Author Interview: Kaizer M. Nyatsumba
Happy Thursday, folks! I hope you are having a fantastic week! I completed TWO finals this week, and only have two to go, so you might say I’m a little excited! I sure can’t wait for the summer semester to hit so I can have a little time off from school! But, even that will be a little stressed as I will having to decide which classes I will be taking. From what I hear, attaining a Bachelors is a lot harder than attaining my Associates was. We’ll just have to see what happens I guess!
ANYWAY! A few weeks back I was contacted about hosting an interview with an author from South Africa. Of course I said “YES”, and now that my email is working again (I’ll tell you about that later!) I can finally post it!
Thank you so much, Mr Nyatsumba! It was a pleasure getting to know you!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A former newspaper Editor, Kaizer Mabhilidi Nyatsumba is a business executive in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is currently the CEO of the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
My interest in writing started at primary school, when I would write some poems and some plays. Reading a lot triggered my interest in writing.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Writing this book, “Incomplete Without My Brother, Adonis”, was cathartic for me, although the arrest, prosecution and conviction of those who murdered my brother and those who planned it would complete the healing process.
What genre do you usually write?
Do you ever see yourself writing other genres? I write mostly poetry and short stories. To date I have published three short poetry collections and two short story collections. Yes, I do see myself writing a novel in future.
ABOUT YOUR CURRENT BOOK:
Tell us about INCOMPLETE WITHOUT MY BROTHER, ADONIS -Whats it about, where’d the idea for it come from?
This book is (auto)biographical. It is about my life and that of my brother, Adonis, who was murdered in June 2009. In addition to telling the story of our lives, it also catalogues South Africa’s transition (which I had the opportunity to document closely as a journalist) from apartheid to a democracy.
Is there a message in your novel that you hope your readers come away with?
The messages that I hope readers will take away from the book are that Adonis was a vital part of my life and, more importantly, that I will not rest until his killers are behind bars.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
The hardest part of writing the book was opening old wounds that had begun to heal and re-living the pain of my mother’s death, at 39, and Adonis’s murder before he turned 50.
How are you publishing this book and why?
We have used both the traditional and electronic forms of publishing this book in order to ensure that it has as wide a circulation as possible. Some of the events in it happened when I was studying in the USA and when I was working in London, UK, hence it was important that the book was available in those markets.
What has your experience been like as a South African trying to get your book out in the United States?
Getting my book published in the United States was not too difficult. I found a great partner in my current publisher.
ABOUT WRITING:
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Yes: all good writers are great readers. Read other writers’ books as much as possible, and in the process you will develop your own style and be inspired to write.
What are you working on now / whats next for you?
I am currently working on publishing an English version of my anthology of Zulu poems, “Umlozi”, which was first published by Oxford University Press in South Africa in 1996. The English version is called “The Shaman”.
ABOUT READING:
Who is your favorite author & what do you think draws you to their work?
I am a Georgetown University English graduate. I read – and have read – all types of literature, ranging from classical British literature through to contemporary African and American literature.
And because our readers would LOVE to know: What book are YOU reading right now?
Right now I am reading “The Journey”, an as yet unpublished novel written by a member of my staff, Auralia Madlala, which was shortlisted in a South African competition for unpublished writers.
How can readers discover more about you and you work?
Website: www.kaizernyatsumba.com
Lnkedin: Kaizer Nyatsumba
Amazon Author Page: Kaizer Mabhilidi Nyatsumba
Goodreads: Kaizer M. Nyatsumba
Thank YOU so much for taking the time to talk to us!
| About Kaizer M. Nyatsumba |
| Kaizer M. Nyatsumba, Cert Dir (IoDSA), MBA (Hull)Chief Executive Officer Kaizer Nyatsumba joined SEIFSA on 1 November 2013 as Chief Executive Officer. He has previously worked as Managing Director of KMN Consulting, Vice-President: Corporate Affairs and Shared Services at PetroSA, Group General Manager: Corporate Affairs, Marketing and BEE at Sasol Limited, Public Affairs and Communications Director at Coca-Cola South Africa, as well as Head: Corporate Marketing and Vice-President: Corporate Affairs at Anglo American South Africa. An author and previously a journalist, Nyatsumba has also worked as Political Editor and Executive Editor of The Star, Deputy Editor of The Mercury, founding Editor of The Independent on Saturday, Editor of the Daily News (the last three titles in Durban) and Associate Editor of The Independent in London. A Certified Director (IoDSA), Nyatsumba holds an MBA from the University of Hull, a BA Honours degree from Georgetown University in Washington DC, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Economics from the University of the Witwatersrand, an Advanced Management Diploma from the University of Pretoria’s Gordon’s Institute of Business Science, a Leadership Development Diploma from the Harvard Business School in Boston and a Diploma in Journalism from the Newspaper Institute of America in New York. Nyatsumba has served on the Boards of the 2010 (World Cup) Big Company, the Anglo American Chairman’s Fund, the Anglo American Medical Aid Scheme, Business Against Crime, National Business Initiative, Tourism Business Council of South Africa and on the Council of the University of Zululand. Connect with him: |
Incomplete Without My Brother, Adonis by Kaizer Mabhilidi Nyatsumba
Release Date: 2014-09-04
Synopsis:
“We walked on a patch of grass that seemed to have been burnt a few hours earlier, with soot covering our feet. There, in front of us, lay my beloved brother, Adonis, lifeless, his body facing up. There were numerous stab wounds on his body, including his face, and his lumber jacket was half burnt.”
Thus begins Kaizer Nyatsumba’s tragic story of his twin brother’s horrible murder. It is also an intriguing look into aspects of South African life hitherto unknown to many.
They were twins of a special kind, the closest of friends, and each other’s confidantes. Their mothers were sisters, they were inseparable when they grew up, they were the first graduates in the extended family, and were the ones the family depended on for leadership.
When Adonis was brutally murdered in the Pretoria area in June 2009, Kaizer was shattered and his life irrevocably changed. A part of him died with Adonis, and he has yet to come fully to terms with the loss. A very private man, the author bares his soul in this book.
“This story by the master craftsman, Kaizer Nyatsumba, is so absorbing that it is impossible to stop reading.” – Michael Mandl’aButi Mathabela
About the Author:
Kaizer Mabhilidi Nyatsumba is the CEO of the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa. This is his seventh book.
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