“We have a two-day conference to be held at the St. John Riruta hall. We’ve invited a hundred people to participate from the surrounding area. I have to handle the program from the office. I need you to help me handle venue logistics, food, and everything else.”
A hundred people, Zuri smiled. She loved big numbers.
“I’m happy to help out, Mr. Khali.”
She got a brochure from a drawer to her right and handed it to him.
“These are our prices.”
When he took the elegant paper, she continued.
“We have a package for corporate events. The price is reasonable and I assure you that my staff and I handle everything from day one to the last.”
Mr. Khali read the prices carefully. She wondered if he always looked so serious. Relief flooded her when he nodded in approval.
“Great. Shall we get started?” she asked, picking up a pen and a diary from the corner of her desk. “Let’s start with what the conference is about?”
Mr. Khali gave her his first genuine smile ready to relinquish control to her.
****
An hour later, Zuri walked along the path to the St. John Riruta Hall with Anjik and Lily. She jotted notes in her diary while Lily and Anjik talked about the coming event. Mr. Khali had written a check to pay the booking fee and a deposit of his estimate.
Zuri stopped at the entrance into the hall. She’d introduced herself to the church secretary, and gotten permission to scout the hall.
“Can I work this event?” Lily asked, coming to lean on the fence beside her. “Please?”
“I suppose that means I have to pay you?” Zuri asked with a slight grin.
“Money sounds good,” Lily said. “I need to get my hair done, sis. Weaves don’t come cheap.”
“Yeah sure, you can work the gig. But, it sounds like a big wigs kind of thing. So—”
“I know the drill,” Lily said happily. “Be cordial and smart, no hitting on cute executives in perfect suits. Jeez, Zuri, when do you let loose?”
“When my bank account is chubby,” Zuri answered.
Lily laughed then teased, “That’s like never, you hustler.”
“See what I mean?” Zuri said. “Come on, we have to check the chairs in there and find out how many more we need. Then we can go find out about food.”
“Yes, mistress,” Lily said, following her to the hall doors.
****
Have you read all about Zuri Kabinda? Catch up on all Zuri Kabinda’s Snippets below:
Zuri Kabinda is a story about a young woman in her late twenties, living in Nairobi and struggling to make her Event Planning Business work. Follow her as she works through the various challenges young entrepreneurs face, especially in a city like Nairobi.
Zuri is joined by her two best friends, Sonnie and Airi. They’re the people she relies on, especially when she’s down on her luck and the world is imploding.
I’ve been lucky to be introduced to awesome illustrators this month. This post today features another artistic talent based in Kenya, David Maloba. His art is fresh, and certainly, up and coming. I sent him a few questions for this interview, which he was glad to answer. Read on to discover what he has to say about his work.
Who is David Maloba? Tell us a bit about yourself, and what you do
I am a graphic designer who deals mostly with digital illustration portraits famously known as vector/vexel portrait artworks. They are cartoon style artworks that have artistic elements in them. It’s my daily drive and my passion, something I really love doing.
artwork by D. Maloba
I started out when I was in third year in the university. I bumped into a tutorial video on Youtube that had the whole process of making vector artwork using Adobe Photoshop. That tutorial helped me big time and due to my prior knowledge and skill in the software, it was easy for me to create this type of artwork. It took me a couple months of constant practice to be able to not only master the way to draw the artwork but also develop my own style. I am just simplistic for the simple reason, life.
You’re an Illustrator, what is your challenge in this industry in Kenya?
Well, being a digital illustrator in Kenya is kind of difficult because not many people know about it yet, and others haven’t accepted it as one of the forms of art. Let’s say for example, in my case, some people say I use filters while that isn’t the case. So cases like these tend to pull us behind and slow down the growth and recognition of this type of artwork. There is also the issue of low pay to no pay, where some clients might underpay you or even not pay you at all just because the artwork is drawn using a computer. They want it to be free. To do these artworks one needs certain tools, which are quite expensive to acquire, making it a challenge too. It’s also time consuming to do.
artwork by D. Maloba
EllyinNairobi Thoughts– Time consuming, but beautiful work!
..Keep creating. Someone will soon take notice of you. Keep your focus on and take each and every advice/comment positively. Some people might give you good reviews and some bad reviews, so don’t let them kill your morale with a few negative statements.
D. Maloba
What is your most favorite work and why? (Artwork you’ve done)
artwork by D. Maloba
My favorite artwork, I can say, is one I did of our esteemed president H.E Uhuru Kenyatta. It’s a special piece to me because it’s the one that I first got to print on canvas and second it exposed me to a wider range in terms of ideology and market. It’s something I am proud of doing each and every time I look at it hanging on the wall.
What type of skills or techniques do you need to develop for your work?
One needs to be creative, to know how to draw different elements and the knowhow of drawing using computer software like Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop/Inkscape/CorelDraw, just to mention a few.
What is your dream/Goal? Where do you see yourself as an illustrator in a year or two?
artwork by D. Maloba
My dream/goal is to see my work inspire more Kenyans like me to develop and grow this kind of digital illustration portraits. Though it hasn’t gotten recognition like other forms of traditional art, it’s steadily picking form by the day.
In one/two years’ time I see myself being successful
and having my own digital illustration company/business where young
illustrators will have a chance to showcase their works and get the knowhow of
how to develop their art and also make a career out of it.
Who is your favorite artist/illustrator?
My favourite digital illustrator is Zac Dynes. He is one of the few artists who have a unique style of drawing illustrations. He calls them “drip art” going by how he expresses them with the drip effect.
What’s the last book/comic you read and why?
Wow!!! It’s been long. Ok, the last comic I read is Unaffected by my best friend Humphrey Osoro. First of all, it’s obviously done by a Kenyan, has a good story line plus nice illustrations and a work many people have not yet gotten the chance to read because of lack of belief in Kenyan comics due to other foreign comics being given a number one spot/platform. It’s work that inspires me to work harder to grow my art. So, I can say I enjoyed reading it because it has humor in it, plus the illustrations are just amazing. I urge people to go and check it out because they will not be disappointed.
What are your thoughts to aspiring Illustrators in Kenya?
First and foremost is to always put GOD first in all
that you do.
Second, is to keep creating. Someone will soon take
notice of you. Keep your focus on and take each and every advice/comment
positively. Some people might give you good reviews and some bad reviews so
don’t let them kill your morale with a few negative statements.
artwork by D. Maloba
Third, do more research on illustration because it’s growing at a fast rate with different kinds of styles coming up. Also, interact with fellow illustrators not just in Kenya but other parts of the world and get to know how they do their artwork to have a better understanding of the art. I, myself, have interacted online with a few and also seen works they have done. For example, Paul Kawira, theartofvosty and Joe impressions just to mention a few. They have amazing artwork, go check them out too.
Connect with David Maloba
Are you interested in creating a project with David’s help? Connect with him on Instagram – @maloba_david
Elly’s Thoughts
And, there you have it! Passion, Commitment, Research (get your knowledge pool going) and Consistent Dedication! All the goodies you need to cultivate to be a creative! It’s always inspiring to discover the creative journey from a different perspective. Whatever it is you want to do, know that you can achieve it. Keep creating folks!
On this post, we celebrate and feature one of Kenya’s Registered Valuers, Kariuki Waweru. He has written an invaluable book on How To Invest in Real Estate in Kenya. This book has a wealth of information on how to invest, tips on home ownership in Kenya and how to navigate the confusing world of loans and mortgages in Kenya. Mr. Kariuki was kind to answer my questions on his book and his publishing journey. Let’s take a look!
1. What is the most favorite question you’ve ever
gotten from a reader?
I have had people who are at the verge of making a decision on real estate investing and when they ask questions, I direct them to the book. (How To Invest in Real Estate In Kenya). It feels good to have all the answers to their questions in one book. Feels like the motto for Nakumatt, “ You need it, we’ve got it”.
2. Did you
always want to be a published author?
I didn’t always want to. My first article was on whether to buy a car or a plot? I was dating my then fiancée, now my wife, and I needed to convince her that land is a good investment but I also knew that a car can earn one some extra cash… so I thought I should write down my arguments and see. I did that and she was very impressed. She encouraged me to keep writing and I wrote so many articles which I could send to her. She then encouraged me to start a blog, which I did. It’s now called www.kariukiwaweru.com … I then extracted some articles from the blog to publish my first book and extracted some more to publish my second book.
3. What
prompted you to write, ‘How to Invest in Real Estate in Kenya’?
After publishing my first book in 2012 and revising it
in 2014, I realized that there was a gap in the market for a more practical
book. Between 2016 and 2018, I went through a practical hands on experience of
taking a commercial bank loan, a mortgage, buying a plot, building my family a
house and investing in a commercial property for rental purposes. I blogged
about this journey, the lessons learned and these came to refine my consultancy
journey and made me a more practical
consultant. I compiled all the experience and lessons learned and came up with
this book. This book has everything you need to know about home ownership,
commercial investments, loans and mortgages set in a Kenyan context by a Kenyan
Registered Valuer and consultant.
4. What is your
most memorable experience as a Registered and Practicing Valuer in Kenya?
It took me 13 years from the time in joined the
University of Nairobi as a first year BA Land Economics student to becoming a
Registered Valuer. Getting that title
was my highest professional achievement and a culmination of dreams… it was a
dream come true. Later on, seeing my
name published in the Kenya Gazettee alongside the less than 600 valuers in
Kenya since Kenya got its independence was also one of my greatest
achievements.
5. You have published two books, that is, ‘The
ABC of Real Estate Investments in Kenya’ and now ‘How to Invest in Real Estate in
Kenya.’
a. What has your publishing journey been like?
I have learned a lot. There is need to keep reviewing your work, get good editors and designers and most importantly a good person to print the book. My first book was poorly printed in downtown Nairobi and I had to redo the printing and change the layout and design in 2014. This current book, I have used very well established printers and designers (which is quite costly) and I have not regretted the outcome.
b.Which book was easier to publish? The first or the second?
The second was easier as I knew exactly what I wanted
and how to go about the publishing, editing and marketing.
c. What challenges, if any, did you face the first time, and were they present the second time around?
The challenges from the first time were using
inexperienced designers and printers to do my work. This cost me a lot in terms
of money and time.
6. What is your
view on publishing books in Kenya?
I think we should immortalize ourselves through
publishing books.
7. What advice would you give to someone hoping to publish his or her first book?
The longest journey starts with a single step. Start
writing. Start a blog… your readers will critic your work and you will be a
better writer. Once you are ready, talk to someone who has published before and
learn from them on how to proceed.
8. Lastly, will you write another book? What do you think the title will be?
God willing I will write many other books. Ng’ugi wa
Thiong’o has more than 15 titles under his name…I have 3…I’m just getting
started.
The titles normally come after the content is done…so I don’t have any ready titles as yet.
Elly in Nariobi’s Thoughts:
It is always so inspiring to see an author’s journey in to publishing. If you’re wondering if the journey is possible, I hope Mr. Kariuki’s answers are enough to let you know that yes, it is. Whatever your idea, fiction or non-fiction, you can get it published in Kenya.
How to Invest in Real Estate in Kenya is a great addition to your bookshelf.
1. Because it simplifies the process of purchasing land, navigating mortgages and helping plan for the future in terms of real estate investments.
2. All the content is based on Kenyan experiences. I always feel we need more professionals sharing, and demystifying their industries for Kenyans, as Mr. Kariuki has done.
To purchase this book: The book goes for Kshs. 500.
Email – info@kariukiwaweru.com or Visit our shop at Shililia stores, El Roi plaza, Ground floor. Tom Mboya street next to Odeon or call 0793772490.
Are you curious about what it’s like to be a Comic Artist and Graphic designer in Kenya?
I’m excited to feature Humphrey Osoro who fits both of these titles. There was a time I thought I’d try to be a comic artist ( manga-ka – CLAMP had inspired me at the time) but the drawing talent was missing and I definitely prefer to read them.
So, I’m beyond excited to present this interview from Humphrey who has worked to realize the dream for himself. I hope his answers inspire even more comic artists in Kenya.
Q. Who is Humphrey Osoro?
A; I’m a comic artist and graphic designer based in Kenya. I make comics on the side and do my graphic design work as my day job. I’m a simple guy really, I love anything comics. Anything that tells stories just gets my attention: whether it’s movies, a good book or even a good work of art.
Q. So, why comics?
A. Growing up, I dabbled a lot in traditional art forms and in creative writing/storytelling. Once I got good at both, I wanted something that could combine the two and comics did that for me. Comics allowed me to combine my artistic side with my writer side. I was now able to use my art to tell an actual written story and since then I’ve been hooked on it.
Q. You’re a Comic Artist. What is it like establishing yourself in Kenya?
A; Being a Comic Artist here in Kenya is very different from another Country like let’s say Japan. Over there, they have Otaku Culture, which is this strong following around their manga (Japanese comics) and anime artwork. It’s a little easier to kick off a career as a comic artist and all this is possible because people are aware of what manga art is and they appreciate the value of it. Those guys are basically rock stars in the art world in Japan. Japanese – owned companies like Viz Media who run “Shonen jump” and many others have capitalized on this and they sponsor these artists. They also give new upcoming artists opportunities in their magazines by running their work in black & white, only giving them coloured runs when they prove successful with the masses. This system works very well there, the artist gets paid his due, people get to read good content, everyone’s happy.
In Kenya, the picture is a little different. It’s harder to establish yourself here. Comics just started getting popular recently, so not many people even knew what they were. Some can’t tell the difference between a comic book and a cartoon strip in the editorial newspaper, so it’s a bit of an uphill task trying to explain what it is you’re making. Most really just think that comics are meant for kids, which isn’t the case. Comics these days are more targeted at adult themes like crime, passion etc. They address such a wide variety of topics as opposed to a few years ago when they were exclusively limited to children’s themes. It’s the younger generation that grew up watching these cartoons on TV, like myself, who make up the bulk of the current comic readers and artists. These people are the ones who appreciate the true value of comics. They recognize that comics are like movies, just in picture form. These are the readers that give me hope that the industry is heading in the right direction.
Giving up gets you nowhere. People will eventually start taking notice of you if you stick around long enough. You’ll start getting calls and gigs you never thought you’d get. The beauty of it is, not everyone has the patience to make a comic, so count yourself lucky, they’ll look for you specifically. So hold on, keep cranking out some art!
H. OSoro
Establishing oneself as a comic artist here in Kenya is a bit of an uphill task, though once you do, it’s really rewarding. You really have to be patient as it doesn’t happen in a day. Anyone willing to take on this behemoth of a task should be willing to take the untraveled path. If you’re an introvert like me, then be prepared to polish up those people skills. You’ll have to hit the ground running, reach out to other comic artists in the industry, learn from them but don’t expect too much from them (They’re also struggling as much as you are, just at a different level). In short, its a labour of love, you do it because you love the craft, money will follow in spades.
Speaking of money, don’t quit your day job just yet. Because no one knows who you are, chances are no one will be willing to give you any commission. Most of the Kenyan mindset is of the opinion that western stuff is better than the locals, which is true, but only because those guys got a chance to shine. They were all beginners like us, it’s just that someone listened. If you don’t aggressively market yourself, you’ll never get anywhere here. Prepare to be ignored online, receive cold stares when you make proposals and many more of the stuff I can rattle off the top of my head.
But, its not all gloom, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Get inspired by other people when you’re down. I recommend reading Elaine Kamari’s post on Self Publishing here in Kenya in her blog “Elly In Nairobi”. Everything was so much clearer and easier after reading that, so give it a chance. Giving up gets you nowhere. People will eventually start taking notice of you if you stick around long enough. You’ll start getting calls and gigs you never thought you’d get. The beauty of it is, not everyone has the patience to make a comic, so count yourself lucky, they’ll look for you specifically. So hold on, keep cranking out some art!
Q – The first 30 pages of your comic, The Unaffected Resolve- Chapter 1 are released at 254Comics.com. Will you release Volume 2 at 254comics too?
A; Yes, definitely! The book is actually more than just those 30 pages, I released those because they were the ones already done in colour. It’s actually 114 pages long. Yeah, I know. That’s a LOT of pages. Well, when I began making the book, I decided I would create the thing until I finished the whole of Chapter 1. I’ve written dozens of scripts for “The Unaffected Resolve”, they’re a total of 11 Chapters for the first story arch. Each script has more than 24 pages of words in it, which in a comic made up of pictures and those words translates to almost 100 pages. 100 is the magic number because I’m targeting at creating a true graphic novel of “Resolve”. Each Chapter will have at least 100 pages so that at long last they can be compiled together into a 500-page graphic novel. My inspiration is the likes of Graphic novels like “Akira” in Japan. Now that one has 600 plus pages!
Right now, this comic book is finished, though in black and white. I’ll release the rest slowly as I keep colouring but you can head over to 254comics and read the first 30 pages in all its full colour glory. Stand by for a review of the book here by Ellie, It’ll be a detailed review of all 114 pages so for those who want to get an idea about it, stay posted right here. Though here’s some bonus art for Chapter 2 that’s currently in the kitchen! Completely reworked art-style for chapter 2!
H. Osoro Art – Unaffected Resolve – Chapter 2
Q. You’re also an
illustrator, what type of commissions have you taken on since your start?
A; I’ve done so many of them so far. I used to dabble in the
traditional pen and paper collisions whereby someone wanted a hand-drawn piece.
I still do them but only exclusively because of how taxing they are.
I also did a lot of painting on canvas for clients and friends.
These were really enjoyable, seeing a mess of colours come together into a nice
final piece of art is just so satisfying.
I also do book illustrations. I’ve worked with publishing companies mainly on children’s illustrations. These are done digitally and require a completely different kind of art style. My style is usually highly detailed and complex, so having to make them simple was a nice fresh change for me.
H. Osoro
I also do book illustrations. I’ve worked with publishing companies mainly on children’s illustrations. These are done digitally and require a completely different kind of art style. My style is usually highly detailed and complex, so having to make them simple was a nice fresh change for me. I do these in a cartoony kind of style that will appeal to the kids. The biggest book illustration project had me handling 65 coloured pages. I was able to crank out 10 pages a day at the time so within a week I was done. It was challenging but it taught me a lot about sticking to deadlines.
I’ve also handled logo design, business cards, banners, strips, posters and other stuff relating to Graphic Design. I’m a Graphic Designer by profession at the Nation Media Group at the moment, so I do the normal graphic stuff like making advertisements, proposals, posters etc. It’s been an eye opener on what it really takes to be a good Graphic designer. So anyone looking to be an effective Graphic designer, try applying there and see if you’ll get lucky. The deadlines and pressures at work really prepare you for when you have to deal with clients in your illustration hustle. Overall, it’s the illustration type of logos and designs that really pique my interest. I find these make full use of my talents as a human being. I get to combine both Graphic Design and my love for illustration.
H. Osoro art
I can say that as long as I can remember, I’ve been doing comics since the beginning. I did them for my high school magazine back at “Friend’s School Kamusinga“. It was a piece called “Demolishon” that addresses many of the negative vices in society. I still do it today, so make sure to check out my Facebook page & other media platforms. I finally undertook a personal project to create my own comic book back in 2017. It’s called “The Unaffected Resolve”, go check it out at 254comics.com. There’s nothing more I enjoy like making comics, it’s like seeing a movie in your mind and your hands are there to translate that to paper.
In comics, I’ve done comic pages for a couple of clients that I really can’t name due to non-disclosure agreements. I also offer some of those comic book services to fellow artists whereby I do inking of your basic sketches and colour them for you at an agreed fee. A good example of this, is a good friend of mine, he’s called “Kimzy Flimzy” on Facebook, go check out his art. We collaborate on a couple of gigs when he’s really busy and I step in to help out so we can beat the deadlines, so big thanks to you bro if you’re reading this!
Q. What is your
creative process like? Do you have a
favorite spot where you must work? Or a
favorite pen?
A; My creative process is simple. It usually starts out with
me just closing my eyes and playing out a movie in my mind. I see the
characters, I see them alive, breathing , talking and moving about. From here
when I grab my pen to sketch them out it’s easier from there.
When I’m down on creative gas, I just put everything down
and let loose. Play a computer game on my PlayStation, ride my bike on a
mountain run in my area because there’s so many cycling trails over here or
just get down and do some exercise.
My favourite pen is the good old blue “Bic” pen. The ones we all used in high school and campus. I was that kid that looked like he was paying attention but if you looked closely, you’d always find me sketching. I sketch everyday. I found that by doing this, I was able to master movement of my characters by not being too rigid in my drawing approach. So yeah, get a trusty pen, doesn’t need to be blue like mine!
Q. What would you say
to aspiring comic artists and illustrators in Kenya?
A; First, nothing comes easy. You want to be a comic artist? Then be prepared to be a jack of all trades because if you only know one thing, then chances are you won’t succeed. Take the time to learn other forms of traditional art, learn the basics of proportion, colouring and more. All these will apply at some point when you’re working on your book.
Second, consider learning some basic Graphic Design. You ask, “Why?” Well, because comics are essentially picture books at the end of the day. This will equip you with knowledge on layout, formatting of your book since chances are no one around you knows how to format a comic book. (The dimensions of a comic are different from your average book on the shelf.)
First, just have your comic ready. Finish it. At least in Black & White because you need to have something to put in front of your potential readers. From here, market the hell out of your book through various channels available such as blogs, social media platforms etc.
H. Osoro
H. Osoro art
Third, be assured it’ll take some time before you get your name out there. First, just have your comic ready. Finish it. At least in Black & White because you need to have something to put in front of your potential readers. From here, market the hell out of your book through various channels available such as blogs, social media platforms etc.
I could go on and on but at the end of the day it depends on you. How badly do you want to tell your story? Because I know you didn’t get into comics to just make money, you had this story in your head you wanted to share with the world. You do it because you love the craft, even when you’re paid peanuts. Now that’s true passion right there. I know I did, so what about you?
Canva is an invaluable design resource for posters, social media posts, advertising and logo designs. They also have a very awesome book cover design feature with great results. If you need a book cover, fast, and don’t know where to get it, try out Canva. It costs you an email and time to sign up for an account.
Adobe Spark is another great resource. Their concept is similar to Canva, if you can’t find what you’re looking for on Canva, maybe you’ll get it on Adobe Spark. I use both for social posts. The interface is easy to use, and you can save the cover anywhere you wish.
This is my favorite. You get a lot more freedom with creative decisions. It does require a longer period of time to learn, but once you understand the basics, you are able to create a decent book cover, in any shape and size. ^_^
Use these to create and format books and book covers. You’ll need time and patience to grow expertise with these. If you’re willing to learn, your book cover issues will be a thing of the past. Indesign is especially great for book formatting.
Hire an Illustrator for your cover
5. Get Your Cover Designed for You
This is a really great choice especially if you want to print your book. You can get someone to design a book cover for you. The advantage to this is that you get original artwork. The artwork will match your content, as you work with the illustrator until you’re satisfied with the result. Alternatively, you can purchase a ready-made book cover design from a graphic designer.
Below please find profiles on two Illustrators based in Nairobi.
The standard cost for simple illustrations, pricing starts from Kshs. 5,000 and complex illustrations start at Kshs. 7,500 .
Wanjira
From Wanjira
My work is primarily done using digital techniques and inspired by everyday objects and subjects that challenge me in drawing. My style is heavily influenced by printmaking techniques and the use of a limited colour palette. If you would like to talk to me about a project, please get in touch.
email: kinyuakelly@gmail.com
Humphrey Osoro of Humphrey Osoro Illustrations. Humphrey is a comic artist and graphic designer based in Kenya. He has a comic running at 254comics.com called the Unaffected Resolve. Make sure to check it out.
Coming Soon: Watch out for a feature on Humphrey Osoro on this blog!
If you know an illustrator who creates book covers do share, and we can create a list of Book Cover Illustrators to reach out to. If you are an illustrator who can create book covers, share your information as well. Authors are looking for book covers.
I hope these five ideas are of use to you on your journey to creating wonderful book covers.
Zuri spent her Monday morning sorting out receipts and logging them into her accounting system. It was her least favorite activity but a necessary one for her business records. She’d found those records useful when she needed to get a loan from her bank. Moving closer to her desk, she stared at a receipt from a supermarket without an items list. She was busy writing in the paper cups she’d bought on the receipt when her office door swung open.
She glanced up at the skinny five foot two girl standing at the door. Dressed in a pink silky blouse and white skinny jeans, long braids falling down her back, her baby sister was clearly in crisis.
“Zuri, help me,” Lily Kabinda wailed. “My boyfriend wants to get married. How can he think about marriage when I just finished college? What do I do?”
Zuri sat back in her chair with a smile.
“Hi Lily,” she said, amused by her sister’s constant drama. This wasn’t the first time she had heard this question. “How have you been?”
“Are you listening?” Lily asked, coming to sit in the chair across her desk. “That guy won’t take no for an answer. He keeps acting like I’m playing around.”
Zuri sighed. “Lily, how long have you and this guy known each other?”
“Eight weeks,” Lily said dramatically. “Imagine that, how could he talk about marriage?”
She chuckled because this was so typical of Lily. In the last two years since Lily graduated from university, she’d had a series of crazy and weird relationships and jobs that made Zuri’s head spin.
“Break up with him,” Zuri advised.
“But I like him,” Lily said with a disappointed sigh. “He actually makes sense when he talks, you know. He’s real, he’s-,”
“Do you want to get married?” Zuri asked her.
“No!” Lily’s eyes were wide with horror at the mere suggestion.
“Then, end it,” Zuri said studying her sister.
Lily groaned and leaned her elbows on her desk. “That’s so final. Do you ever think of how hard that will be for me? ‘Break up, why do you get yourself in these situations’. Your advice is so black and white, sis.”
Zuri laughed. “Lily, you’re twenty-two years old, barely out of college. Please work on getting a job, or come and work for me.”
Lily sat up and picked up a pen from the desk. She stared at it for a moment and Zuri frowned at the pensive look on her sister’s face.
“Zuri, can I tell you something?”
“What?”
Lily sighed and met her gaze. “Is it okay if I don’t like Henry’s new wife?”
Henry was their second oldest brother. Zuri placed her receipts on top of her keyboard and got up. She walked around the desk to take the seat beside Lily.
“What happened?” she asked, taking her sister’s hand.
Lily squeezed her fingers. “Yesterday, I went to Henry’s house in Uthiru, just like I’ve always done on Sunday afternoon. I just wanted to hang out a while, maybe help that woman make dinner. Henry really likes when I make pilau. Anyway, I show up, and she’s with her friends. Henry was out. That Doris acted as if I was a maid or something. She made me clean all the dishes for the weird party they were having. I ended up leaving early because I didn’t want to fight with her.”
Zuri took in a deep breath fighting the urge to run out and give her brother’s wife a piece of her mind. No one mistreated her sister, no one!
“Zuri,” Lily said her tone unsure.
“What did she say to you?” Zuri asked her tone hard.
“Nothing,” Lily said with a sigh. “Hey, relax before you jump your guns and go off running to yell at Doris. She ignored me most of the time. Acting as if I don’t exist or something-,”
“Don’t go there without me,” Zuri cut her off abruptly. “If you need a place to hang out on Sunday, come over to my house. Hmm…I don’t mind having you, Lily.”
“But Henry,” Lily said shaking her head. “Does he have to stay with a woman like that?”
“Henry has made a choice,” Zuri said quietly. “We both love him, so we can’t do anything to make him unhappy. We can’t tell him not to like Doris, my dear.”
Lily sighed. “Fine, so is it okay not to like her?”
Zuri chuckled and reached out to rub away the frown on Lily’s forehead.
“Yes, it’s okay not to like her. Just don’t let it affect you so much that you don’t see Henry too. And don’t be mean to Doris either. Let me know if she does something to hurt you. Is this why you’re freaking out about your boyfriend?”
Lily shrugged. “You’re right about him. He’s too clingy; I was going to let him go anyway.”
“Jeez,” Zuri said with a laugh. “Look at you, so many boyfriends.”
“At least I’m trying.” Lily pointed out, squeezing her fingers. “When are you going to give Devin the time of day? He’s so into you.”
Zuri scowled. “Don’t say things like that. Devin and I are just friends.”
“Yeah, keep saying that,” Lily said with a laugh.
Anjik came in to the office with a short knock.
“I have a new client waiting for you.” Anjik smiled at Lily. “Lily, come with me. I’ll let you share my cinnamon rolls from Amari Bakery.”
Lily stood up to follow Anjik.
“Who is it?” Zuri asked Anjik when Lily left.
“He works for a publishing company,” Anjik said. “He wants to plan a two day conference.”
Zuri smiled happily just as their client walked in. A tall thin man with glasses resting on his nose.
“Good morning,” Zuri said, taking the man’s hand. “I’m Zuri Kabinda, how can I help you today?
Zuri Kabinda is a story about a young woman in her late twenties, living in Nairobi and struggling to make her Event Planning Business work. Follow her as she works through the various challenges young entrepreneurs face, especially in a city like Nairobi.
Zuri is joined by her two best friends, Sonnie and Airi. They’re the people she relies on, especially when she’s down on her luck and the world is imploding.
We (my sis + me) have been working on industry books these past months, and I would like to share a bit of that journey on this blog from now on. You might find a Book Cover feature, or a story on the insane experiences we get dealing with our printer, mingled in with Fiction chapters of my stories. The journey is evolving!
My sister is the house baker, and these past weeks she’s been carrying out a massive pastry recipe testing project for this book. She bakes and we take hundreds of photos, for the book’s interior and for the book cover. Our main priority is usually the initial PDF. Once that is done, we flow into the process of formatting for print. In between all that, we’ve had to learn what Tabata Intervals are. Don’t forget to take care of your health. The struggle is real.
This first cover is our most important as it goes into the PDF copy and is used for all social media posts and sales posters. I had fun developing this cover, now I’m off to do some formatting.
The Amari Beginner’s Guide to Puff Pastry
Title: The Amari Beginner’s Guide to Puff Pastry
Description: Get this e-booklet if you want to learn how to make your own Puff pastry, Croissants and other Puff pastry desserts. This book contains terms and tips to introduce and explain to you Puff pastry and Croissant dough and how to get best results. If you want to start making Meat pies, Sausage rolls using the correct pastry – this is the book for you. Recipes contained in the e-booklet: Puff pastry, Croissants, Palmiers, Pain au Chocolate, Cherry Turn-overs, Vol – au – Vents, Puff Cinnamon Rolls, Meat Pies & Puff Donuts
Format– The e-booklet is in PDF format and is not printable. The Hard copy will be available from next week at Kshs. 300.
Where to get it–Direct purchase from Amari Baking Center.Send amount to Lipa na Mpesa, Buy Goods till no. 89736 (Amari Quickbreads bakery) then text e-mail address to no. 0701796688 stating you want the Puff Pastry e-booklet please. On sale until 2nd May only – yay! Kshs. 50 only for our new Amari Recipe E-Booklet
