With newly published Author, Aswani Nabwende
Welcome to the Clan-Witch Interviews.
This interview is with Author Aswani Nabwende
Below is a snapshot of her first published book ‘The Budding Tree,’ which is available from Amazon in bothe paperback and eBook editions;
‘Using the character Awiti, Aswani Nabwende has written a book to shed light on the emotional and mental state of women who have undergone recurrent miscarriages. In the book, she explains the traditional African perception on miscarriage in comparison to modern medicine and the role that caregivers, family, and friends play on the mental health of women struggling with infertility.
The Budding Tree is a book filled with faith, hope and resilience.’
Interview
Q1. What was your inspiration and drive behind your latest book?
I have always written scripts, but I never seem to finish them. ‘The Budding Tree’ was however different.
First, I was challenging myself to see a project to completion. I chose a subject that I was passionate about, and which I had questions that I needed answered for myself and for other women around me.
I was inspired by my desire to finish a project that was going to help out a woman struggling somewhere.
Q2. What is your creative kryptonite?
My writing kryptonite is definitely procrastination and shamefully, laziness.
Q3. If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be?
If I could tell my younger self anything, I would ask her to read more books. Not only does reading keep you informed, it raises your IQ and it translates you into a better, more creative writer.
Q4. Tell us about an early experience where you learned that words have power.
I am a Kenyan born out of an inter-tribal marriage. We experienced post-election violence in 2007/2008, a violence that had Kenyans fighting in their tribal lines. My parents tribes mates were fighting on different quarters. One of my close friends had unintentionally asked me to pick a side even though I did not want anything to do with tribal politics.
In that period, many lives were lost and where my family lost property, I learned to express myself through writing. I wrote many poems, one of which was recited by my high school poetry club during the music festivals and which went up to the national level. As much as I was expressing myself while giving information, writing was therapeutic to me.
Those moments remind me that words can make or break people.
Q5. What does success look like to you?
Success to me is gaining what I want, when I want and the way I want it. Success is having my heart satisfied with what I have done and watching with pride as my own achievement speaks for itself.
Q6. Tell us what we should look out for from you in the future.
Now that I know how, I intend to write more books in the future. I will write stories that are well researched, relatable and beneficial to human kind.
Would you like to know more about Aswani’s work? Check out her Instagram below:
Clan Witch & Word Refinery 