S2 | E5: No One Dies Yet x Kobby Ben Ben

Podcast Transcript:

Kat Trinidad (Host) (00:00):
Give me a Black protagonist navigating the queer underground scene during the Year of Return in Ghana with a serial killer roaming the motherland’s streets.
This unique blend of mystery, suspense, historical, and speculative fiction unfolding of an entirely new genre, would leave you speechless and thoroughly entertained.
Are you ready?

(00:38):(((♪♫The Books en Vogue Podcast Intro ♪♫)))

Kat Trinidad (Host) (01:01):
Welcome book lovers, to The Books en Vogue podcast.

This is your premiere listening experience all about immersive reading and helping avid and reluctant readers alike imagine book characters like never before.

I am your host, Kat Trinidad.

The format of the show is: I introduce a book, share tips on how you can engage your senses as you read this title, (Because… it’s one thing to be a mood reader but you get a little something extra from the story when you are a set the mood reader). And finally, I will end the show with a reimagining of my favorite scene.

Today We will discuss techniques for getting into No One Dies Yet, with none other than the author, Kobby Ben Ben.

Welcome Kobby.

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (01:46):
Yay. Thank you so much for having me, Kat. I am really grateful that you reached out to me to do this. So yeah, I’m ready.

Kat Trinidad (Host) (01:58):
Thanks for being here. Please tell us about the book.

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (02:02):
Good. So imagine this in 2019, which was a year of return in Ghana, the Ghanaian government created a tourism initiative that lots of people from the African diaspora can come to Ghana to commemorate 300 years, sorry, no, 400 years since the first slave ships sealed away. So the year of return was this initiative to bring back all these people who left the country from because of slavery trade, bring back all the descend descendants. So you have Elton Scott and Vincent coming to Ghana, and they do not only want to check out the preserved, sorry, the preserved sites of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. They also want to check out the underground queer scene. Ooh. So they have two tour guides for that. There’s one that takes them to the traditional and more culturally infused areas of Ghana, and there’s also one that takes them to the modern privilege queer areas in Ghana. So these tour guides hate each other with such a passion. So they are sure that by the end of the novel, one of them is going to die only. We have no idea who will die, and we have no idea that twists that are going to come your way before the end of the book. Wow.

Kat Trinidad (Host) (03:33):
Wow. Thank you so much for that, Kobby. Do you care to join me in a discussion of some tips for setting the reading mood?

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (03:43):
Yeah, I don’t mind. Thanks a lot.

Kat Trinidad (Host) (03:46):
Book lovers, I hope you have your writing utensils ready, because Class. Is. In Session.

(03:54): (((♪♫5 Senses Segment Intro ♪♫)))

Kat Trinidad (Host) (04:12):
So Kobby, what’s the vibe? How can we engage our spirit as we read this book?

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (04:19):
I think before you open the book, you must psyche yourself for the poetry tree you are going to encounter in this novel. It’s a thriller, but also the pros can get poetic in certain sessions. I’m trying my best to render the voices of their ancestors, the dead enslaved people who yet died because of the slave trade. I’m also trying my best to render Nanas language as poetic and culturally befitting as I can. So readers should psych themselves for a host of languages in the book, a plethora of languages in the book.

Kat Trinidad (Host) (05:07):
I agree. I found myself bringing up Google Translate to learn a little bit of Twi.

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (05:17):
I hope it helped.

Kat Trinidad (Host) (05:19):
Just a little. What is the sound of No One Dies Yet? What key notes in music or nature could set the tone as we read this novel?

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (05:33):
I think of there’s this whale sounds, I’m going to say whale sounds because I feel like there are setting parts of the book that have a very soothing effects or most of the pace of the novel, even though it’s a thriller, it’s a medium pace. So the sounds of wheels make a perfect accompaniment to reading either than that. You could also put on some or see a music, their local indigenous band in Ghana that would help you get into no one dies yet. You also want to get into the culture as well. So yes.

Kat Trinidad (Host) (06:21):
Okay. Okay. So do share the aesthetics. This can be any visuals aside from the book such as lighting.

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (06:30):
I think reading, no one dies yet. You have to approach this novel in the daytime. It’s not the kind of nighttime reading. There are so many shocking scenes that may haunt your night sleep. So you want to read it when there’s so much daylight so that the more sense of the novel can come out and get you. So yes, the perfect time to read no one dies yet is in the day. And if you realize that you are reading it, you start reading it during the day and you’re reading it and you’re reading it, eating up into the day and then it goes into the night, I think you may need to set the book down and continue the next day because it gets very scary. And I have had readers who tell me that, oh my God, Kobe, I was disturbed reading this. So yes, approach it with caution read during the day.

Kat Trinidad (Host) (07:36):
That’s great. So true. So true. So what is the flavor? Any food or drink companions for this title?

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (07:48):
You definitely don’t need red wine for my novel. I mean, the cover is red, but still you don’t need red wine for Instagram aesthetics. This book might look great with a glass of wine, but for your reading, put aside the wine after the Instagram photo and just get into it because you need all your senses alive for this. If you blink, you might miss something important. So you just want to read it with all your senses alive. Nothing to do the moments, no weed. I know some of us when we are reading books, we like to light up some ganja. This is not the ganja kind of book. There’s so much ganja in it, by the way. And you might be tempted to lay your ganja, but yeah, just keep your marijuana elsewhere and go into it. Just empty under maybe with a cake. Yeah, maybe with a cake because sugar would liven you up. Yeah. Have achieved day read. No one dies yet.

Kat Trinidad (Host) (08:55):
Okay, so what is the aroma? Are there any smells to transport us into the pages? Aside from ganja?

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (09:11):
Naturally, I wouldn’t advise readers to slip their wrist and inhale the scent of their blood because there’s so much blood in this book. But you want to approach this with maybe an aroma of your choice, put on your best perfume because by the end of the day, you might be so disoriented. So you need to dress up for this book. Yes, exactly. Dress up for this book, go into it. And then as the day goes, when the book is getting you rattled, you might thank me for looking a bit posh before starting it so that at the end of the book, you don’t look too dismayed by the scenes in it. So yes, just go into address where are your best perfume and get into it.

Kat Trinidad (Host) (10:04):
Okay. Okay. Last but not least, how can we get more of the feels?

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (10:11):
Maybe you should have a lava thigh by you as you read it. Something to grip onto. Grab onto when you get scared because you get scared. There are so many jump scares in this book. So if you have a lava, grab their thigh. If you have a dog, exactly. Grab its thigh. You would need thighs. You would need thighs. If you have a couple of, how do you call it, dead bodies in your freezer, come put them beside you and read with them because this is where they would come in handy and lock all the doors before you pull out your dead bodies.

Kat Trinidad (Host) (10:54):
When you said lover’s thigh, I started to ask you to clarify, but you clarified. Yes. You meant lover’s thigh to grab onto as you read this thriller. Perfect.

Well, there you go. Book lovers. These are your recommended supplies as you read this title. If you’re able pause and get some of these if available or simply imagine because it’s time for my favorite scene. Disclaimer, please note that exact words, names, locations, and or scenarios mentioned and is re-imagined reenactment may differ from the actual book.

And now a disclaimer from the author.

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (11:39):
Now, I really also love this scene because this is where Mina tells a couple of, not more than a couple of white people, about 10 of them, along with the African Americans, an old Ghanaian folk tale. So Nana is one of the characters. He’s the cultural tall guide. So he realizes that during the story, Mina is lying and Nana becomes very angry about that because he wants to protect our oral history. That’s the kind of Guyana is. So yes, let’s get into this. And I’m excited,

(12:16):(((♪♫Scene Segment Intro ♪♫)))

Kat Trinidad (Host) (12:37):
“Bonfire Reading”, Starring Kobby Ben Ben as Nana/ Narrator & the Northerner
& Kat Trinidad as Mina

Kat Trinidad (Host) as Mina:

Krekete Soya
Krekete Soya
Krekete Soya.

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) as Nana/ Narrator (13:02):
Mina looks like a Queen Mother, cloth tied around her breast and waist. She comes to stand in front of the fire and she and her girls surround us. My eyes biri me watching her. She look so beautiful with white marks drawn around her eyes like they are stars shining near her eyes. Her dark skin becomes gold like the fire and every time she jumps you’ll think the fire obey her and—woof—jumps too. Mina, or Maame Araba or whatever your name is, you make my heart do boom-boom-chay. She land on the floor one more time after a jump that make dust fly into my eyes. She raise her hand and the Krekete Soya girls stop singing.

Kat Trinidad (Host) as Mina:

Krekete….

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) as Nana/ Narrator:

She throw sand into the fire and the fire does shhhh as if telling us all to keep quiet.

Kat Trinidad (Host) as Mina(14:05):
“Long time ago, the people of our village sat under the full moon to tell stories by the fireside! An old woman will come to the centre near the fire and begin telling us stories to entertain us and teach us valuable lessons.”

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) as Nana/ Narrator (14:28):
Her eyes fall on me, she sees my smile, but does not smile some. She says…

Kat Trinidad (Host) as Mina(14:35):

“Today, I’m your old woman.”

<<<crowd laughter>>>

“Today, I’m your old woman and it’s night and there’s a fire, so there’ll be a story. Are you going to clap?”

<<<crowd clapping>>>

“Here’s the story of why the hawk takes the hen’s chicks. You’ll listen and then you’ll learn.”

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) as Nana/ Narrator (15:04):
I know this story. I know it from start to finish. Something about her voice make me listen and I stop looking at her beautiful face and the water from the sea jumping up and down behind her, the fire making her face burn bright.

Kat Trinidad (Host) as Mina(15:23):
“Long time ago, the Hen and the Hawk lived side by side. Like all the animals in the forest. Snake was friends with Sheep who was friends with Wolf who was friends with Bear. No hate for other animals. Just one common enemy. Do you know who that enemy is?”

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) as Nana/ Narrator (15:52):
She throw the question at us like a piece of meat they’ve throw for cat. I want to raise my hand and answer, but the Northerner who sits in front of me, even blocking my view small-small, talk…

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) as The Northerner:

“Man.”

Kat Trinidad (Host) as Mina (16:05):
“Many men, many many men, wish death ’pon me now I don’t cry no more . . .”

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) as Nana/ Narrator (16:19):
The fire speak. We all become silent.

Shhhh

Kat Trinidad (Host) as Mina(16:25):
“Man kills the animals so occasionally the animals will have to work together to run away from him. But that’s not the story today. Today’s story is about Hen and Hawk. I’ll tell you how Man divide the other animals some other time. How Bear begin hating Wolf, how Wolf begin hating Sheep, how Snake begin biting everyone. So that he, Man, can hunt them down. But not today. Today’s story is how Hen and Hawk wanted to make a drum, but sly Hen didn’t want to help. And that’s how the hatred begins.”

“Long time ago, Hen and Hawk lived in huts closer to each other. They did everything together. One day, Hawk told Hen, Let’s make a drum so that when we get tired from all the work on the farm we’ll play together. Hen said, Oh, I wish I could help but I’m always tired from the farm. How can we come back and do another work again? Hawk said, Okay, then give me your cutlass so I’ll go cut trees and use it for the drum. Hen said, My cutlass, like yours, is tired from the farm. How can you put them to work? Okay, Hawk said, then give me some of your . . .”

“Give me your matches.”

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) as Nana/ Narrator ((18:14):
Matches? I frown. There’s no matches in this story. How can animals use matches? Hen ask for axe: axe, not matches.

Kat Trinidad (Host) as Mina(18:31):
“You know, my box of matches is tired, said Hen. Hawk asked for so many things but Hen would say no.”

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) as Nana/ Narrator (18:44):
I look around to the white people, and I worry if they can tell she’s lying. Matches? Matches? I look at Ananse, he’s Ghanaman, maybe he’ll know, but the Ananse has that big smile he put on when he’s telling big lie, and I see him talk into Elton’s ears. Elton say something to Scott who say something to Vincent who’s the only one not looking at Mina’s face but at the fire that does shhh when Mina throws sand into its eyes.

Kat Trinidad (Host) as Mina(19:20):
“So Hawk went ahead to make the drum. A very big drum, and when he plays the drum, there’s one song Hen hears in her room. Krekete Soya. Krekete Soya. Girls, sing with me. Krekete Soya. Audience, sing with me, Krekete Soya.”

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) as Nana/ Narrator ((19:58):
I’m the only one who looks like he’s not having fun. Mina look at me again, but instead of looking away like she does every time, she squeeze her face at me for being quiet and then the fire does shhh.

Kat Trinidad (Host) as Mina(20:15):
“Hen was so jealous of Hawk. So jealous when Hawk was playing she wouldn’t even sing because she was ashamed. So one day, and listen to me, in all stories there’s always a one day. There’s always one day that things change and they’ll never be the same.”

(20:46): (((♪♫The Books en Vogue Podcast Instrumental ♪♫)))

Kat Trinidad (Host):

Book. Lovers!

If you have enjoyed this sneak peek, you can get more by reading the whole book. No One Dies Yet is available at your local library and everywhere books are sold. And if it’s not, request it, because you deserve to read all the books that interest you!

And if you have already read No One Dies Yet, or are in the middle of reading it, let me know in the comments what you like to do to set the mood for reading, because I would love to hear from you! So, please leave your feedback.

Kobby, is there anything else you would like to share with the listeners?

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (21:21):
When I said grab it? Love that I didn’t mean it. What? When I said grab a love style, I didn’t mean it when I said go and pull all your dead bodies from the fridge. I didn’t mean it. Maybe instead of dead bodies, because dead bodies are so overkill. Emphasis on overkill. You should get a dildo and have it close to you when reading. Again, you should not let your children listen to this podcast. Oh my God, yes…

Kat Trinidad (Host) (21:53):
Disclaimer.

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (21:55):
Keep this book out of reach from your Children on the highest shelf. The title is very alluring. They might want to pick it and read some of the erotic scenes in it, but yeah, it’s only for adult.

Kat Trinidad (Host) (22:11):
This is definitely a mature themed book. I concur. So thank you again, Kobby, for joining us today.

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (22:25):
Everybody. Thanks so much, Kat.

Kat Trinidad (Host) (22:27):
Absolutely. And thank you, book lovers, for listening.

With peace, love and joy, happy reading.

Kobby Ben Ben (Guest/ Author) (22:35):
And always remember, Krekete Soya. Great. Bye

Kat Trinidad (Host) (22:44):
Bye.

(22:57):(((♪♫The Books en Vogue Podcast Outro ♪♫)))

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