Starting my year with a bit of fun! Thank you Dora of Nilichoandika for the award nomination. It was a great surprise to discover as I jump back into the blog for 2018!
What’s The Liebster Award all about?
The Liebster Award is a blogger award for new bloggers, those with few followers, who are still getting the hang of this dynamic industry. It is a fantastic way of giving exposure, recognition, and motivation to these talented newbies so as to keep their blogging fire blazing!
Rules of the Liebster Award
Create a new blog post with the graphical image of the Liebster Award as the one above.
Thank the blogger who nominated you while also providing a link to their blog.
Answer the Questions you had received from your Nominator(s).
Nominate 10 bloggers and share your blog post with them so that they can accept their awards.
Create a set of questions for your Nominees to Answer.
Fantastic, let’s get started!
What would you say has been the highlight of your blogging experience this year (2017)?
The best part of blogging in 2017 was getting personal messages in my email from readers who discovered my stories. I can’t begin to express how exciting that gets, and I felt truly happy. Getting fiction out there is hard work, and it was good to get such positive feedback from readers.
If you could pick a theme to blog about, any theme that scares you or you know very little about, what would it be and why?
Stocks and Bonds!! Hahaha…Okay, to be serious, anything IT oriented. Stuff is changing so fast, it’s hard to keep up I think.
What’s the best and the worst part of being called a blogger?
The best part comes from someone following your blog, and connecting with you, truly. The worst part…I haven’t discovered it yet. Honestly. I will update that when it comes to me.
My Questions:
What Fantastic thing do you want to accomplish with your Blog this year 2018?
What is your favorite topic to blog about?
If you were to go on an adventure then blog about it, where would you go?
How has your passion influenced what you blog about?
I would love to know more from these great bloggers:
It feels like it’s been a while since I went on a road trip, so this was incredibly fun. Nothing on the mind, but being on the road, noting random things, lush green scenery and that family of zebras, having their lunch.
lunch time
So many
What do they do with all these?
They make a picture
Nakuru was rainy when we got there, so our contact sent us a tuk tuk man. I now believe everyone should have Mr. Ngugi when you first hit Nakuru. He got us around town and answered a billion questions with patience.
View from inside Mr. Ngugi’s Tuk Tuk.
We had a stress free transport time thanks to him.
The trip was a fun day out, but it was also for a conference, organized by Topserve Baking Accessories and supplies, who have relaunched their shop in Nakuru. The Conference was held at Hotel Waterbuck, Nakuru. While the event continued, it was hard to ignore these gems on the walls of this hotel. So much art, there is no chance you will be bored checking in to this hotel.
Ring, Ring….hahaha
Let’s Join the Jazz Band
All that and a Cup of Coffee
Nakuru is about 3hrs away from Nairobi. Very quiet, very laid back, and definitely a lot of fun to be had. New Goals after this trip –> Not to take everything too seriously, gotta take time to have fun.
A gripping tale of intrigue and war in precolonial Africa. Two young people — Kalinda, a page in the court of the King of Buganda; and Nagawa, one of the king’s beautiful young wives — are swept up in conflict as missionaries, rival tribes and soldiers of fortune vie for power in what is now Uganda.
It is a time of upheaval in Buganda, an African kingdom on the verge of losing its independence. Anglican and Catholic missionaries are rapidly converting people to Christianity, in the process stirring conflict with their kinsmen who have embraced Islam. Three main characters – Nagawa, a young but unhappy bride to the king; Kalinda, a servant in the royal courts; and Reverend Clement, a Scottish missionary, are swept up in forces that will change their lives and reshape the future of their nation.
Thoughts:
Just got a message in my inbox about this book. Unhappy Bride to a king, A servant in the Royal Courts, and Conflict in the village….yeah, sign me up. Looking forward to jumping into this gem in the coming days. Meanwhile, get your own copy here:
I’m guilty of falling into a dark repetitive cycle when what I expected doesn’t happen, or changes into what I didn’t want. #ElectionsKe is a great example of jumping into this dark repetitive cycle that leaves you spinning on the same spot. Questions like, ‘Why is this happening?’ ‘Can’t they just stop or agree?’ ‘Oh my god, there is this side, and that side. That side is definitely out to get this side‘, fill the mind. The blaming, the shaming, the hating, the pointing fingers…this is just a small part of the dark repetitive cycle, earlier mentioned.
You have to make a conscious effort to pull yourself out of there. To remember the important things, despite the turmoil bred by politics.
Your Life’s Goals – Focus on that instead of negativity. Allowing yourself to be sucked into the dark cycle will only derail your life’s goals. This isn’t easy, especially for those of us in business. Every day Kenya continues in a state of anxiety, the harder it is to buy and sell, manufacture and deliver. Costs run up, so we’re forced to think of new ways to achieve our goals. It’s a challenging experience, but one that’s way more important than jumping into the dark cycle.
Kenya is not one person, it is all of us. Be kind to your neighbor as you have always been before, are now, and should be in the future. We can only grow together.
Let the Giants fight it out. The rest of us, keep living, building, growing what matters to us, in our lives. The giants won’t pay for your rent, give you money for your house, and family. They won’t know what you’re eating for dinner, or breakfast. You can only do one thing, vote, the rest, leave it to our more than capable Justice branch.
Meanwhile, raptly waiting to do what I can, which is vote as needed, then see new trends, like #githeriman #Chilobae on my nearest screen, and smile in amusement at the Creativity in this country. Gotta love it! While doing my own thing, through it all, because that’s what matters to me and my family.
This is a Blog Hop Post! For a writing group called Literati. The best bunch of people I’ve gotten to know. Totally inspiring you and making you aspire to do better too…
Protecting your work is most important to a creator. We recently went through this process as we start on actual publishing of real books. It’s both nerve-wrecking and enlightening. Nerve-wrecking in the discovery of limitations: like costs and printing drama, and enlightening in that with every book printed, you discover mistakes and tell yourself, I’m going to get that fixed in the next print. It’s been an interesting time.
So, for copyrights, I thought I should share this process with you. It’s not so hard, you can do it too.
Firstly, you need to have your work fully completed, and ready to go.
The process below is the original method of copyright registration. You may also visit the Kenya Copyright Board offices for any questions if you registered your rights using this method.
Get a registration form from the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO). You can either visit their offices or download the form from their site. Here is the link to that →Copyright Registration Forms You no longer need these forms. You simply need to Register an Account on this Kenya Copyrights Board Portal.
Fill out your information. To be noted, don’t copyright someone else’s work if you do not have the permissions from the original author (owner of the work). This is very uncool. Just don’t do it. Respect the original author/creator, alright. Of course, if you are copyrighting your own work, write your name with no mistakes. ^_^ You wanna have bragging rights when you get that certification. If you don’t understand the site, email or visit the Kenya Copyright board offices and they are very happy to explain them to you.
Take your completed forms to a lawyer. The wording is “Get the forms commissioned by a commissioner of oaths.’ A lawyer will help you with that.
Attach two original copies of the work to be copyrighted – they prefer it in CD or DVD form. (Yep, that’s right. That means you will have 2 CDs/DVDs. Save it on a CD/DVD and label it.)
Deposit a non-refundable fee of Kshs. 1,000 in the Kenya Copyright Board bank account. The form you get gives you their banking details. They insist on the fee being paid in the bank direct, don’t use bank agents. (Confirm this fee when you get your forms)
Take the bank deposit slip with you to the Kenya Copyright Board offices, and they will issue a receipt.
Certification is issued within five (5) working days from the day of registration. In case there is an exception, they will let you know right away.
And that’s that.
Simple, right?
No more excuses saying you can’t copyright your amazing creativity.
This is always the hardest to do when moments in a day pile up, one after another, bogging down your original thoughts, until you can’t remember how the day started and what you wanted to do. I envy the list-making people, or the schedule-following crowd. The planner-manics who keep their phones full of alarms, and notes on what should happen each day.
This writer seeks the deity of works-in-progress. I guess the first step, is simply posting this…and knowing what comes next. Looks like things are looking up.
Get an account with the Kenya National Library Service(KNLS) ISBN service here: ISBN website
Create a Profile, adding important personal details. You may also do this as a publishing company, you just need your business registration number.
Once you are set up, click on the ISBN Products. They offer options of buying 1 ISBN, 10 ISBNs, 100 ISBNs to 1,000 ISBNs. Choose the number that fits your needs, and make the purchase. This process is easy and flexible, you may do it in cash, mobile payment, through the bank, or whatever works for you.
Once payment is approved, wait to hear back from KNLS. They are very fast about this, and you will get a message from them giving you your ISBN numbers, as well as the barcode that goes along with it.
Here is a short guideline of how and when to use your ISBN when you get it and what to do with it once you get it. The ISBN site sends these guidelines to you once your ISBN is approved.
You may allocate ISBN to the following publications: – Printed books material – Microfilms – Educational video or movies – Atlases and maps – Publications in braille – Electronic publications
ISBN should NOT be allocated to the following publications: – Off print from periodicals – Advertising materials (sales catalogs, price lists, prospectus, instructions publishing flyers, etc.) – Wall posters, newspapers, leaflets – Programs of theatrical, music and other performances – List of exhibits without additional text – Curricula of schools and colleges of all kinds – Lecture and teaching materials of manuscripts character – Calendars and diaries – Form and coloring books
PLEASE ALSO NOTE that ISBN should always appear on the verso of the title page, or if this is not possible at the foot of the title page. It must also appear at the foot of the outside back cover at a prominent outside position.
FINALLY, remember that the BOOKS AND NEWSPAPERS ACT CAP. 111, Laws of Kenya, stipulate that every publisher MUST deposit 2 clean copies of their (new, future and back issues) with the Director, Kenya National Library Service, (National Reference and Bibliographic Dept.). This process begins by filling in details under the “My Publications” section when you log into the ISBN service, and later depositing the copies physically at the National Library for approval. You shall not be allowed to purchase further ISBNs until you complete this process for all issued ISBNs.
Now that you have your ISBN, consider Copyrighting your book with the Kenya Copyright Board
This procedure is for a first-time buy, for a second-time buy, make sure you have met all their requirements on submitting books to the National Library.
Reta eased her running, slowing the treadmill, as she let her muscles relax in relief.
Two minutes later, she went to her yoga mat for cool down stretching exercises, nimbly extending her legs and arms as far as she could. Then she lay flat on her back on the yoga mat, her face and palms glistening with sweat.
When she started her exercises, it had been cold. So, she dressed appropriately. She wore a black seamless lurex pullover and high-waist leggings with her feet ensconced in Nike running shoes. She lay for a few minutes savouring the rush of warm blood coursing through her taut veins as her muscles relaxed after a two-hour long onslaught.
Her reverie broke only when she heard her phone buzz for the umpteenth time. She never picked up the phone when she was working out and all her contacts knew her routine. She sighed and stood up, walked over to the window sill and picked up the phone. She looked at the caller’s name and her shoulders arched up.
“Hallo,” she said softly, trying to hide her excitement.
She listened to the caller for a minute and she cut in, “That’s great…”
Her face fell a few minutes later, her glowing pretty face suddenly losing colour, turning into a frown, and then sinking further into a distressed woebegone look. Her eyes crinkled up.
“Oh,” is all she said, and then continued to repeat herself – inserting an “ok” now and then, in-between the conversation.
“Ok,” she said again, for the final time.
Then the conversation ended with, “Yeah sure! I am getting into it.”
Gone was the exuberance she had felt when she finished her workout. She felt drained and incapacitated. She looked through the window and saw the ocean churning a frothy tide. Some distance away, she could see the other houses by the cliff. Further way down, a few miles away, she could see the white beach trying to get one over with the sea. It was still daylight. She turned to look at the other end of the window and could see the wind gaining speed as the shrubs and the few barren trees swayed dangerously.
She looked at the phone again, tempted to make a call, but seemed undecided. She put the phone down and walked out of the fitness room. She crossed the living room and into the open kitchen and poured a glass of water from the jar on the table. She sipped the water slowly, her face still reflecting a numbed feeling.
“What do I do? Talk to John and end it once for all?” she frowned at the thought.
She had waited long enough. This was getting ridiculous. After everything, this! When everything seemed to be going fine!
She was getting agitated and even more upset.
She placed the glass on the table, and left the kitchen.
Damn, this was not the end!
She went into her bedroom, entered her closet and absentmindedly picked the colorful kanga on the edge of a shelf. She tied it around her waist, then delved through the overflowing wardrobe, pulling out a sleeveless woolen top. She wore it too, and left the closet. In her bedroom, she looked out the windows, and shivered involuntarily. It was going to be cold and windy outside. Should I? she wondered. She wanted to go out. Clear her head. Do something other than think of the phone call. She returned to the closet and picked out a cap, wore it and left the bedroom.
She was about to walk out the front door when she froze, midstep. She smiled wanly at herself, and detoured. She went to the bedroom across hers, opened the door and peeped in. She sighed with relief and then gently walked to the cradle to check if the baby was breathing. Assured the baby was fine, she left the bedroom, and hurried to the gym. She picked up the baby monitor on the yoga mat and put it in her pocket.
On the way out, she peeked at herself in the large mirror by the back door and saw that she had become pale. She tried to smile and pinched her cheeks. She tried to smile again, failed and shook her head at her own naivety and left the house.
She walked slowly, trying to ignore the cold and the wind. The sun was setting fast, lending to the gloom around her. The path was rocky, the shrubs and the grass around the area were losing their colour. She saw nothing of it – her mind still not coming to terms with the new situation. After a turn here, an upward stride there, she was soon at the edge of the cliff over 300 feet up from the ground. The rocky cliff itself fell ninety degrees straight into the rocky edges where the Atlantic Ocean met Africa.
Stoat- Cute deadly creature…^_^
She stood at the edge, the wind whipping her kanga into a frenzy, she looked back at the lights in her house, checking if John was back. But no, it didn’t look like it. She took out the baby monitor and held it to her ear, to see if it was working. It was. She put it back into her pocket and turned back to stare into the cold Atlantic Ocean that seemed to be frolicking with the wind. Her kanga fluttered wildly threatening to come loose. She felt her waist to see if it was tucked in securely. Her kanga was going wild and it reminded her of the stoat’s so-called ‘dance of death.’ She had watched it on the National Geographic Channel – the stoat– a puny animal that looked like a mix of a rat and a beaver or a weasel. Her Kanga was behaving like a stoat doing its famed dance: flapping, swirling around with frenzied leaps, and upward rolls at dizzying speed, creating a psychedelic vision that was at once riveting as well as dizzying.
She looked up and shook her head, clearing her head of the vision of the stoat and her unruly kanga. The cold was now penetrating her skin. Her face was going numb but she did not seem to realise it. There was a lump in her throat and then the tears flooded down her cheeks and she cried loudly. The howling wind helped her along.
No, she had to do it. She told herself grimly while trying to control her sobbing. It was just two feet away.
She took one step forward. The wind seemed to support her decision. She paused and then the baby monitor came alive.
“Hey Love! Where are you? I’m home!” Her husband’s cheery voice broke through the wind.
She stepped back from the edge and turned around to look towards the house. She had to wait a few seconds before her husband came into view on the porch, with the baby in his arms. He seemed to be scouting for her but it was getting darker and she doubted he could see her.
She put the monitor away and walked swiftly back to the house.
“There you are!” John kissed her on the cheek while trying not to suffocate the baby.
“Yes,” she replied. “Was by the cliff – Phew it is cold and windy!”
“So, any good news?” John asked as both of them walked back into their warm and cozy living room.
Reta took the baby from him and cooed into her face making baby talk. There was no sign of her gloomy self by the cliff. The light was back in her eyes and her skin glowed in the light of the fireplace.
“Sure is,” Reta replied. “I am being called for another screen test tomorrow.”
“Swell!” John said. “Congrats – and what role is this for?”
“That screenplay we read together…of the love triangle? They offered me the wife’s role. You know – the one who is supposed to be schizophrenic and suicidal…”
“Nice,” John said. “You will surely get the role.”
”Of course, I will. I just had a practice run by the cliff and I was awesome.”
Reta had a flair for dramatics at short notice.
The End
Story by Phil Dass writing for the Prompt:She stood at the edge of a cliff, the wind whipping her kanga into a frenzy, she looked back….
This little gem was written by Phil last week for a writing prompt exercise. I loved the dancing kanga in the air, colorful, and fighting with the wind like a Stoat. ^_^ Didn’t even know there was an animal like this. You learn as you read more! Tidbit from Phil: – The story is titled Atlantic as Reta’s emotions are turbulent and changing like the Atlantic Ocean. I look forward to reading more stories by Phil Dass.
Phillip clutched his keys, his gaze taking in the quaint town Nyambura had chosen to settle in. Kinoo was small, out of the city, but still close enough to major hospitals and the hustle and flow. Having a major highway close was a plus. Nyambura’s shop was thriving.
She stepped out of the shop, drawing his attention. She always looked healthy and beautiful. He smiled. Her casual style far removed from the ultra modern women he met daily. No heels for Nyams, she preferred white rubber shoes. Comfort ruled her world. Her well-worn jeans hugged her hips to perfection, the white shirt she wore covered her curves but the mystery intrigued him.
Meeting her frowning gaze, Phillip smiled.
“What brings you here?” Nyambura asked, with a flustered smile.
“How are you?” Phillip asked, closing the distance Nyambura kept between them. “You don’t call or answer messages.”
“Phillip,” Nyambura started.
“I told you, think of me as your friend.”
“Yes,” Nyambura sighed. “I know you did. I’m sorry. I’ve been busy with the shop and practice.”
Phillip chuckled.
“Excuses, Nyams,” He shook his head. “I’m not asking for anything else but friendship.”
“Yeah?” Nyambura leaned on the wall behind her. Her gaze on his car. “Why don’t you tell me why you came today?”
Nyambura was an escapist. She continued to avoid his attempts to get close. Shutting him down without effort, Phillip sighed.
“I have a gig for you,” Phillip said. “You interested?”
“What kind of gig?” Nyambura asked, finally meeting his gaze, her interest peaked.
Phillip hid a smile and folded his arms against his chest.
“My company has a formal party tomorrow evening. The main act cancelled. They’re stuck in Kampala doing another performance. We have important investors in town, the kind who need classy parties.”
Nyambura frowned. “How much?”
“Twenty thousand,” Phillip said. “Formal dress, our guests expect a real authentic show.”
“Twenty-five,” Nyambura countered, forever the business woman.
“Come on, Nyams,” Phillip said.
“It’s short notice, Phillip,” Nyambura said. “If I need to convince the guys to give up stuff they are doing for cash, I need a good payout.”
Phillip calculated their budget. The act that cancelled was to be paid thirty thousand for the night, and an early breakfast call. Their popularity dictated their price. Nyams and her quartet were classy, but unknown. Oh well, Phillip decided the payout was well-deserved. He’d get flack for it from the accountant, but—
“Fine, Twenty-five,” Phillip said.
Nyambura gifted him with her first smile and he stared. She rarely smiled. Phillip could count the number of times he’d seen her do it. Six times, to be exact. This woman with her hard shell and brown eyes that had seen too much. She intrigued him.
“Thank you,” Nyambura said. “What time?”
“Can you show up at five-thirty in the evening? Set up, and make sure everything is working.”
“Sounds good,” she nodded. “We need a room to keep stuff, and change clothes.”
“No problem,” Phillip smiled. “Dinner is on us.”
Nyambura nodded, and reached for her cell phone. She texted her fellow musicians in seconds, and got a reply back just as fast. Her excitement was hard to miss. It made him feel as though he’d helped her win the lottery. Nyambura’s music was important to her.
Phillip stared at his car keys. He wished Nyambura would ask him if he wanted tea. He’d scoped out the little shopping center and the tiny hotel across the street was perfect. Hell, he could eat a mandazi if she asked. Or even a samosa…
If she wanted, he could drive her to the nearest pizza place. While they ate, they would talk about everything from the weather, to planting maize…the music people were listening to these days…the possibilities were endless.
“Well,” Nyambura said, and he looked up, hopeful. “Thank you so much for thinking about us. We won’t disappoint you tomorrow.”
Yes, the let down was swift, fast. No room for doubt, Phillip sighed. Nyambura never dared to give him a hope.
He smiled at her, and she held out her hand for a handshake.
Phillip took her slender hand, squeezed it gently, then she let go, and he was left with no choice but to head back to his car. He shook his head and walked down the steps.
“What happened to all the courage, Phillip?” he murmured under his breath, and opened the driver’s door. Getting in, he slammed the door closed and sat watching Nyambura enter the shop with a final wave to him. He’d come to visit her with such fire, ready to make her hear him out.
Still stuck in friend zone, fail, Phillip scoffed.
Jeez, this was getting pathetic. His mistake though, he kept spouting all the nonsense about friendship. If he was ever going to get out of there, he had to confess tomorrow night at the party, he decided. Nyambura was always at her best when she was playing music, so he’d talk to her right when she was flying high from the performance.
Phillip smiled with anticipation and started the car.
A gripping tale of intrigue and war in precolonial Africa. Two young people — Kalinda, a page in the court of the King of Buganda; and Nagawa, one of the king’s beautiful young wives — are swept up in conflict as missionaries, rival tribes and soldiers of fortune vie for power in what is now Uganda.
sucked into the dark cycle will only derail your life’s goals. This isn’t easy, especially for those of us in business. Every day Kenya continues in a state of anxiety, the harder it is to buy and sell, manufacture and deliver. Costs run up, so we’re forced to think of new ways to achieve our goals. It’s a challenging experience, but one that’s way more important than jumping into the dark cycle.
Stories and Book Talk 