Why I Wrote My Book – 
When I was a child we had a choice of three different types of porridge, but I have only ever liked one of them. I can remember my grandmother saying that I was just trying to be difficult. While I was lying on the floor screaming and shouting and flopping around, I felt like I had a good reason to be unreasonable. I simply didn’t like the porridge on offer that day. It might have been easier if I had been able to explain why.
Since that day of the porridge-meltdown, I have grown up, changed many times and moved on. I’ve come to know myself and chiselled out my identity. I used to fear being misunderstood but I have come to realise that at times it will happen, and just like with the porridge, is it is usually better if I can express my “why”.
As you all know, I’ve done two years’ worth of writing about the range of my successes and failures. I began to write to understand my situation and I definitely found clarity and healing. But I also learned that writing a memoir is not just about putting words on a page. It is about showing vulnerability and connecting with others. Once I grasped that, I continued writing for anyone who felt like they were floundering. For them to see that there was someone else who felt like she was slipping. I hoped that they wouldn’t feel as alone as I had. With that, I found my “why”.
A lot has happened in the two years since I began my memoir. I’ve written and rewritten many drafts. Travelled to exotic countries and caught up with old friends and made new ones. In an East African market, I discovered a man’s hand picking my pocket and mistakenly drank the undrinkable water from a tap without getting any dread diseases. I remained calm in an earthquake in Mexico and sang Cielito Lindo at the statue of the Angel in solidarity with the forty-three students who went missing in 2014.
Everything within the last two years helped me connect with people and brought me closer to appreciating my “why”. Each experience brought me understanding and gave me insight into how I write my life. It hasn’t been easy, I’ve taken writing workshops, sent my manuscript off to editors and met publishers. I’ve stretched my writing muscle and practised mindfulness. I am getting close to the next part of this safari.
My adventurous journey of writing this book is nearly finished. Soon I’ll be planning my next trip. But for now, I am hoping that in October you will be able to buy my book online in hardcover, softcover or as an eBook. Bringing a book out for the first time is scary. Will it be good enough? Will people like it? Will people misunderstand me? I guess I’ll find out soon enough. I’ll keep you up to date. So watch out for my news. In the meantime, if you don’t know your “why”, I encourage you to at least know what you like for breakfast.
