Black Shoes

Michael Obiora

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Why I wrote this book

Originally, I wrote this story as a screenplay. Fortunately, because of the success of Hotel Babylon, I was able to meet with a number of producers who were positive about the script.

Despite this, one particular meeting stood out. It was when a producer I met with said to me, ‘although I think that the material is good, I do not think that the UK audience will be interested in a story with a black protagonist without a gun in his pocket.’ Of course this offended me deeply. Not only because of the casual manner with which he delivered this statement, but also because when I challenged him, he didn’t have any evidence to support his claims. As an actor, I’m always looking for as many diverse stories as possible. It is my wish to have a varied career. I believe this starts with not assuming what an audience wants, but with trying to tell interesting stories. This is what fuels my ambition to write.

This is a universal story about a young, successful man’s journey through the maze of stereotypes to find his identity. It is a reminder that often how we judge people, or how we think we are being judged, can seriously affect the choices we make.

The protagonist happens to be black, but the story of identity is not exclusive to any race.

Synopsis

Meet successful London property developer Daniel Martins. He has everything a man could want: his own booming business, a luxury pad, an expensive sports car... all at the tender age of twenty-five. But should he appreciate this more because he is black? Daniel doesn’t think so. As far as he is concerned, his hard work warrants his position. Gone are the days when, by default, black men were seen as gun toting, drug selling, urban music making individuals. Times have changed; the colour of one’s skin is trivial. It’s the twenty-first century; racism is a thing of the past... isn’t it? It’s only policemen and shop assistants who constantly remind Daniel of the stereotypes assigned to his race. Surely this shouldn’t be enough to send him on a mission to prove everybody wrong? After all, it could cost him his relationship with his best friend, who happens to be white. It could cost him his career and make him become the very stereotype that he longs to refute. Despite all this, Daniel is hell-bent on challenging every prejudice, and desperate for his late father’s approval. But how dangerous has his obsession become? His brother thinks he should convert to Islam, while Daniel hopes his therapist can help him conquer his anger, and explain the strange wizard who breathes smoke through his nostrils. In the meantime Safra, Daniel’s beautiful long-term girlfriend, wants more commitment, but an obstacle in the form of another woman – who also happens to be white – may lie in the way. Through the exploration of love, friendship, paranoia and ignorance, Black Shoes looks at a professional man’s quest to find his way through the maze of negative stereotypes, and his own personal battle with his identity.

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