She stopped at the table, stomach heaving. Everything looked good, but the idea of it was less than appetizing, even as her empty stomach growled. When was the last time she ate? The five days since her sister’s murder were a blur of hospital visits, police station accounts, and funeral preparation. Jayden licked her lips, accepting a glass of water offered to her by the kind

gentleman manning the table. He seemed to know she wasn’t up to eating.

“Thank you,” she demurred, moving off to a secluded corner of the room to watch what the princes would do next.

They stood at the casket, eyes riveted to the body within, unreadable expressions on their faces. They certainly didn’t look upset by her passing, that was for certain. Jayden’s grip on her glass tightened, teeth grinding together. A part of her thrashed in her chest, aching to rise, to do something about all her anger rather than bottle it up. She soothed the beast by taking a sip of water and a deep breath. Now was not the time to take revenge. It was uncertain whether they had any part in Alex’s death, and Jayden wanted to be absolutely unwavering when she spilled blood.

Because it would be spilled.

Another waitress passed, taking the empty glass, leaving Jayden to tear at the skin around her cuticles just to give her hands something to do. Her palms were sweaty, too, slipping and sliding together. She wanted to bolt out of the room, leaving everything and everyone behind for some peace and quiet. While no one dared try to speak with her about the death of her twin or attempt to comfort her, they also hadn’t left her alone since it happened. As if they thought she’d choose to join her. Jayden shook out her hands, hating the sting of her injured fingers but unable to blame anyone but herself. Damn, I’m losing it. Instead of watching their infuriatingly blank expressions for a moment longer, she strode outside, needing a breath of fresh air.

Of course, a security guard followed.

But she didn’t go far, propping herself on the marble railing overlooking the sprawling city below. The light of day had faded, showering the streets with a golden halo of light. Despite it all, her lips twitched up into a smile at the sight, memories of the past filling her head like distant echoes. She had spent many nights on their estate balcony arm in arm with Alex—whispering their dreams as the sun fell below the horizon. She lifted her face to the sky, looking at the vast canopy of stars rather than reminisce.

“Do you enjoy the outdoors?”

Jayden cursed to herself. “If you mean camping, then no. If you mean looking from afar, certainly.”

The eldest of the triplets—Kain—stepped up beside her, chuckling as he pushed his hands into the pockets of his trousers.

“A city woman, eh?”

Jayden cut her eyes to his. “How would I be anything different? I grew up in a family that has known nothing else but luxury.”

He tilted his head from side to side, lips pursed. “That’s very true. But if you could, would you go out and see the rest of Ellion? Even the parts of it that aren’t as pretty as our capital?”

It was a strange question to ask, but it intrigued her regardless. While Alexius was enthralled with parties, nobility, and luxurious gifts, Jayden spent her time walking the streets at night with her camera, snapping candids of people and places whenever the muse struck. Jayden was convinced no one knew this city better than she did. It made her even more confident in her ability to exact revenge on whoever dared take her sister’s life. But she pushed that obsessive thought away in favor of focusing all her attention on the man beside her, biting her bottom lip.

“I would, I think. Documenting it along the way, of course.”

He grinned. “Document it? Like what, writing a novel?”

She shook her head. “No, I love photography. My cloud server is full of photos that will never see the

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light of day. Only a few of my pieces have been shown, but that was more of a choice.”

“I understand. Photography is such a personal experience, don’t you think?”

Jayden, despite herself and her twisted soul, smiled. “All art is. I don’t take photos for anyone else, honestly. Is that selfish?”

Kain hummed, face contemplative, as he leaned one hip against the railing. He wasn’t looking at her, face turned toward the expansive city below and highlighted by the bright lights. It threw shadows across his features, softening them as he smiled. The pose made him appear more approachable, even though she knew he was anything but. Jayden turned away, trying to push aside the fluttering feeling in her chest.

He’s just a handsome supreme alpha. Get over it.

“No, I don’t think so. People could be a little more selfish these days, to be honest.”

Now that caught her attention, tickling the back of her brain as if she’d heard the words before. But no matter how hard she tried to grasp the memory, it slipped away like water rushing through her fingers.

“A little more selfish? I think that’s the root of all our problems.”

“Maybe. . . Or perhaps it’s the greed of men, not intriguing women like you.”

Her entire body froze at the compliment, and not because she was surprised by it or flattered. People like him do not say or do anything without a reason. Jayden was very familiar with the schmoozing tactics of the nobility. Whatever he wanted, he was buttering her up for the grand finale. Little did he know, Jayden wasn’t willing to participate in useless small talk. Cutting to the chase would get him away from her weak, easily influenced omega body that much faster.

“Oh? You flatter me, prince, but stop dancing around whatever it is you came here for. Tell me now and save us both the trouble.”

Kain gave a surprised laugh. “Ah, you’re refreshing! I’ve never met an omega quite like you.”

Jayden deigned to look at him, brows raised. “I’m sure you haven’t. It’s why my sister was chosen for you rather than me.”

Even mentioning her twin curdled Jayden’s stomach, but she pushed aside the reaction, dampening her anger and grief. Kain watched her do so, not missing a thing. And she had the fleeting thought that they were truly getting to know one another in these tense moments of silence.

While she ‘d met him before, it was brief and extremely formal. Neither of them had spoken directly, nor had she done so with his brothers. At that time, it felt like she was only a member of the enthralled audience, stretching toward the stage to get a millimeter closer. Or, at the very least, her standing at the back of the room and watching everyone else do so. Now it felt as if he was done with the performance, stepping off the stage as the lights winked out to stand before her.

Unapologetically himself.

“That’s what I came here to talk to you about,” he started, shifting from foot to foot.

It almost looked like he was nervous. And the idea of a prince being apprehensive in her presence was absurd. Not only that, but he had the audacity to discuss his ruined wedding plans now? She crossed her arms over her chest, looking down her nose at him as if he wasn’t a whole head taller than her. “You came to my sister’s funeral to discuss your terminated marriage contract with her corpse?” Jayden asked.

Kain flinched, closing his eyes. “Ah, no. Well, yes, but when you put it like that, it feels slimy.” The words were childish, and it reminded her that while he was a prince, he was still only twenty four years old. Plus, she doubted he got out into the real world very often. The idea of a well-rounded royal was a lie spouted by nobility—there was no such thing and never had been.

“That’s because it is slimy. But you committed to it, so go on, say what you need to say.”

She didn’t relent in her stare, pinning him to the spot with her fiery gaze. Anger spiraled higher and higher, writhing like a wild animal thrashing to get out—to leap from her chest and wrap itself around this obtuse man’s throat. Neither of them moved; the air around them charged with barely restrained violence.

Kain could sense it, of course he could, because he was a supreme alpha. Any minute change of pheromones or intent was second nature to him. It didn’t slip over his head as it would for a beta, or even an omega. Little did he know Jayden was just like him now. Had the same alpha power rushing through her veins.

“With your sister’s tragic death, there’s now an opening for the queen of Ellion,” he began, and she narrowed her eyes. “And who better to take her place than you?”

Jayden had known what he was about to utter before it even left his mouth. Why else would the three princes, who surely have hundreds more important tasks, come to their dead fiancé’s funeral?

While the thought sent a pang through her chest, it was the reality of their world. The logical line between normals like her family and the true royalty of Ellion. They may be invited to the balls and laugh prettily with all the guests, but it was a farce. Jayden’s sister was chosen for one thing and one thing alone—breeding the next line of princes. She grit her teeth, nails digging into her palms. The sting“Oh?” She ground out.

Kain nodded slowly, wary of the reaction. “Yes. We have officially requested you to become our next bride. My brothers are inside speaking with your parents. They’ve accepted the royal scripture detailing the proposal. They thought it best I speak to you alone.”

“I see.”

She had to turn away from him to hide the shocked dismay on her face. How could they replace her sister so quickly? Not even a week had passed since her death and here they were infiltrating her funeral to drop this bomb of information. It felt intensely cruel, their lack of empathy as supreme alphas shining through this moment so clearly it was like a beacon through the dark. But this beacon did not save her, it condemned her.

Kain waited patiently for her answer, as if it really mattered when they both knew it did not. While Jayden would rather die than slip into her sister’s place like she had never existed, that wasn’t a viable option. Her parents had already accepted the proposal seal, most likely overjoyed that their ticket to the royal family had been revived. Not taking a single god damn moment to consider how it would make their distraught, grieving daughter feel. Jayden pulled her lips into her mouth, clutching both hands against her heart as if it could ward off the pain.

“I’ll grant you three days to mull it over,” Kain finally said.

How benevolent of you, she thought scornfully. Jayden sliced her hand through the air with finality, sneering at the tiles beneath her feet. “No need. My parents accept, so I accept. It is the duty of an omega daughter to obey, is it not?”

She couldn’t help it. The question came out laced with venomous sarcasm. And the silence that followed stretched for so long, one might assume he left. Yet that new sense of hers, the one that prickled the edges of her mind whenever someone was watching her, did not cease. He was there, silently observing as she fell apart at the seams. The thought had her straightening her spine and throwing back her shoulders as she turned to him, schooling her expression into quiet acceptance.

The prince hadn’t moved, only pushed his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. Those unnerving snake-like pupils centered on her. They stared at one another for a long moment before he sighed, glancing away. It almost felt like submission, but she tossed aside the notion immediately. The three princes of Ellion submit to no one and nothing.

“You always have a choice in Ellion.”

Jayden almost scoffed but turned instead, moving to leave, her security officer following. Only once she reached the bottom of the grand marble staircase did she turn, looking up at the supreme alpha staring down at her. His back was bathed in the light from the open doors, shrouding his silhouette in shadow. All she could see were his glowing saffron eyes that were so intense her soul shivered. Jayden curtseyed to him with a dip of her chin, but it was mocking, almost aggressive.

“No, prince Kain, you are the one with all the choices, not me.”

Stan Kasprzyk

Stan Kasprzyk was born in Poland, then separated from most of Europe and the world by the Iron Curtain. He had a peaceful childhood in a middle-class family. He enjoyed his schools and teachers and completed his education by reading economics. Then, he was a lecturer and researcher, married and had a stepdaughter. In the second part of his life, he worked as a software engineer on many exciting projects in Canada and USA. He had a daughter, later two grandchildren, and retired. His hobbies include travel, photography, and gardening when he cannot travel. He also has a pair of cats, as he had in Vast Plain, suspended, some thirty-five years ago.

The journey into his future covers two years, from 1983 to 1985, as a young man who escapes native Poland in political turmoil and economic disaster in the heat of the Cold War to become a lecturer at FUTY, a fledgling university in Yola, a remote town in Nigeria. Obstacles pile up: bringing family from Poland; the military coup in Nigeria; bloody Islamist riots in town; possible shutdown of FUTY; the near-death of a friend. Another idea gets a chance to come of age; however, its implementation is not without hurdles, and the departure from Yola is not without adventures.

BOOK EXCERPT (pages 46-48)

Love and Goodness

Vice-chancellor Chukwu mustered the senior teaching staff, that is, from lecturer to professor. The meeting room is near the offices, in the second bungalow, and seats two dozens around a U-shaped table. We are like the Conradian “Narcissus” crew sailing around the Cape of Good Hope, brought from all corners of the globe. During introductions, one American proclaims he is from America—not the United States. I find it pretentious and introduce myself as from Central Europe in return. In any case, two are Americans, two Egyptians, three Indians, six Poles, and six or seven Nigerians, who I guess are all Igbo. The faculty of science and technology is in the majority: chemists, physicists, biologists, mathematicians, and technologists. Numerically, not an impressive congregation of scholars. The atmosphere of this uneventful gathering is relaxed. What courses am I supposed to teach? I want to ask. I am anxious but still have no idea, no hint, no direction. I leaf through the calendar of FUTY and find its motto: Love and Goodness through Thought and Technology. It seems awkward, stilted, and unnatural. The motto is humorous for our mid-European positivist feelings, not to mention Marxist materialism. But after another reading, I accept it. It expresses the Nigerian spirit, after all.

A few days later, the school of management has a meeting. Dr. Chuta chairs as an acting dean in the absence of a professor from America. The school of management occupies an elongated classroom with a small office attached. Chuta is an Igbo man. He does not hide it. He is back from his doctoral study in the US,

teaching assignments and researching the economics of small businesses in developing countries. Dr. Agarwal came to teach several courses in accounting, and I am the youngest of the senior teaching staff to take care of an innovative Operations Research program. We also have four or five teaching assistants or TAs. One of them tells me a story of his car. He has bought it from a Polish engineer a couple of years ago. It is a Fiat 125 made in Poland and brought via Lagos to Yola. The engineer had to leave unexpectedly and was selling practically a new car, asking a reasonable price. Although I would not say this aloud, the car is definitely not built for the Nigerian roads. Our TA has a problem getting spare parts since there was no Fiat service in Nigeria. So he looks for Polish guys who could bring the spare parts to Yola. When we meet again, his resignation from FUTY is announced.

“I am going to work for Union Bank,” he tells me. “Too bad,” I say. “My bank is United, but look for Polish clients at your bank. They might seek assistance in speedy exchange of naira and remittance abroad, so they will bring the parts in exchange for favors. Good for you.”

One after another wishes him well and calls on every heavenly power to help him in his career in banking. Then Agarwal gives the most elaborate speech and recites the deity to whom he will pray for his success and glory. Overwhelmed, I say two sentences: “Our friend is brilliant and undoubtedly will excel in his new pasture, and I wish his Fiat car be fixed with help from his customers. I mean Polish customers.” In the following weeks, we debate various issues. For example, Agarwal tells me how the Indian model of a centrally planned economy with little market participation is the best mix for the developing world. Quite, I tell him, for India. And how little of the market does he have in mind? Nevertheless, he does not catch my attention anymore.

The Nigerians are all males and come from various tribes and parts of the country, and they like to discuss food. They claim that men and women eat differently, digest differently, and their diets are not the same. In fact, men and women should eat differently. For example, women cannot eat meat and proteins except beans, but vegetables are good for them and most dairy products. On the other hand, men eat meat and fatty dishes; these are manly food. So, all carbs and starch are womanly food. This explains why Nigerian women are ample and buxom, I guess. Chuta objects to their concept, but they dismiss his arguments as coming from America—all brawn, no brain. I am not a dietician, but this debate is juicy, not so starchy as Indian economic policy.

I like conversations with Chuta. “That’s right. Big African women and slim men both come from African diet,” he says. Overall, he accepts my ignorance of the economics of developing countries, and I find our economic vocabularies and thinking converge. “You are not a Marxist economist, I presume,” he tells me one day to my satisfaction. He presumes almost everything, many levels of presumption are entrenched in his way of arguing, of the economists theorizing with caution. When he speaks, his lips go thinner like a bird’s beak.

Once, I asked him about the post-Biafra tribe politics in Nigeria.

“Doctor, there is no return to that period, that form of warfare, that bloody mistake. We Nigerians have another form of warfare. We have many children,” he says.

“A demographic war between Biafra and the rest of Nigeria, between the various tribes, you mean?” I say, “I presume.” “You presume correctly, Doctor. This way, the Nigerian population grows in the east, the west, the north, and in between. Money goes to improve medical services everywhere. The wealth from oil export allows women to bear many children, and the whole nation is at war. An intertribal demographic war. The population of Nigeria will soon reach one hundred million people, and in the next twenty to thirty years, two hundred million.”