Entertainment / Celebrity
One on One with the author of Napolia: Zuza and the lost Princess
28 Jan 2014 at 16:50hrs | Views
Jean Gasho who fled abuse in the UK has started a blospot www.hewasmydaddy.blogspot.com to stop domestic and spiritual abuse. On the 1'st March Muzvare Betty Makoni is hosting an event in support of her blogspot. The event will be filmed LIVE for Princes of Arize! show on BEN TV by Princess 'Deun Adodoyin-Solarin.
After a long fight of justice and oppression, her first book Napolia: Zuza and the lost Princess will be available on amazon as a paperback and also as an e-book.
Below is an interview she did with Bulawayo24 News.
What inspired you to write this book?
Answer: I always used to come up with girly stories for my daughter, one day my 5 year old son asked me to write him an adventure story where he would be a brave knight. So for the first time I had to think of a story with a boy as the main character. It was a challenge for me as I always found it easy to write about girls than boys. My imagination was challenged and my son kept asking me when I was going to write to write him a story and I had no choice but to write him something. I started going outdoors to get inspiration and one day as I was walking in the woods I had an idea of a young teenage boy who saves a princess in a fantasy world. I wanted to write my son something that would mean something to him as he grew up, and Napolia, Zuza and the lost Princess was born.
Summarize your book in one to three sentences as if you were speaking to someone unfamiliar with your book and its topic.
Answer: It's an adventure story of two young people from two different worlds, Zuza a British teenage boy, and Tamar a Zimbabwean girl. An unlikely modern teenage romance and a magical story book that changes everything. It's a fantasy story of faith, love, destiny and fate.
What is the overall theme (central topic, subject or concept) of your book?
Answer: For me personally when I wrote the book the overall theme of it was the power of faith over human impossibilities and the fine line between the physical world and the spiritual world.
Where does this book take place?
Answer: Scotland and Zimbabwe.
Who are the main characters and why are they important to the story?
The main characters are Zuza and Princess Tamara. The characters are important to the story because they both come from two different cultures and worlds (Zuza, modern British) , (Princess Tamara, Ancient Napolia) yet these two characters meet in a dream and the impossible becomes a reality.
Why do you think that this book will appeal to readers?
Answer: It is a unique fantasy story that is charming, delightful and engaging.
How is your book relevant in today's society?
We now live in a multicultural society. My book brings all cultures and people together.
Is there any subject currently trending in the news that relates to your book?
Answer: Teenage romance, maybe lol
What makes your book different from other books like it?
Answer: I believe my fantasy book Napolia is unique in that it brings out the equality in all human races. In most folk tales and fantasy stories, Princesses are blonde straight haired and blue eyed. In Napolia the Princess is curly haired and dark skinned and she is rescued by someone from a different world.
What do you want readers to take away from your writing?
Answer: Power of faith over human impossibilities. I want the readers of my book to believe in the power of dreams, that one can go in the direction of their dreams and to live the life they have always imagined.
How did you learn about the topic? (i.e. personal experience, education, etc.)
Answer: Personal experience
Is there a particular passage from your book you'd like us to utilize? If so, please provide.
Answer: "Zuza, welcome to the Zimbabwean savannah. You have landed in Kariba, Zimbabwe's pride and beauty," roared a strong voice that sounded like the roll of thunder. Turning around slowly, Zuza saw him. He had never seen anything like it. The creature was not tawny or light brown; it was not at all like the picture Zuza had in his head of a lion. It was not the image Zuza had seen in books, on the television, or even at Chester Zoo.
Not only did this lion[LD1] speak as a human, but it was also magnificent and majestic in appearance. His body was as white as wool. His feet were like bronze glowing in a burning furnace. He was surrounded by fire. His mane was pure white, even whiter than the snow. His face shone like the sun shining on the African Savannah. It appeared as though all the radiance and light that Zuza saw was coming from the lion. His eyes were balls of blazing fire. His teeth were white and sharp, and fire came out of his mouth as he breathed.
At the sight of the lion, something happened to Zuza, and he fell to his face in fear and wonder.
If there is any additional information you'd like the writers to know, please provide.
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
1. Please supply us with an author bio. Do not include anything you do not want shared with the media.
Answer: Jean Gasho is a mother of three who was born and raised in Zimbabwe. She moved to the United Kingdom at the age of 17 to study for a diploma in Psychiatric Nursing. She graduated in 2003 as a registered nurse. She gave up her nursing career in 2007 and became a full time mother to her three young children. As a fantasy writer, her stories are always inspired by her children. She wrote the story of Zuza after her 6 year old son asked her to write him a bed time story about an exciting adventure in which he would be a brave warrior, and Zuza and the lost Princess was born. Jean is currently working on her autobiography which details her escape from domestic and spiritual abuse. Jean is also a pen artist and an aspiring actress.
2. What other books have you written?
Answer: I am working on my second book.
3. Do you have an existing website? If so, please provide the web address.
Answer: www.hewasmydaddy.blogpot.com
After a long fight of justice and oppression, her first book Napolia: Zuza and the lost Princess will be available on amazon as a paperback and also as an e-book.
Below is an interview she did with Bulawayo24 News.
What inspired you to write this book?
Answer: I always used to come up with girly stories for my daughter, one day my 5 year old son asked me to write him an adventure story where he would be a brave knight. So for the first time I had to think of a story with a boy as the main character. It was a challenge for me as I always found it easy to write about girls than boys. My imagination was challenged and my son kept asking me when I was going to write to write him a story and I had no choice but to write him something. I started going outdoors to get inspiration and one day as I was walking in the woods I had an idea of a young teenage boy who saves a princess in a fantasy world. I wanted to write my son something that would mean something to him as he grew up, and Napolia, Zuza and the lost Princess was born.
Summarize your book in one to three sentences as if you were speaking to someone unfamiliar with your book and its topic.
Answer: It's an adventure story of two young people from two different worlds, Zuza a British teenage boy, and Tamar a Zimbabwean girl. An unlikely modern teenage romance and a magical story book that changes everything. It's a fantasy story of faith, love, destiny and fate.
What is the overall theme (central topic, subject or concept) of your book?
Answer: For me personally when I wrote the book the overall theme of it was the power of faith over human impossibilities and the fine line between the physical world and the spiritual world.
Where does this book take place?
Answer: Scotland and Zimbabwe.
Who are the main characters and why are they important to the story?
The main characters are Zuza and Princess Tamara. The characters are important to the story because they both come from two different cultures and worlds (Zuza, modern British) , (Princess Tamara, Ancient Napolia) yet these two characters meet in a dream and the impossible becomes a reality.
Why do you think that this book will appeal to readers?
Answer: It is a unique fantasy story that is charming, delightful and engaging.
How is your book relevant in today's society?
We now live in a multicultural society. My book brings all cultures and people together.
Is there any subject currently trending in the news that relates to your book?
Answer: Teenage romance, maybe lol
What makes your book different from other books like it?
Answer: I believe my fantasy book Napolia is unique in that it brings out the equality in all human races. In most folk tales and fantasy stories, Princesses are blonde straight haired and blue eyed. In Napolia the Princess is curly haired and dark skinned and she is rescued by someone from a different world.
What do you want readers to take away from your writing?
Answer: Power of faith over human impossibilities. I want the readers of my book to believe in the power of dreams, that one can go in the direction of their dreams and to live the life they have always imagined.
How did you learn about the topic? (i.e. personal experience, education, etc.)
Answer: Personal experience
Is there a particular passage from your book you'd like us to utilize? If so, please provide.
Answer: "Zuza, welcome to the Zimbabwean savannah. You have landed in Kariba, Zimbabwe's pride and beauty," roared a strong voice that sounded like the roll of thunder. Turning around slowly, Zuza saw him. He had never seen anything like it. The creature was not tawny or light brown; it was not at all like the picture Zuza had in his head of a lion. It was not the image Zuza had seen in books, on the television, or even at Chester Zoo.
Not only did this lion[LD1] speak as a human, but it was also magnificent and majestic in appearance. His body was as white as wool. His feet were like bronze glowing in a burning furnace. He was surrounded by fire. His mane was pure white, even whiter than the snow. His face shone like the sun shining on the African Savannah. It appeared as though all the radiance and light that Zuza saw was coming from the lion. His eyes were balls of blazing fire. His teeth were white and sharp, and fire came out of his mouth as he breathed.
At the sight of the lion, something happened to Zuza, and he fell to his face in fear and wonder.
If there is any additional information you'd like the writers to know, please provide.
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
1. Please supply us with an author bio. Do not include anything you do not want shared with the media.
Answer: Jean Gasho is a mother of three who was born and raised in Zimbabwe. She moved to the United Kingdom at the age of 17 to study for a diploma in Psychiatric Nursing. She graduated in 2003 as a registered nurse. She gave up her nursing career in 2007 and became a full time mother to her three young children. As a fantasy writer, her stories are always inspired by her children. She wrote the story of Zuza after her 6 year old son asked her to write him a bed time story about an exciting adventure in which he would be a brave warrior, and Zuza and the lost Princess was born. Jean is currently working on her autobiography which details her escape from domestic and spiritual abuse. Jean is also a pen artist and an aspiring actress.
2. What other books have you written?
Answer: I am working on my second book.
3. Do you have an existing website? If so, please provide the web address.
Answer: www.hewasmydaddy.blogpot.com
Source - Byo24News
