Pretoria author Kamogelo Masoga, 26, is out to weave new worlds based on her lifelong love of fantasy and fiction with her books.
This author is not only breaking out in her writing career, but she is also becoming increasingly popular on Facebook.
She said it took her seven years to write her book, “Chasing the Dream”, but it was worth it.
Masoga said “Chasing the Dream”, which hit the shelves in 2020, is a collection of 10 short stories and aimed at inspiring people to chase their dream.
Though her books are fictional, she said the purpose of the books was to teach and motivate young children “that are yet to grow”.
“My books are for the young and the old; the stories are based on the challenges we experience in our everyday lives and the different social issues we face in our society,” she said.
Her passion for writing started at a tender age. Masoga said the essays she used to write in high school made her realise that she is a talented writer.
Masoga said during her childhood, she grew up without a father and was raised by a single parent and as a result she lacked a lot of things, and that has inspired some of the decisions she made.
She added that she has faced a lot of challenges, and the first challenge was having to write and finish the book.
“There were times I experienced writer’s block and felt unmotivated, so it was not easy for me to write, and another challenge I faced as an author was having to promote and market my book and sell copies. It was very hard, as you know not many people like reading books,” she said.
She further said there is a story in the first book called “Betrayal”, which was inspired by her bad experience she had with friends.
“I was hurt and betrayed by them, so that inspired the theme in the book,” she said.
Masoga also wrote her second book titled, “Bastard Child”, which she launched last year.
She said “Bastard Child” is a story of rejection, broken families, and resilience.
In this book, Keith, rejected by both his mother and father, navigates harsh circumstances under the care of his grandmother, but the real horror begins after the unexpected death of his grandmother.
Keith finds himself having to struggle through life alone until he makes it through.
She said the book addresses one of the prevalent issues in the society – having children out of wedlock.
“We have witnessed the resulting challenges, with children often growing up without one or both parents, leading to lasting trauma. Many struggle to heal from the pain of being rejected by their own parents and it can take years to forgive,” she said.
“My message to young writers out there is that if you believe you are a talented writer and passionate about writing, read as much as you can, write as much as possible and start writing now.”
Pretoria News
Lesego Montso