Tag: childhood - Mala Naidoo's Book World

My AllAuthor Interview

Where did you grow up? Do you think your background has colored your writing in any way?

I grew up in South Africa during the apartheid era. This horrendous annihilation of a sense of authentic self, visibility and acknowledgement, features in and through my novels in shaping the necessity for inclusivity.

What developed your interest in the suspense genre?

I have always enjoyed Crime Fiction and taught Crime Fiction as an Extension English Course which further developed my interest in suspense/mystery/thriller/crime fiction.

What was that one moment in your life when you realized that you wanted to write?

I was a closet writer for almost ten years and never thought of publishing my work until I read Stephen King’s On Writing and that pushed me over the threshold with my debut novel, Across Time and Space, followed by its sequel, Vindication Across Time.

How has been your experience of working as a teacher in South Africa and Australia in secular and non-secular institutions?

With the Group Areas racial segregation in South Africa, the schools I taught in were largely of my demography. My Australian teaching experience has been diverse, but regardless of the geographic location, the time and space, as it were, students are similar in their love of learning or in their need of motivation to learn. Socio-economic status does not make an iota of difference in a student’s capacity to learn or to soar to great heights.

When did you publish your website, Mala Naidoo’s Book World?

My website was published to coincide with my first book being published in 2017.

Who inspired the character of Viola Bardo in “Aurora Days”?

Viola Bardo is a music teacher and vigilante justice seeker — she is a figment of my imagination although her name was drawn from Shakespeare’s Viola in his play, Twelfth Night.

How was the idea for The Sisters Helping Sisters Organisation (SHSO) in “What Change May Come” developed?

The need for safe houses with the ever increasing global threat to women in toxic relationships spurred me to create such a fictional organisation to serve the diverse characters in Chosen Lives and What Change may Come.

Would you be friends with someone like Dr Grace Sharvin from “Souls of Her Daughters” in real life?

Absolutely! She has phenomenal strength and vulnerabilities that make her endearing as a compassionate being both personally, and as head of ER at City Hospital. A wonderful friend indeed.

Which is your favorite story in “The Rain”?

This is a difficult question because I love them all. Every story was written during a week of torrential rain in Sydney so I feel I have lived through each one of the stories. The title story, The Rain is a favourite.

What was your favorite part, and your least favorite part, of the publishing journey?

Writing and seeing my book in hand is the favourite part, as is seeing the cover for the first time. Sending my manuscript to strangers in the publishing world and waiting for a response was a nail-biting experience.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I write a haiku on any topic that comes to mind and then dive into my novel writing.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

I have to let the flow of the story guide the pen. It’s almost like being held hostage by the story when the characters dictate their actions.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

A dedicated group of readers will drop me a line about something they connected with in any one of my novels or respond to a blog post I might put out that holds appeal for them.

What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?

An online platform of authors through The Alliance of Independent Authors such as Orna Ross and Joanna Penn are great mentors and recently interacting with Brenda Mohammed has been great .

What is your takeaway based on your experiences with AllAuthor?

A very friendly highly active service that I felt a connection to almost immediately.

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Mothers Mirrored in Fiction

Mother’s Day this year has a different ring to the freedom of yesteryear.

The nation waited to hear if we would be allowed to visit our mothers on this special day of the year. Something we took for granted… our mothers would always be there to listen, comfort, cook an amazing meal, take care of grandchildren, advise on matters of the heart, and chastise bad behaviour.

Love the whole world as a mother loves her only child ~ Gautama Buddha

The hype leading to Mother’s Day has been a buzz from infancy. 2020 has been still but some retail stores have opened for a dash purchase of a gift and a card to celebrate our mothers to tell them we love them. We fervently add that we want our mothers to be safe and well during this global health crisis. Some among us ache to see our mothers, some have passed on, and others are in social isolation — it has been two months of just telephone conversations and if possible, FaceTime, Zoom and Skype chats. The aching emptiness of the missed mama/nana hug is still not a possibility. A joyous expression of love is now a cause for global anxiety as we fear the unknown, the lethal. The comforting hug now a possible cause of harm.

Mothers occupy a universal, sacred place in our hearts. A mother’s unconditional love goes with her children from the cradle to the grave. Cultures revere mothers with a divinity deserving of profound respect and care. This value should undoubtedly be universal. The hearth of family and home is a mother.

Paradise lies at the feet of your mother~ Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

In paying tribute to all mothers today I also refer to the fictional mothers in, Souls of Her Daughters, and two follow-up novels in the trilogy (each reads as a stand-alone novel too) Chosen Lives, and, What Change May Come.

Mothers Varuna and Elsie present as the yin-yang of motherhood. Mama Varuna is Grace’s bold and strong mother who has weathered hardship with loss and societal criticism. Patience’s mother, Mama Elsie is a mild-mannered mother who faces racism and hardship in apartheid South Africa. Both mothers raise their daughters as one family united in their cultural difference and struggles. The highs and lows of the lives of mothers and daughters captured in the daily lives of Grace and Patience are what makes Mother’s Day a constant expression of love.

To all mothers, and future mothers, you are the pillars of family and society and should be celebrated daily.

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.’ ~ Proverbs 31:26

Share your thoughts in the comments.

Stay safe and well as restrictions ease in New South Wales and around the world.

Happy reading, happy writing.

Are you particular about dates?

When I ask ‘Are you particular about dates?’ – I’m not referring to the dating game or romance.

Here’s my reason for asking.

I recently published Vindication Across Time as the print version late in September to coincide with my father’s birthday.

The digital version on Kindle, Kobo, iBooks, BN will be released next week on my mother’s birthday. It’s up for preorder on these sites now.

I can hear you ask, ‘Pray do tell us more!’

Some of the themes reflected in Vindication Across Time – the pursuit of truth and justice is a value I grew up with. The truth no matter how painful had to be acknowledged and implemented.

Lies were severely admonished in my childhood home regardless of any perceived justification for stretching the truth.

Truth and lies are dominant in the novel as in different versions of the truth. The bearers of fake truths are soon discovered and good karma visits those who steadfastly adhere to the truth. My understanding is that there is only ONE truth. If a man has been gunned down, there might be one person directly responsible and others who helped expedite the heinous act.

Justifications offered for why this happened does not remove the truth that a defenseless man was gunned down in cold blood. The next truth to be served is that justice must prevail regardless of individuals’ motives and challenges.

There, in a nutshell, is why the print version of Vindication Across Time was released on my father’s birthday as an acknowledgement of his respect for truth and justice.

What about my mother made me choose to release the Kindle and eBook versions on her birthday next week?

The expression of culture and values through strong female characters in Across Time and Space, led to greater nuances of imperfect lives in Vindication Across Time. This is where my mother’s love, compassion, and strength shaped these ideas.

Continue reading “Are you particular about dates?”

Do You Remember The Days?

Do you remember the things you did during your childhood that defines what you do as an adult?

I remember being passionate about drama, performance and the pleasure it elicited. When I say being passionate about plays, I mean reading them with great zeal.

Growing up in apartheid South Africa on the ‘wrong’ side of the colour line meant that going to the theatre was not an option. Additionally, television had not been introduced into the country. I make reference to this in an earlier post, To Kill a Mockingbird Moment Realised, here.

I remember going to the library, standing in a long queue to add my name on the waiting list for a particular playscript I was eager to read.

One such play that is vividly remembered is Toad of Toad Hall written by A.A Milne as the dramatisation of Kenneth Graham’s, The Wind in the Willows.

Growing up under the horrendous apartheid regime in South Africa makes the adult me smile at this choice. As much as the child enjoyed Rat’s, Badger’s, Mole’s and Toad’s car and caravan adventures, the deeper issues were lost in the euphoria of ‘putting this on stage’ in the apartment building of my childhood.

Actors were sourced from eager children who were hungry for entertainment during the school break. Parents were at work and no laws protected downtown children from being left at home alone with an occasional check in from an elderly neighbour- this was all an aspiring eight-year-old producer needed!

Parts were allocated and lines rehearsed over two days. Pitch, tone, movement and a haphazard choreography were based on the whim of the eight-year-old producer who ensured she donned a hat and a scarf for a theatrical edge that was akin to those seen in magazines and the Sunday newspaper.

What a time was had by all! An intermission was in place and red Kool-Aid duly served as the drink of choice in plastic wine glasses to an innocent audience ranging in years from five to ten. Mothers’ costume jewellery, ‘plastic pearls’ and hats with feathers were placed askew on little heads for attendance at this momentous production in the dining-room of my parent’s apartment.

Innocent children made their debut into the world of theatre, revelling in being transported to a magical world away from the tedium and boredom that sets in after playing all the games children could come up with during a six-week long school break.

Fast-forward decades later, in another country of choice, the itch takes hold, not as a theatrical producer, but one who has started to pen fictional tales of life and its challenges, thus Across Time and Space is born.

Such, such were the joys of childhood.

What do you remember of your childhood that lingers fondly as a defining moment? Share your thoughts below.