MEMORIES OF A BOOK LAUNCH

Winzim Online

 

Some book launches are unforgettable.

It’s afternoon, April 15, 2023. Mallvine T Mutize aka Mall the Vine, a motivational writer, is launching his book Corridors of Leadership at the International Coaching and Mentoring Foundation, Karigamombe Centre in Harare.

Guests entering the ICMF board room are welcomed by cool Afrojazz music oozing from a corner. The sound is not intrusive. Victor Masara, an Afrofusion musical artist, performs with gift, performs with passion, and entertains them. Near a window is an eye-catching large table upon which copies of Corridors of Leadership stand or lie around a white decorated birthday cake.

Among the arriving guests is the guest speaker, Noah Mangwarara, an accomplished motivational author and coach. The panellists Sympathy Sibanda, Tabeth Manyonga, Geraldine Eve, and Beaven Tapureta, have arrived, together with the author who is in the company of his supportive parents and other relatives.

In a moment, the MC walks to the front, and Masara music fades into silence. The introductions, followed by panel discussion and speeches begin.

The panel discussion dissects the book from exciting different perspectives. Passages from Corridors of Leadership are brought up to justify a point, a comment or criticism.

Afterwards, guest speaker Mangwarara lays out in alphabetical order first letters of what he says are the six major themes Mutize tackles in his book – Action, Believe (self-belief), Create ( a legacy), Develop (other leaders), Excellency and Focus. He goes on to explicate each of the themes.

Mangwarara emphasizes everyone is a leader but the choices people make can reflect whether they are effective or ineffective leaders.

He applauds Mutize’s approach in the book, especially his use of the parable style such as the Parable of the Pencil, lessons drawn from great world leaders, Bible verses, references to authors who have tackled same subject, and stories from his everyday life experiences. All these strategies, Mangwarara says, urge the reader to continue reading, inspired.

The launch is double-fold, being also a belated celebration of the author’s birthday which occurs on April 14.

    Mallvine Mutize is an award-wining certified Life Coach, mentor, a leadership practitioner and author of Stepping Stones to Self-Discovery and Self Help to Growth. He also co-authored Growth Recipe. He is the director of The Vine Consultancy whose mandate is to develop children and young people, build and strengthen teams for better performance. Mutize sits on several boards of youth-based organizations.

Mallvine T Mutize

‘Everyone is a leader’

 

 

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MUCHURI'S BOOK INSPIRES CHILDREN

Winzim Online

 

Tinashe Muchuri reading at the Book Cafe some years ago

 

Tinashe Muchuri’s Auntie Mazvita (2021, Essential Books Publishing Company), a children’s book shortlisted for the NAMA award last year, offers children the cultural wisdom necessary to uproot moral poverty reeking in modern day society, African society in particular.

Before ICT somehow chopped away the role of the traditional aunt, an adviser and storyteller, the children were protected and the home was their first school. Parents, aunts and uncles, were the basic teachers who, through storytelling, they would mentor a child to understand the spirit of Ubuntu.

Nowadays, the children hardly sit around the fire to listen to grandma or auntie who usually has lots of exciting stories and games. Actually, there are no aunts to make them laugh as tsuro makes a fool of gudo, to make them ask questions to understand the moral lesson.

Books like Auntie Mazvita will always be important in capturing the kids young so that they grow up understanding life and the Ubuntu spirit. 

Auntie Mazvita is not an action or fictional narration but a real-life inspirational story told by the storyteller Auntie Mazvita herself. She tells the story of her life and her role in the village. She reminds the children and adults alike of how storytellers were highly regarded because of their gift of knowledge.

‘I was taught that a storyteller builds the future. It is through the stories told to children that a strong foundation is laid. Without proper stories, the future is dull,” she says in the book.

The colour illustrations add some liveliness.

Auntie Mazvita is at ease with the inquisitive boys and girls; she shares with them her knowledge through song and dance. Yet she does not forget the realities of social evils haunting the children; such evil as child abuse, hence she protects the kids by educating them.

Although she is wheel-chair bound because of polio, she is an achiever, a Paralympic champion. After reading this book, children will love to associate with fellow pupils or friends who live with disability. They will understand that disability is not witchcraft – or some superstitious punishment, but it is usually a medical condition or a result of accident.  

Children are good observers but they are happy when they find someone to ask questions about what they see. For example, in Muchuri’s book, it’s clear the children have seen disabled people always begging in the streets and wonder why Auntie Mazvita is as independent as any other ‘abled’ person.

‘I am not a charity case or a special one. I work for myself. Telling stories is a career. I am working,” she tells the children. Her independence inspires the children to aim higher despite challenges life may present.

As a counsellor, she has earned the confidence of villagers who are having marital problems. It means she is not there for the kids only, but for the whole village.

In this little but sagacious book, Tinashe Muchuri proves that we cannot do without the storyteller. Muchuri is an award-winning journalist, writer, poet, translator, and actor. He is the author of the Shona novel Chibarabada (2015, Bhabhu Books)

 

 

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AUTHOR WELLINGTON MUDHLURI VISITS WIN LIBRARY

 Win Online

 

Beaven Tapureta (left) and Wellington Mudhluri inside the WIN library

 

In the blistering afternoon of September 19, 2023, the WIN community library in Epworth had the pleasure of hosting Wellington Mudhluri, author of Sinister Motive.

Mudhluri appreciated the library vision and promised to donate a few copies of his novel.

WIN said such visits by authors make the library special and many thanks to Wellington, and those who have visited before and those who shall visit one day.

The library is still developing but it has proved worthwhile to book lovers, including the school kids.

 

Sharp!

Welly at the official launch of his novel in South Africa last year

 

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“I think some readers are looking to have their views confirmed or consoled and that doesn’t always happen […] That’s not what novels do that’s what fairy tales do. In adult fiction, it’s not a bad thing, it’s a good thing, to have your views challenged, to have things happen that you didn’t wish or expect to happen.”

-LAILA LALAMI (novelist, short story writer, journalist) - Morocco

Greetings From The Founder & Director

 

                                                                     

DEAR FRIENDS,

How are you and the reading, writing, publishing, book marketing and promotion, all the literary stuff? We are reading so much about new books by Zimbabwean authors; this really makes us happy. It’s the reading element that we will keep pushing into the whole process. WIN is moving on, no matter the bumps and holes on the road. Although we have not been feeding our blog for about four months now, a voice great within us is alive, faithful, goading us forward.  Many thanks for the patience. You inspire us to believe in our 'calling' through your undying support.

We hope to resume publishing the online WIN Newsletter soon. No retreat, no surrender. Keep on writing, reading.

Best wishes,

Beaven Tapureta