Tomi Adeyemi

Tomi Adeyemi – Life, Career, and Inspiring Quotes

Dive into the life and works of Tomi Adeyemi — Nigerian-American fantasy author of Children of Blood and Bone. Discover her journey, themes, quotes, and how she reshaped representation in YA fiction.

Introduction

Tomi Adeyemi is a Nigerian-American novelist, creative writing coach, and cultural voice in the landscape of contemporary Young Adult fantasy. Known best for her Legacy of Orïsha trilogy, beginning with Children of Blood and Bone, she has captured hearts with stories rooted in African mythology, social justice, and magical worlds. Her work not only entertains but also invites readers to confront issues of power, identity, and resistance. In this article, we explore her life, influences, creative path, and memorable quotes.

Early Life and Family

Tomi Champion-Adeyemi was born on August 1, 1993 in the United States to parents who emigrated from Nigeria, specifically of Yoruba heritage. Chicago, Illinois.

Interestingly, during her childhood, her parents decided not to teach her and her siblings the Yoruba language, so her Nigerian heritage was partially disconnected in her upbringing.

She has two siblings.

Youth, Education, and Formative Years

From an early age, Adeyemi displayed a strong affinity for storytelling. She wrote her first story at about five years old, and continued writing throughout adolescence.

She attended Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale, Illinois, graduating in 2011.

After high school, she went on to Harvard University, where she earned an honors degree in English Literature. West African mythology, religion, and culture in Salvador, Brazil—an experience that deeply shaped her creative vision.

That exploration in Brazil, immersing herself in myth, culture, and history, directly inspired her debut novel Children of Blood and Bone.

Career and Achievements

Breakthrough with Children of Blood and Bone

Adeyemi’s first published novel, Children of Blood and Bone, came out in March 2018. #1 on The New York Times Young Adult Hardcover Bestseller List.

The novel is the first in her Legacy of Orïsha trilogy and blends fantasy with social commentary. Its premise: after a brutal suppression of magic by a monarchy, protagonist Zélie Adebola battles to restore magic and justice to her people.

The book received significant acclaim and awards:

• Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy (2018)

• Waterstones Children’s Book Prize (2019)

• Lodestar Award finalist in 2019.

In 2019, she was named to Forbes 30 Under 30. TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the “Pioneers” category.

Subsequent Works & Adaptation

Her second book, Children of Virtue and Vengeance, was published in December 2019 (though delayed from early 2019).

In June 2024, she released the third installment, Children of Anguish and Anarchy, concluding the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy.

Rights for Children of Blood and Bone were sold in a high-profile deal (often quoted as seven figures) before the book’s publication.

Film adaptation rights have shifted between studios. Fox 2000 initially acquired them, then Lucasfilm and Disney were involved, and eventually Paramount Pictures secured them with Adeyemi attached as scriptwriter and executive producer. Gina Prince-Bythewood would direct the adaptation.

Beyond her novels, Adeyemi is also a creative writing coach. She teaches writing through her online platform The Writer’s Roadmap. Writer’s Digest among the “101 Best Websites for Writers.”

She has also worked in television and screenwriting projects, such as collaborating on animated series and engaging with studios.

Historical Context & Influence

Tomi Adeyemi emerged into the literary scene at a time when a strong push for diversity and representation in fiction—especially speculative and fantasy genres—was gaining momentum. Her work is part of a broader wave of “#OwnVoices” fantasy that centers Black, African, or marginalized perspectives.

She intentionally crafts her fantasy worlds not as escapism divorced from reality, but as lenses to explore issues of race, oppression, power, identity, and resilience. In interviews, she has said she wants readers to feel empathy by seeing magical stories grounded in real struggles.

Her question — “What if Harry Potter had been Black?” — has been raised in media to reflect how representation in fantasy matters, particularly for young Black readers.

By bringing mythologies inspired by West Africa into major fantasy narratives, she helps shift the literary canon to include African cosmologies and voices.

Legacy and Influence

Even while still active and mid-career, Adeyemi’s impact is already felt in several dimensions:

• Representation & Inspiration: Her success signals to young writers—especially Black and African diaspora writers—that major fantasy stories can emerge from their cultures.

• Cultural Reclamation: By integrating Yoruba and West African elements into fantasy, she fosters cultural pride and reclamation.

• Genre Expansion: She contributes to expanding what fantasy can be—less Eurocentric, more plural, more socially conscious.

• Mentorship & Community: Through her teaching and writing coaching, she supports upcoming writers, turning her platform into a larger movement of community building.

• Media Crossovers: Being involved in the adaptation process ensures her vision is not lost in translation to film or screen.

Her trilogy and vision may become a marker in YA literature for how fantasy intersects with identity, justice, and world-building.

Personality, Style, and Themes

Tomi Adeyemi is often described as passionate, visionary, determined, and empathetic. Her narration and public voice reflect confidence but also vulnerability—she candidly speaks about rejections, identity struggles, and growth.

Her writing style blends lush world-building, emotional stakes, and ethical dilemmas. She employs mythology, magic systems, and richly drawn characters, while also tugging at themes of power, resistance, trauma, legacy, and community.

Her thematic priorities include:

• Resistance & justice: Who has power, and how it is wielded

• Identity & heritage: Reconnecting to cultural roots

• Trauma & healing: How communities and individuals recover and transform

• Interdependence & community: The strength in solidarity

• The weight of the past: How history shapes the present

Famous Quotes by Tomi Adeyemi

Here are some memorable quotes that reflect her voice, from her works and public remarks:

“I won't let your ignorance silence my pain.” “I teach you to be warriors in the garden so you will never be gardeners in the war.” “Courage does not always roar. Valor does not always shine.” “You don’t realise how cool your culture is until you get out of that phase of trying to fit in.” “You can make something out of every unfinished story and every rejection if you work at it.” “We raised our swords against each other because neither of us had the courage to raise one against him.” From Children of Virtue and Vengeance: “You are not your mistakes. Do not let one moment define or destroy you.”

These quotes encapsulate themes of resilience, cultural affirmation, resistance, and self-reclamation.

Lessons from Tomi Adeyemi

1. Resilience in Rejection: Even when her initial manuscripts failed to gain traction, Adeyemi persisted, rewrote, and entered Children of Blood and Bone into writing contests, which helped launch her career.

2. Cultural Roots Can Empower Imagination: Drawing on West African mythology enriched her fantasy world and offered readers something deeply personal and universal.

3. Representation Matters: She writes to give marginalized readers the joy and validation of seeing themselves as heroes in fantasy narratives.

4. Story as Activism: Fantasy need not avoid real issues—by embedding social and political themes, stories can foster empathy and reflection.

5. Mentorship & Paying Forward: Through teaching and platforms like her writing coaching, she invests in the next generation of storytellers.

Conclusion

Tomi Adeyemi’s journey—from a writer with dreams to a bestselling, award­winning voice—speaks to the power of belief, heritage, and narrative. Her books transport readers to magical realms, but always circle back to urgent questions of identity, justice, and community. Her quotes echo inner strength and reclamation, and her legacy continues to grow through her role as a mentor, cultural bridge, and innovator in YA fantasy.