Interview with Ama Ofosua Lieb, Author of Goldenborn

Welcome to YA Outside the Lines, Ama! Please tell us a bit about Goldenborn.

Thank you for having me! 

Set in a near-future San Francisco, Goldenborn, is a fun coming-of-age story that blends fantasy, mystery, sci-fi, and slow-burn romance with elements of Ghanaian culture and mythology.

The story follows seventeen-year-old Akoma Addo, who investigates supernatural crimes and is pulled into a magical world of Ghanaian gods and goddesses—one with shocking ties to both her family and her agency’s latest serial killer case. At the center of it all is Anansi, the spider god of stories and trickery, who makes Akoma an offer that upends her life.   

I’m always fascinated by the points at which authors choose to start their stories. You chose to show Akoma putting on a pair of her father’s gloves while noticing a scar. It’s such a lovely and also very sensorily real passage. What drew you to this moment?

Thank you! The imagery of Akoma’s hands and her father’s gloves carries a deeper significance that I won’t spoil. I will say, however, that I loved starting Goldenborn with the image of a hand. To me, it symbolizes reaching out to the reader, taking them by the hand, and inviting them into a new adventure filled with mystery, danger, and slow-burn romance.

You’ve lived in Ghana, Canada, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Nigeria, and South Africa. How did being in so many settings yourself influence the worldbuilding in Goldenborn?

Each of those locations you’ve mentioned has its own beautiful, vibrant cultural identity, and I feel fortunate to have experienced them firsthand. While building the world of Goldenborn, I drew on what it felt like to walk through those cities, markets, and beaches. And, most importantly, I thought about what it was like to be in community with the wonderful people who live there. I wanted Goldenborn's setting to feel richly rendered and fully alive, so readers could picture themselves walking alongside Akoma.

You juggle three points of view here: Akoma, Ashon, and Akoma’s grandmother Esi. How did you know whose eyes you wanted to be looking through at any given moment?

I had fun experimenting with Goldenborn's roving point of view. We follow Akoma for most of the story as she investigates a string of supernatural murders while trying to uncover what happened to her father. At the same time, I wanted to give readers a window into the magical world her family belongs to—a world Akoma herself knows nothing about.

That’s where Akoma’s grandmother, Esi, comes in. Without giving too much away, Esi is a matriarch who holds real power within her community. Although Goldenborn is a young adult novel and Esi is not a teenager, elders are deeply respected in Ghanaian culture. It was important to me to reflect that reverence through her character and perspective. And she’s a lot of fun, which adds to Goldenborn’s youthful energy.

I turned to Ashon’s point of view when I wanted to heighten the intrigue and offer glimpses into the mysterious Mr. Webb’s world. Those moments allowed me to tease what was happening behind the scenes and show just how close Akoma was to uncovering the truth.

Anansi is a trickster. These characters can do quite a number on the author! Did you find this character sending the book in directions you didn’t expect?

Yes! I truly believe Anansi's trickster energy was present throughout the writing of Goldenborn. In fact, every time I sat down to work, I became increasingly aware of spiders around me. There always seemed to be one daddy long-legs watching through the window, and I would joke that it was Anansi checking in to make sure I was taking the story in the direction he wanted. There’s one twist in Goldenborn that, without question, carries Anansi's unmistakable trickster energy.

How do you start your own stories? Do you immediately start on the page, or do you find yourself influenced by the oral tradition yourself, wanting to tell some parts out loud first?

I’m a big fan of oral storytelling. When my children were younger, I loved drawing on that tradition to create bedtime stories for them. I especially love the rhythm and music of language. So, I often hear a scene in my head before I ever put it on the page, particularly when I’m writing dialogue.

What’s one thing you hope readers take away from this story?

I hope Goldenborn feels like a universal story that explores the questions so many of us ask about identity, community, love, grief, and our obligations to family. I hope readers see themselves in Akoma’s search for answers and continue rooting for her long after they turn the final page. And if Goldenborn is a reader’s first encounter with Ghanaian culture or Anansi stories, I hope it inspires them to discover more.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently working on the sequel to Goldenborn and having a good time writing it. 

Where can we find you?

I’m mainly on Instagram at @amawritesmagic . And you can always check out my website: www.amawritesmagic.com

Grab a copy of Goldenborn