tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355376402012-02-16T23:51:17.074ZMy Short Stories, Poems, Book Excerpts, Articles, Interviews and Reviews!Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.comBlogger441100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-34119651256330124662012-01-31T15:20:00.001Z2012-01-31T15:24:45.796Z

Hi everyone! Read another flash fiction piece here - FLASH FICTION: 'Wanting' - By: Tolulope Popoola Thank you, please leave your comments!

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-42945956219474716202012-01-17T06:46:00.002Z2012-01-31T15:25:07.818Z

Happy (Belated) New Year! Here's my first flash fiction piece for this year. FLASH FICTION: 'Chasing An Illusion' - By: Tolulope Popoola Enjoy and do leave your comments!

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-83350456021071191342011-12-15T14:35:00.000Z2011-12-15T14:35:16.983Z

I'm doing a series of Flash Fiction stories for Radical Chic Magazine. Click on the links below to read them: FLASH FICTION - Domestic Status FLASH FICTION - One-Way Street FLASH FICTION - Fix My Shell FLASH FICTION - Fertile Imagination  FLASH FICTION - Dutiful Husband FLASH FICTION - Twin Twist FLASH FICTION - Loneliness FLASH FICTION - Wrong Date FLASH FICTION - A Christmas

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-14142718418687175542011-12-15T14:32:00.002Z2012-01-31T15:25:31.759Z

Click the link below to read. FLASH FICTION: 'The Salon' - By: Tolulope Popoola Feel free to leave your comments too. Thanks!

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-42678639367324853622011-11-29T00:18:00.002Z2012-01-31T15:25:58.720Z

Click on the link below to read: FLASH FICTION: 'Twin Twist' - By: Tolulope Popoola

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-58131530475277694342011-11-28T00:16:00.001Z2012-01-31T15:26:25.941Z

Click on the link below to read: FLASH FICTION: 'Loneliness' - By: Tolulope Popoola

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-35786764952037257112011-11-27T00:01:00.000Z2011-12-08T00:03:04.463Z

Click on the link below to read the story: FLASH FICTION: 'Fix My Shell' - By: Tolulope Popoola

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-5455369444220367702011-06-30T21:14:00.004+01:002011-12-07T23:58:21.292Z

I knew what was wrong as soon I got up to throw up in the early hours of the morning. I was pregnant again, and this was going to be my fourth child. I rinsed my mouth, washed my face and sat down on the edge of the bath tub for what seemed like an eternity. How was I going to break the news to my husband? Another mouth to feed was the last thing our family needed. Our fifth floor, two-bedroom

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-27563377874879160672011-04-06T21:13:00.003+01:002011-08-05T13:07:38.304+01:00

"Honey, let’s call your parents."I looked into his eyes and smiled at my husband of forty-five hours. "No, not yet."“Why not?”“They will surely kill me this time."“No point delaying the inevitable,” he laughed. "I'm sure they already know their daughter is one crazy chick."I pulled myself up from my beach towel. “It might have occurred to them that I’m not like my siblings, but I don’t think my

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-87289037969711831302011-03-09T19:12:00.001Z2011-08-05T13:08:37.627+01:00

Article Published on ReConnect Africa Relationships in the workplace are becoming more and more common in our modern society. The majority of professionals, once they graduate from formal education, spend the bulk of their time at the office. We build a career with other people for years and maybe even decades..... Click here to continue reading.....

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-76618199302573796842011-01-17T01:19:00.004Z2011-08-23T21:46:28.515+01:00

Hi people! Welcome to 2011, and to a new year of possibilities and opportunities. I've been busy working on a project behind the scenes since last year, but I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, enjoy my first post this year, an interview with Dolapo Babalola, author of the inspirational book: My God Even In the Last Minute. Please tell us a bit about yourself. Please if I may, I would first

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-91478398696607667912010-12-21T00:19:00.000Z2011-08-23T21:44:14.759+01:00

I've got a short story published in the fourth edition of Sentinel Nigeria Magazine. Click here to read it! Financial Woes - by Tolulope Popoola Comments welcome, thanks!

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-32073392999778325552010-12-19T14:30:00.000Z2011-08-23T21:45:12.299+01:00

A world without suffering.A world without pain.A world without guilt.A world without war.A world without hunger.This would be my ideal world. A world without greed.A world without selfishness.A world without fear.A world without hate.A world without strife.This would be my ideal world. A world without crime.A world without tears.A world without sorrow.A world without disappointment.A world

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-67319550744708963562010-12-16T00:25:00.000Z2010-12-16T00:25:15.514Z

Book Title: Love at Dawn Author: Lara Daniels Publication Date: November 2010 Pages: 205 pages The Plot: ‘Love at Dawn’ is the second in a series of romance novels written by Lara Daniels. It tells the story of two people from very different backgrounds – the rich, spoiled, baby of the family - Tory Da-Silva and Rashad Macaulay, an emotionally insecure man who has come from a tough background

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-35722032891778750502010-11-29T22:05:00.002Z2011-12-02T21:22:43.563Z

Have you ever felt that compared with "everyone else" around you, your own circumstances are the worst? Do you have thoughts like "all my mates have achieved this, done that, have this or have that" and I haven't? I'm now exploring this idea of measuring myself with another person's yard stick. Where does it come from? Is it parents, peer pressure, the society as a whole or just my own

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-82377761925557565462010-11-10T09:00:00.001Z2010-11-10T09:00:02.454Z

Can a book really be easy? Three So-Easy Strategies – They’re Just Silly. by Andrea Constantine It’s hard to believe just a year ago I didn’t even have a book in the pipeline. At the time, it was just some pipe-dream. Little did I know that in less than twelve months I’d soon have two books on the market. It seems ironic since I had struggled for years to even commit to an idea for a book,

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-57675131190221426412010-10-09T16:45:00.002+01:002011-08-23T21:50:06.837+01:00

The real father of my children stared back at me. Somehow, I found the strength to utter the words. 'You have to leave,' I said. 'I am falling in love with you and it’s tearing me apart.' A pained look crossed his face. He let go of my hand and swallowed hard. 'I understand. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.' He went over to the cot where the twins were, fast asleep. He kissed them both

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-63190398436665315362010-10-03T02:30:00.002+01:002011-12-02T21:17:29.724Z

Sometime ago I pondered about this modern world of ours. Something is really wrong. There is a break down of society as a whole. We read of shootings and stabbings daily in the newspapers. We hear of gangs of youths carrying knives and guns to defend themselves with. We hear of marriages breaking up everyday - divorce rates are soaring and people are choosing not to get married anyway. We hear

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-53836513633245808752010-07-07T14:47:00.001+01:002011-08-05T13:10:07.121+01:00

I picked up my jacket and stormed out of the restaurant after ten minutes. Tom got up and ran after me. The waiters and other diners looked at us strangely but I did not even give them a backward glance. “So where are you going?” Tom asked as he caught up with me. “All the other restaurants along this road are fully booked” “I know you wanted to make Valentine’s Day special” I replied, pausing

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-30389920744078336262010-06-15T15:51:00.000+01:002010-06-15T15:51:06.234+01:00

This week, enjoy my next interview with the one and only Ogo Akubue Ogbata. She's a writer, speaker and business consultant. She is also the author of the best-selling book "Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman" published in 2009 by Priceless Books. Inspiring, hard-working and highly intelligent, Ogo is definitely making her mark on the world, so watch out for more from her in future! Enjoy our interesting

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-14871145467378928962010-06-02T16:23:00.001+01:002011-08-05T13:11:33.978+01:00

I was sitting at the table closest to the door of the busy café with John. He was talking enthusiastically about the concert and how wonderful it had been. I tried to pay attention to him, following his excited hand gestures with my eyes, but not registering what his moving lips were saying. A group of young ladies walked into the café and I recognised them immediately. Just about an hour ago, I

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-86925967440941979482010-05-16T13:00:00.000+01:002010-05-27T23:55:44.896+01:00

Today I'm featuring my first interview! Please join me in welcoming Lara Daniels to my blog. She's an amazing lady - she works full-time, studies part-time, manages a family, and still manages to pen several books! I want to be like her when I grow up. I caught up with her to ask about her recently published book - Love In Paradise. Enjoy our conversation below: Please tell us a bit about

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-84174826232114369992010-05-04T21:00:00.000+01:002011-04-11T15:17:32.168+01:00

Bayo banged his fist on the table, and looked away from the blank screen of the computer in front of him. There had just been a power cut and all the work he had been doing for the past two hours was lost. He cursed under his breath and started packing up his notes. Somebody else, sitting two desks away from him hissed loudly and groaned.“NEPA!”“Bayo, won’t you wait small?” the tutor, Mr Adeyinka

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-86630043222252379372010-04-20T14:56:00.000+01:002010-04-20T14:57:13.249+01:00

I did an interview with TELL magazine earlier in the year, and I was really honoured to be featured in the edition for last week! You can read the attachment, or go HERE to read the full magazine from the TELL website.Special thanks to Tundun Adeyemo, who did the interview.

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-58252219693017341212010-04-19T19:32:00.002+01:002011-08-05T17:20:00.468+01:00

When you marry a womanYou marry the little girl she used to beThe girl with a sense of funThe girl with a penchant for mischiefThe little girl who had dreams of Prince CharmingThe little girl who had no restrictions in her imaginationThe girl whose love was pure and innocentThe girl whose eyes sparkled like starsThe girl who played with her mum’s make up and trinketsThe girl who couldn’t wait to

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-49792730307115538852010-04-19T07:37:00.001+01:002011-12-02T20:56:22.019Z

I've been thinking about the way the vast majority of middle and upper class Nigerians treat their domestic staff - people like housemaids, gatemen,/security men, drivers, gardeners and so on. The other day, I was discussing the issue with some friends and we all agreed that, in general, they were treated in an appalling way. From what I've observed, they are treated like second-class citizens

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-29278734857225670942010-03-27T21:00:00.000Z2011-04-11T15:19:24.245+01:00

Kikelomo Coker was sitting in the school auditorium tapping her feet impatiently. The principal was giving a speech but the students were barely listening. There were loud whisperings and shuffling feet, adding to the air of excitement and eagerness that hung over the room. It was an afternoon in Stafford Academy, an exclusive private school in Badagry, on the outskirts of Lagos. Usually the

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-84884310201066855712010-02-25T16:30:00.000Z2011-12-02T17:59:19.067Z

I'm HumanIf you pinch me, I will reactIf you annoy me, I will get angryIf you hurt me, I will cryIf you cut me, I will bleedAfter all, I'm only human.I try to be a better person everydaySometimes it's easy, sometimes it's hardSometimes I get it rightSometimes I get it wrongBut it's okay because,After all, I'm only humanI make mistakes, I have my flawsI'm not perfect, I'm not pristineI'm not a

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-33208848491149326142010-01-15T19:30:00.005Z2011-08-05T17:21:20.950+01:00

Synopsis: Six intelligent and vivacious ladies - Lola, Funmi, Titi, Dolapo, Temmy and Maureen are a tight group of friends. They have been through many ups and downs together, from their pre-university days to the present time as young career women. They constantly have to deal with the measures of success - striking the perfect balance in all aspects of their lives - careers, relationships,

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-87084800514993743832009-12-16T16:47:00.002Z2011-12-02T20:47:33.757Z

My arm stopped moving in mid-air. The tea spoon clattered onto the kitchen floor, and I dropped the teapot. I heard it smash and saw the broken pieces scatter around my feet. "You said what?" "I love her Amy," Dave repeated. "I'm leaving you and the kids." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. As if I was paralysed, I watched Dave pick up his travelling bag and walk out, closing the front door

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-62961361145488665522009-11-24T19:06:00.001Z2011-08-05T17:18:06.486+01:00

Daniel paced up and down the long corridor, his hands tucked deep into his pockets. His face was lined with worry and he had a dishevelled air about him as if he had dressed up in a hurry, which he had. His mobile phone had gone off around midnight, waking him up and confirming the moment he had been dreading. Frantic, he had grabbed the keys to his flatmates car and rushed out, hoping he wouldn’

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-85988331393541354852009-10-03T22:02:00.001+01:002011-08-05T17:19:33.910+01:00

Joan was walking along the High Street during her lunch break. It was a lovely day, summer was finally on its way after the grey and dreary winter and a wet spring season. She was in a good mood this afternoon. She was a month into her new job as the fashion buyer for one of her favourite high street fashion stores, and she was enjoying every minute of it. Earlier, she had held a meeting with

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-69119873244625266812009-08-21T00:28:00.002+01:002011-11-21T15:35:58.586Z

Her blog was one of the first blogs I came across soon after I joined blogspot in 2006. She came to my blog to leave a "Welcome to Blogville!" comment, so I decided to pay her blog a visit. I enjoyed reading her archives so much that I immediately bookmarked the link. She came across as a very down-to-earth, fun-loving and intelligent person, with a great sense of humour. I started visiting her

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-56271817418614844442009-08-07T14:26:00.001+01:002011-08-05T17:35:45.434+01:00

I look up into the skyI see a dark blanketTwinkling with hundreds of white dotsI also see the moonGlowing silently but with prideKnowing that even thoughIt has gotNo light of its ownIt reflects the light of oneBrighter that itWith this reflected lightIt rules the night skyNot even the stars can competeIt makes me pause and thinkI have no glory of my ownI cannot shine by myselfBut if I allow my

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-3996502006830030472009-05-15T22:35:00.001+01:002011-12-02T20:43:50.032Z

You know the one. When you pick up your pen to write in your notebook. Or open a new Microsoft Word document and you are faced with a white, blank sheet of paper. Some days when I pick up my pen to write, the words come tumbling out, the ideas keep flowing, I'm on a roll and my arm aches to catch up with the speed at which my brain is churning out words. But that's actually the exception. Most

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-67436080874068754752009-04-04T06:52:00.003+01:002011-08-05T17:23:13.058+01:00

Valerie desperately tried to choke back the lump in her throat. She could feel her face growing warm and her eyes were beginning to sting. She managed to stammer "Thank you" to the judges as she bowed her head and shuffled out with her shoulders slumped. Outside the studio, she leaned against the wall and took a gulp of air. She breathed slowly, to calm her racing heartbeat. She thought about

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-89805296717379191942009-03-15T15:05:00.001Z2011-08-05T17:41:21.533+01:00

We seem to think that time stands still Because we hardly notice when it passes We sometimes forget that every minute counts Even the minutes spent busying ourselves doing nothing We only notice time in huge leaps – In days, months and years We overlook the fact that those days, months, years Are made up of those seconds and minutes That ticked by when we were not looking

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-59102507180950974242009-03-01T19:51:00.001Z2011-08-05T17:50:36.426+01:00

I was bored and listless at work. It was Monday morning, and I was back in the office after a lovely weekend. The office felt quite empty because three of my colleagues had taken the day off. I didn't blame them one bit. It was a lovely day, the sun was shining brightly outside and the last thing anybody wanted was to be stuck in front of a computer screen on the sixth floor in the City. I tried

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-46350144144128706082008-11-29T18:42:00.003Z2011-11-11T22:10:22.467Z

I woke up to the sound of my mother calling my name. She was shouting my name with a sense of urgency. I wiped the sleep from my eyes, trying to imagine what could have riled her so early in the morning. In my short fourteen years, I have learnt to identify the tone of my mother’s voice. I could tell that she was getting more impatient as she called my name a second and third time. I also sensed

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-89659809551436086182008-11-24T21:56:00.000Z2011-12-02T20:37:52.510Z

Ideal World A world without suffering.A world without pain.A world without guilt.A world without war.A world without hunger.This would be my ideal world. A world without greed.A world without selfishness.A world without fear.A world without hate.A world without strife.This would be my ideal world. A world without crime.A world without tears.A world without sorrow.A world without disappointment.A

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-9412260131095600782008-06-05T13:09:00.000+01:002011-12-15T14:54:26.803Z

Recently in the UK, the media have been talking about the idea of teaching young people about "shared British values" such as tolerance and respect. These are the principles we have ingrained in our culture and in our attitudes. They are the values that our grandparents passed down to our parents, who passed them down to us. I thought to myself , if the British have core values that make them who

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-31388103038394287062007-11-01T20:14:00.000Z2009-07-08T15:08:53.638+01:00

Writing has always been something I loved doing, since I started recognising words. I love reading too, and I used to write stories in my head when I was younger. I got distracted for a while, and pursued education and other interests. But recently, I rediscovered my love for writing and it is firmly back on my agenda now. I've decided to take this step towards using my gift and passion for

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-55798759188055908382007-06-28T15:10:00.000+01:002011-12-02T17:55:17.919Z

I have just stepped out of a life of the ordinary. For too long, I have had the usual life ambitions. You know - finish school, go to university, get a good job, get married. That's all fine and I can tick all those boxes. But I never really had a dream a passion for something more than myself. I do now. I have come to realise that I cannot live a life without a dream. It would mean I will just

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06799796628809329966noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35537640.post-76439502096269854002007-05-06T00:20:00.011+01:002011-06-03T16:31:23.131+01:00

Welcome to my blog! My name is Tolulope Popoola (aka Favoured Girl), and I'm a writer and lover of books and all things literature. I used to be an Accountant, until I rediscovered my love for writing and became a full-time writer in 2008. I'm the creator and one of the writers for the fiction series and book, In My Dreams It Was Simpler. I'm also working on a novel and a collection of short

Favoured Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04824894132453805811noreply@blogger.com