What A Book does for you.

Signing the author's wall at Nuria Book Store

When I started thinking of publishing, I did everything but still it didn’t work out, then I attended The African Book Fair organized by Soma nami books at the McMillan Library, Nairobi in October.

I was impressed by the collection of African books on display, including many Kenyan writers I had never heard of.

The day I went, there was a book reading by

a poet writer, Sakina.

She has authored beautiful interactive books. My favourite is - The Elements of Us. And she talked about how she wrote her book when she was in a bad place mentally.

She said

‘Think about what a book can do for you.’

She mentioned that since publishing her first book, she had been invited to speak at various events in the mental health space.

——————————

I reached out to her on IG and she connected me to her editor.

I couldn’t do the book I wanted to do first - Conversations into Adulthood-

So I decided to start with the short stories collections.

That’s how Going to Buy a plot in Maaī Mahiū came to the forefront.

—————————

It’s barely a month since I got published.

What has the book done for me?

For a start, I have signed two writing contracts which have exceeded my expectations. This is in terms of, the bargaining power of a published author.

The quote I am handing out is the same quote I have been handing out for years, with the same experience and skills but so many times it gets turned down or even slashed in half.

I am grateful to Soma Nami for organizing a book focused event, not just a textbook peddling affair but a book fair for book lovers.

I am thankful to my publisher for publishing a book I am proud to show around.

I am grateful to the people who have bought my book and continue to give me feedback.

I have good friends, I know good people and this is just the beginning.

Get me on 0701030005 to BUY A COPY

@sakina_taki

@somanami_ke

@africaninkpublishers_ltd

Finding God: How The Man Above answers my prayers

 

I'm happy to be alive. And not just because that's what I should say to show gratitude for life.

 To be honest, life is exhausting, it can be exhausting. 

It's mostly exhausting.

 And more than once in my life I have wondered what's the point of this.

But I'm glad to be alive for another reason. The years I live in accumulation keep opening up my mind to my creator's personality.

 I'm beginning to understand who God is.

 Who he is in relation to me.

 Who he is as a God, as a father, and as a friend.

What it means to draw close to God.

I have, for the longest time been kinda afraid of getting close to God.

With him being so high up there, and me being down here and insignificant.

With him being a man, and me down here having an almost derision towards the male species.

Being self-reliant and independent. I've struggled with being able to pray and trust that God is listening to my childish wants and desires and worries.

I sometimes feel like I am burdening him with all the baggage I drag along.

Sometimes I feel I am not giving him proper respect by confessing some things that are really private and embarrassing.

But the more I have opened up myself to God, the easier it has become to see how cool he is. My friend says she and Jehovah are Boyz- Jehovah ni boyz wangu she says-

For me, I decided to approach Jehovah from a humorous point of view. 

I know that God is a very funny person. Just look at the sloth, the humphead wrasse, the armadillo. I mean, someone that creates such hilarious living things 

must have a huuge sense of humour.

So I talk to my creator as I would talk to an older brother. With respect, but comfortably.

and he answers me. I tell him all the funny things that I think about. I also tell him about

situations that arise in my life that make me a  stay up watching K-Drama so that 

my mind can settle down. I realise I am 

different in many ways from most people I encounter in my society. I don't say this from

 a high-minded pedestal.

I mean like, I interpret things in my own way, I deal with people from the point of

 - this is me-

What you see is what you get. I am not interested in putting up a skit for you,

And me, for the rest of the days that I am gonna live. I've decided the best I can do is look at life

 humorously. Otherwise, I might just crawl under my bed and never come out.

Life is herr.

It's a herrish life.

 I don't mean hellish, we are used to hell, we are on another octane.

But through all the wanderings, I now know 100% that God listens.

And he answers me. Sometimes in Eminem.

  Now hush little baby, don't you cry

Everything's gonna be alright

Stiffen that upper lip up little lady, I told ya

Daddy's here to hold ya through the night

I know mommy's not here right now and we don't know why

We fear how we feel inside

It may seem a little crazy, pretty baby.

 

Sometimes in Tupac

And even though you're fed up
Huh, ya got to keep your head up

Keep ya head up, ooh, child, things are gonna get easier
Keep-keep ya head up, ooh, child, things'll get brighter (ohh)

Keep ya head up, ooh, child, things are gonna get easier
Keep-keep ya head up, ooh, child, things'll get brighter

And we move on.