Kenyan author Joan Thatiah has taken to social media to narrate her struggles with major bookshops in Kenya, who have refused to stock her new book.
The author of “Things I Will Tell My Daughter” shared a thread on Twitter where she reminisced about the challenges she faced when she tried to get her first book stocked in bookshops.
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In her tweet, Thatiah revealed that she had reached out to major bookshops five years ago, armed with the optimism that comes with publishing one’s first book, however, the person in charge at the bookshops would gloss over her book and tell her that they were not taking any local authors at the moment or that they were done taking new books for the year.
“Frustrated with the lack of progress, I decided to try street book vendors. However, even them, were not receptive to my book; one vendor at Kenya Cinema told me that they only sold bestsellers,” she narrates.
Despite these challenges, she persisted, and eventually, found vendors who agreed to stock her book.
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In recent years, there has been a shift in the literary landscape in Kenya, new age bookshops like Books and More KE, Rafu Books Kenya, Nuria The Honest Store, and Kibanga Books have fully embraced local authors, and traditional bookstores are quickly catching up.
This shift has made it easier for local authors to get their books stocked and gain recognition.
She has reminded aspiring authors that the journey to becoming a published author is not always an easy one, however, with determination and perseverance, success is possible.
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The current literary landscape in Kenya is favorable to local authors, and there are more opportunities to get their work recognized and appreciated.
Thatiah’s new book, which has been snubbed by major bookstores, is expected to be available in the street book market and the new age bookshops that have embraced local authors.
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