Ola’s living life in the fast lane as a mother, author and publisher

2:00am Saturday 20th March 2010

By Sophie Edwards

FOR most people, the phrase “work-life balance” means juggling work, family and socialising.

But for Ola Laniyan-Amoako, it means being a mother, teacher, author, and running her own publishing company and website – all at the age of 30.

Her debut novel, Leon – Spit on the Mic, which has just been published, is the first in an ambitious series about teenagers unleashing their creative talents. The next book, Rianna – the Tearful Dancer, is out in September.

Ola, who has a two-year-old son, Ruben, also writes for adults, and her novel, Metamorphosis, about a young girl growing up on a rough housing estate, will be out in June.

She has combined her writing and home life by working as a full-time teacher at a primary school in Rainham.

But her biggest challenge may be yet to come, as she prepares to take up the post of deputy headteacher at Millhouse Infant School, in Tavistock Road, Laindon.

Ola, who will also be working with children with special needs at the school, said: “I’m looking forward to the challenge, and to working in Basildon. It’s different from what I’m used to.

“I’m sure the children will have lots of interesting stories and experiences to share.”

After finishing school, Ola went on to study psychology at the University of Birmingham.

She later completed a masters in the same subject, but then changed direction, towards teaching, and completed a Postgraduate Certif-icate in Education.

Ola, of San Marcos Drive, Chaff-ord Hundred, then enrolled on a fast-track teaching programme to further her career.

But although she is clearly a gifted teacher and manager, Ola’s real passion is for her writing.

She said: “I started writing when I was at school, but it was only a hobby. I even wrote a novel, but I stopped when I began teaching.

“It was only when I starting getting comfortable in my career that I went back to it.”

She often starts work at 11pm, leaving her IT account manager husband Kofi, 35, and little Ruben tucked up in bed.

Ola said: “My main writing time is the weekends, after my husband and son are in bed. I usually write from 11pm until 5am, on Friday, and then do the same on Saturday.

“I get really into the character. I feel like them and everything that happens to them is happening to me.”

She is putting her writing on hold for the rest of the year, while she concentrates on her job, publishing company and website.

She launched her own publishing house, Urbantopia, last year, after realising there was a lack of book companies catering for teenagers and black and ethnic minority groups.

She said: “The market was crying out for a publishing company to represent those groups, so I thought, ‘why can’t I open my own?’”

Now she is looking for talented authors, especially from Asian backgrounds, to tell their stories about growing up in Britain.

“There are so many fascinating stories, from Turkish people and Asian communities, for example, I’d love to be able to publish.”

She has just launched her website, talentville.co.uk, which gives youngsters a platform to upload videos of themselves showing off their skills.

Ola’s books are available online from amazon.com, or can be order-ed at branches of Waterstones.