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The Pearl on the Horizon
The Pearl on the Horizon is a moving story about the devastating effects of materialism which sends a rich ethical message in line with religious teachings. Madame Victorine Mahfouz grows up in a materialistic family and looks at everything through these lenses. On the other hand, Eugene and Fresha believe in high achievements in education and consequent roses. Confronted with unemployment and tough socio-economic demands, Madame Victorine mocks the two and even threatens to destroy their engagement. Underlying the plot is a classic romantic love relationship between Eugene and Fresher, on the one hand, and Madame Victorine’s illicit amorous scandals, on the other. In these well-written passages with techniques enriched by letters, songs, poems and narration, the reader will appreciate the author’s juxtaposition of success and survival. The Pearl on the Horizon draws a line between survival and success, crowns the latter prominence and discredits the former. The writer suggests that success is slow but bears enduring results. Survival, on the other hand, is quick but can lead to ruin.
What others say
“The novel is captivating and factual. It captures social and material conditions in Africa occasioned by poor governance. So what is success in the face of devastating levels of unemployment, stiff competition from the large pool of graduates and the need to survive? Is it unprincipled material acquisition and a ‘good living’ or a good education and ethical living?” – Rose Keya, Book Editor.
“The Pearl on the Horizon speaks volumes to young adults who may want to take shortcuts in life and the consequences of such actions.” Harriet Irungu, Student of Literature.
A Mysterious Woman
A Mysterious Woman is a captivating story of Nyang’arisa, the protagonist and a woman who chose a life of crime for survival. Unlike what society is accustomed to, Nyang’arisa joins a group of men, her ‘business partners,’ to make a living through an unlawful acquisition of what belongs to others.
After some time, Nyang’arisa finds love in a young, hardworking, and loving man, Michael, whom she later marries. The thought of Michael knowing of her life in crime makes her scared and restless. She chooses to lead a mysterious life, with her history hidden from her husband and family. Nyang’arisa builds a new family, her tainted past notwithstanding. However, she lives always looking back over her shoulder with the nagging thought that her past might one day catch up with her.
True to her thoughts, her past catches up with her as she ends up spending the rest of her life behind bars.
Kwamboka’s Inquiry
Who killed Dr. Sarah Kwamboka?
This popular founder of a girls’ school is shot dead in her house and an inspector from Nairobi is sent to Kisii to investigate. While attempting to uncover the motive behind the brutal crime, Sgt. James Dingiria discovers that Kwamboka had been collecting memoirs from the area as a way of preserving the region’s history.
This novel weaves a murder mystery around short stories that reveal the history of ordinary people from this part of the country with a look at present-day Kenya.
What others say
“Dobrin has carefully plotted his novel with style that provides a smooth flow through short stories. It is a carefully thought plot that rouses a reader’s tang!’’- Sally Boyani, Book Editor.
“It is a gripping story about murder, corruption, power, church politics, colonisation and chauvinism. The great drift of suspense in the text and the interwoven short stories make it a page turner. It is a well told must read.’’- Verah Omwocha, Book Editor.
Lord Kitchener
Set in newly-independent Kenya, Lord Kitchener is the story of ‘two worlds’, epitomized by Ombam and Engineer Okwach, and buttressed by an eclectic mix of social and political growing pains of a young nation. Ombam is focused on education, childhood games, sickness and the like. Engineer Okwach’s are high-class socio-political and economic problems that bedevil the young African nation.
Concerned with political expediency, despite his education, Okwach is unashamed of political sycophancy and material aggrandizement under an autocratic regime that tramples upon citizens’ rights and freedoms. It is an environment that is a graveyard of independence-era aspirations where detentions without trial and opponent assassinations are the norm.
Unfavourable circumstances (greed and social stratification) mean that Ombam discontinues his schooling early, and endures many challenges that life throws at him. His education is left waiting till much later in life.
Will either of the two succeed? You, the reader, be the judge.
What others say
“The author has successfully created an imaginative and factual work of art under postcolonial and post-modernist thought, a contestation between marginal and dominant groups owing to cultural and political differences. African independence has not led to egalitarian societies but entrenched classes, political chaos and corruption.” – Dr. Andrew Nyongesa, writer & literary scholar.
“Written in a unique, appealing flowery language, this book is rich in history dating back to Kenya’s independence. It captures the politics of the time – ideological divergence, political greed, corruption, ethnic discrimination and political assassinations, among others. Like Chimamanda Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun, it highlights the dangers (personal and community) of opposition politics in young African nations.” - Joel Onyango, teacher, literary critic and founder of iTend-Kenya.
Voices
n the small town of Soghor in Nyanza, Kenya, there exists a myth dating back to colonial times. It relates to people, termed kachinja, who were rumoured to prowl the area, arresting passers-by and tapping their blood. Supposedly, Songhor survived this way throughout the colonial period and into Kenya’s independence.
Following emancipation, the White Highlands reverted to the indigenous population, and a settlement for the Luo, Kalenjin and Kisii communities. Folklore has it that people routinely dashed for the bushes whenever they saw a red car approaching. Its white owner is said to have used the car to transport captured Africans for slaughter. The man lived near the Songhor Museum Site that was founded by two white men in 1932, and gazetted in 1981. Two African families in nearby Tamu and Muhoroni are rumoured to have been complicit, acting as ‘catchers’ of Africans.
At the white man’s homestead, the main house had a bunker-like hole with a small door, and a grilled opening. Keen observations lead to curious revelations.
This is a fictionalized account based on a long-held myth. It is meant for enjoyment.
KRAFT
Through a meeting with Wendy, they form a bond and together, they embark on life's journey. Life turns wonderful, until disasters knock at the door, one after the other…
Meanwhile, detective Tom Mbuke is running out of time to solve a series of bizarre happenings that befall the Teluves. He blames himself for a prank that caused so much pain as a 10-year-old and vowed to leave no stone unturned to find out what really happened. But nothing could prepare him to handle the truth that emerges.
Kraft is a story about deceit, love, sex, power, betrayal, crime, money and anything in between, set in colonial Kenya and spanning two generations to present day Kenya and around several continents…
Shifting Sands
Shifting Sands is a gripping narration by Kemunto aka Kemu" to her three girlfriends, all of different cultural heritage. Kemu aspires to be a writer but life with its vicissitudes doesn't make her dream an easy one. We follow the four young girls as they mature in this adventure, growing up and facing the world. Their encounters, surprises and cultural intricacies make for good reading.
Their intertwined lives from a young age, and their different cultural backgrounds and upbringing offer interesting insights. Kemu and Myra are Kenyan Africans while Shilpa is third-generation Kenyan-Indian and Latifah is third-generation Kenyan-Arab. The latter two face questions of nationality all the time, despite that their families have been in the country for generations.
Shifting Sands is an intriguing tale of enduring encounters of living a moral and ethical life, placing its own challenges on friendships cemented from early childhood and school. How will the four ladies' friendship survive?
Shifting Sand's various strands of narratives are compelling and herald the coming of age of a gifted and talented writer who brings women and children experiences hauntingly to life. In this tale we get contrasting insights of issues that impact women, children and relationships. Tradition and cultural practices of old are challenged in the face of modernity while age-old wisdom, like that from Kemu's grandmother (Magokoro) and father, appear immutable.
What Others Say
"Mombasa, a tapestry city where east meets west and north meets south, is the metonymy that gives Moraa Gitaa the opportunity to indict archaic cultural beliefs, government authorities, extremism, the suppression of women, and a whole slew of questionable practices in modern Kenya. Kemunto's voice is that of the archetypal, dignified and upright woman everywhere in the developing world, not just that of the African woman. Quite well said." - Charles Phebih-Agyekum, author and book editor.
"Shifting Sands is a powerful, compelling and gripping narrative employing a mature mastery of the English language that leaves the reader yearning for more." - Excerpt from judges' comments, 2008 National Book Development Council of Kenya Literary Awards.
"Moraa Gitaa's Shifting Sands will add value to the national discourse on gender discrimination, inter-generational tensions, socioeconomic marginalization, HIV and AIDS, the injustices suffered by the poor in this country, corruption, transnational and global connections and their impact on the lives of Kenyans and other nationals residing in the country." - Comparative Literature Lecturer at a Kenyan university.
Crucible for Silver and Furnace for Gold
Giorgio thought that a sojourn to Kenya's coast was the perfect way to kick back and relax, luxuriate in the sun, scuba-dive, take big-game fishing trips or a dhow cruise, but it turns out to be a break filled with mixed fortunes. On the other hand, Lavina's sabbatical for soul-searching in Malindi turns out to be a Herculean task of grappling with a moral dilemma of epic proportions. When their paths cross and their lives become intertwined, their emotionally charged struggle to connect with each other is challenging and turbulent.
This story deals with various socioeconomic issues ranging from the institution of marriage and multi-racial relationships, to amazing Kenyan art & culture, to historical land injustices brought about by the pre-nineteenth century, 99 year old colonial crown land leases, absentee landlords, and the long overdue land reform agenda on land tenures, the cause of many a conflict in the country.
The first scene opens on the Kenyan coast with captivating miles of pristine sandy white beaches, lapped by clear turquoise waters, providing the backdrop for your typical tropical beach holiday, but gets marred with a near-tragedy.
Here is a compelling and descriptive narrative that will pull at your heartstrings, but one that offers a message of hope to a moral dilemma that has bedeviled the world.
Here is what others say about this work:
From an an author clearly proud of her heritage and the beauty of her country comes a romantic tale set in Kenya. Featuring a jaw-achingly handsome Italian man and a beautiful, talented, but troubled local girl, the romance unfolds in a light teasing manner until the twist in the tale turns out to be a moral dilemma that would test the strength of any relationship. - Muthoni Garland - Kenyan writer nominated and short-listed for Caine Prize 2006, winner of Absinthe Literary Review 2003, and Founder of Story Moja, a new publishing initiative in Kenya
Moraa Gitaa writes with a crisp, clean style that will engage the reader from the first paragraph forward. A ground-breaking novel from a modern 'This Generation' African woman. A fine example of expressive writing that women around the world will find both inspiring and insightful. You'll turn page after page. - Rod Amis, Publisher & Editor G21 The World's Magazine
In delicious detail and with revolutionary zeal, Moraa tells a story of fierce passion, challenging tradition and breaking taboo. She weaves a surprising symphony. Fabulous! - John Mwazemba, Publishing Manager, Macmillan (Kenya) Publishers
Vigorous, with a surprise at every turn. This one will capture you alive! - Bruce L. Cook, Author-me.com
Moraa’s keen hand represents her generation’s challenges, hopes and dreams. She presents the reader with an intriguing, lyrical tale where lies a complex and breathtaking story of modern Kenya as shaped by politics, global interconnectedness, and the stirrings of hearts motivated by private sorrows, personal commitments, and high ideals. - Dr. Wambui Githiora-Updike, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Author of Wanjira.
A remarkable tale of love that keeps you turning the pages deep into the night. As you close the last page, you are, without choice, left with the burning question: How do I live my life? - Onduko bw'Atebe, Kenyan Author, his debut novel The Verdict of Death won first prize in the inaugural Wahome Mutahi Literary Prize (Kenya) 2006
Unchartered Mind
Unchartered Mind: Poems about Life and Living is Imali J. Abala’s most impressive poetry collection to date. The poems are lyrical, imagistic, and thought-provoking. Exploring the complexity of life and living, the poems take the reader on a journey of self-discovery as they probe the very essence of our humanity and existence, a real delight to read.
What Readers Say
"Imali J. Abala shows a unique and creative brilliance in this volume of poetry collection titled Unchartered Mind: Poems about Life and Living. Quite boldly, Abala challenges her readers to acknowledge the literary sanctity of double engenders in such comparisons as life and liberty, hope and faith, joy and death. Without shame, she brazenly asserts that, perhaps, America’s freedom isn’t what it is cracked up to be.
Abala, a life-long learner, possesses a global world view that is seasoned by her academic experience as a veteran professor of English. It is her gift of words, her reflective culture and her passion for life that serve as the impetus for “verse” as discovered in Unchartered Mind: Poems about Life and Living." - Dr. Brooksie Harrington, Professor of English at Fayetteville State University.
Cast the First Stone
Driven by acquisitive greed, corrupt individuals lobby the government for favourable policies for their businesses. In cutthroat competition, the high and mighty engages in deadly selfish games of land and property acquisition regardless of cost. The poor are equally determined! They use every imaginable trick to have their piece of the pie.
Cast the first stone is an intriguing story on lives in an African country. Kalamu, an investigative journalist, embarks on a truth-seeking assignment at the Alfajiri Scheme, not aware that his expose’ will rattle the establishment. He discovers rot whose tentacles run deep, presenting unprecedented risk to his life and the lives of his sources! Will he unravel the tangled maze?
What Others Say
“Cast the First Stone is moving story about the pivotal role of the press in the fight for positive change in corruption-ridden societies. It is an indictment of the press and government in the perpetuation of corruption, particularly in developing countries. The novelist has demonstrated great command of the English language and written the story with a powerful message in a style that is easy and interesting to read. The issues addressed are very relevant to the African society today.” – Dr. Andrew Nyongesa, Scholar of Literature.
“From cutting deals, playing the deadly and selfish games of trampling on the poor to get ahead, to the never-say-die spirit of the poor to get a piece of the cake, Cast the First Stone is a riveting story that illuminates the realities of a corrupt, unjust society!” – Anonymous.
