African Romance ~ A Genre Whose Time Has Come

I grew up on a healthy staple of literature, seeing both my parents who were teachers then always reading either for leisure or their assigned roles. Whenever we travelled, my Mom packed sandwiches, fruits and books. Once we were done reading the story books, she would tell my siblings and I to either share stories with one another or write them down.

By the time I was in high school and ‘discovered’ Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and Micere Mugo, I was in James Patterson’s 7th Heaven.

It was therefore short of a miracle that one of Ngugi’s daughters was a student in our school and when he visited her, we hijacked the visit and it became a literature session.

I have travelled, lived and worked professionally around the world, but now in semi-retirement, I am doing what I have always loved, reading and writing. As Marc Anthony said, “If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life.”

As founder and CEO of Ssali Publishing House, I’ve had the privilege of working with many authors whose creativity leaves me in awe. We’ve published many biographies, Christian books, several motivational books, converted PhD theses into books as well as some storybooks by kids under the age of 15.

However, there are two underserved genres in African creative writing. They are:

1. Suspense Thrillers
2. Romance based in Africa and with characters of African descent written by African authors.

It was, therefore, with great delight that I met a Kenyan author, Sakwah Collins Ongoma, who has written several hair-raising thrillers that had me sitting on the edge of my seat as I read through the words he had woven like a beautiful fabric which I didn’t put down, notwithstanding the ungodly hour. When I came to the last page, with my heart in my mouth, I looked for the rest of it, or at least the sequel. In some cases, I just didn’t see it coming because there were no subtle clues to prepare me for the grand finale. I wanted to call up the author and demand that he write me a chapter or two because much as I love thrillers I love the “happily ever after’ even more.

Sakwah’s titles include, “The Campus Exile”, a heart-breaking peek into the trials and tribulations of our college students. Though a work of fiction, it draws on your heartstrings, and has your emotions oscillating between fury, empathy and hurt, the mark of true mastery; a creative wordsmith extraordinaire. Did I mention I absolutely love the author John Grisham and have a collection of all his titles? I felt I had found my very own local John Grisham who weaves intrigue through a novel like a hairstylist weaves cornrows on an African girl’s head. If you don’t have Sakwah’s book yet, beg, borrow or you know, umm, wait for the reprint coming soon.

Having read over ten thousand titles of Mills & Boons (Millsies) yes, believe it or not, over 45 years or so; dreamily read almost every title by Danielle Steel and several other romance authors, I feel I have travelled the world wherever their characters lived or travelled for leisure. I have resonated with the brides of Arab Sheikhs in palaces, tents and oases in deserts you will not find on the map of the Middle East; commiserated with billionaires who fell in love with beauties that were not in their social class and invariably fallen in and out of love within the confines of the 188pages of the popular series.

However, notwithstanding my being delighted by the offerings that have taken me to San Tropez, Monaco, Tuscany, New York and South Beach in Miami, I want to read romance novels set in Zanzibar, nestled in Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills, experience the vibrant nightlife of Nairobi and the rich culture of Malindi, Lamu, Pemba and Mombasa. I want to substitute Adam, Tony, Sidney for Mwendwa, Kimani, Kantano, and Ochola. I want to read of beautiful African women with names like Malaika, Zahra, Mwikali, Fikile and Akinyi.

So I am calling on you, African authors, yes…you and you and you too! I know you are out there. Maybe, like me, you have a strong foundation in Mills & Boon or even Harlequin Romance. Let’s write these stories; let’s bring out the dramatic streak, the imagination and the intrigue that come naturally to us.

I have published a couple of romance novels. The most popular one is “Wings in Flight” which appeals to both men and women. It’s light reading; it’s heart-breaking and simultaneously heart-warming. It’s sassy with a touch of the erotica and though a work of fiction, many readers felt as if they were reading a true story.

So if you are an author of African romance, please let us know. I for one will voraciously read every book you’ve written and will write in the future. If you are not sure whether your manuscript is worth publishing, if you are on this site, I will be happy to read it at no charge to you and give you some guidance.

Story telling comes naturally to us. We can do this so, let’s do it. Let’s have fun doing so. People ask me whether a career in creative writing is sustainable. The answer is a resounding yes!

Happy reading!

Categoría:

Entretenimiento