All Quotes

"The fear from an author normally stems from having to let go of something that you have birthed and nurtured."

"I just think women are so much more than that, we have so much more to offer than our beauty and body."

"Writing is a very cathartic experience and I use it to address my fears"

"And for the first time, I saw how my own music had the power to connect with different races. In those spaces it didn't matter that I was black. It didn't matter that I was young. It didn't matter that I was female. It was just beautiful music. And it gave me a taste and the possibility of freedom, I think."

"We need to own our space. We need to own our career. We need to own our creativity. We need to know that it's possible."

"If you don't invest in yourself, who do you expect to do that?"

"I do believe in love—as a verb. Not as some airy-fairy feeling. As a verb. As something you do, you think and you speak."

"Accept your situation; that way, you can figure out how to navigate it from an empowered space."

"Make small goals – ones that you can see yourself attaining – and celebrate each step of the way. You’re alive. Life wants you to be, and that’s got to count for something. Appreciate life."

"I knew a lot about European history, but I couldn’t tell you anything substantial about African history"

"my early reading was devoid of Black writers and African literature as a whole"

"Most of the books I read reinforce the way I think and view things"

"I enjoy writing all my characters, otherwise they would not make it into my books"

"Writing as a career is not financially lucrative for most writers"

"write for love before you consider writing for money"

"life has light moments and dark moments. It’s not just a canvas painted with one brush, and so I just wanted to bring all that together to show the different layers, the happy and sad moments"

"A lot of religious people are like that. They have zero empathy and a lot more judgement."

"You have people who are affluent and people who are poor. Who decides how the scales are weighed?"

"Wealth comes with its own problems and challenges"

"I like to show that as much as we like to divide ourselves with borders, we’re more related than we think"

"We never go deep into dealing with our wounds. We carry things forward, from one generation to the next"

"I think Africa has a wealth of talent which remains largely unknown, never mind celebrated"

"I am tired of this portrayal of African women as being timid, oppressed creatures"

"I believe books should transport you to places, whether real or imagined"

"I hate reading a book and not being able to locate myself."

"I’m intentional about provoking empathy and creating a conversation around those kind of topics"

"writing is a space where I can be bold and brazen, uncensored even"

"Life is about taking chances and believing in yourself"

"Yes, writing fiction is risky but then, as they say in finance, the higher the risk, the higher the return"

"A country needs to be judged by the living standards of its poorest people and not the few elite."

"I think there is a tendency of viewing happiness as a destination and that you can exist in that state forever, I dont buy that."

"For me, writing is like being an actress, in a way, because I get into the role, to make it believable. Otherwise you won’t be able to connect and relate to it"

"The genesis of current problems is rooted in the past"

"Learning from history allows us to not only learn about a country’s complexities and heritage but also solidifies our identity about ourselves as a people"

"Our world is changing. The old stories have worn thin. We're telling new stories now. We're creating new realities: ones which inspire and give us true power."

"I've got a new story. A new chapter - deliberately created. In this part I show respect for myself and my world."

"I also just think that in general about life, whatever you experience feeds into whatever you end up doing."

"So, nature is a very big influence for me and conservation is close to my heart."

"Too often, we like to think of ourselves as somehow being separate from nature when the truth is we belong to nature."

"As a human being, your priorities change, naturally, when you have kids, if you are consciously parenting. Things change. By definition, your identity changes as well, particularly if you’re a mother."

"I think that this thing of men being the leaders and women having to follow is going to go away. In many parts of the world, it’s the rule of law that men and women should take the lead even though it’s very difficult in societies to find it that way. But in our band, we see each other as equals and my role in the band is my role in the band, so one can’t argue about that simply because I am a woman."

"We are all different and the most successful artists are those who come up with something unique."

"My mom died when I was six. My fondest memory of her was colouring in. She taught me to colour in the lines. I felt so safe, like I was infinitely loved. When she died, I struggled to find a new way to colour in the lines."

"Going on that inward journey has led me to this point where I feel I need to share my story for the benefit of others. To explore my individual voice apart from the collective."

"I've learnt to appreciate the value of solitude, to cherish the quiet moments, and to find comfort in my own company"

"One day I will submit to resting my pen but for now, this is the perfect time to keep writing"

"South Africa has a painful history and we are still yet to witness that repercussions"

"The increase of rape and domestic violence is evident in the men we encounter"

"No one cares about women in this country"

"But history has to be told as we live it. We can’t just sit and watch, someone has to stand up and fight. And in this case it’s me"