Over the weekend I attended a book launch of a great author Tinashe Angeline La. Congrats once again Tinashe. I had a great time and was so inspired. Have just finished reading the book and it has invoked all kind of feelings in me. Thank you for sharing and am confident your book will be instrumental in future discussions on issues related to Domestic Violence, Christianity in a modern world, Culture& Marriage, African/traditional parenting styles, Migration, Racism etc. Throughout the reading I was reminded of Maya Angelou’s ‘Still I Rise’ and it seems she had you in mind when she wrote that poem

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I still rise.

Congratulations Tinashe!

It is a heart daring story to write while telling your story healing continues. From your story, many will be touched and everyone checks their lives to both young and old there is a connection. It is called breaking boundaries, it is a third dimension of you. Your experience will change lives.

Hi Tina La, congratulations on getting this manuscript going, sad as it maybe it has a happy ending; there is a sense of determination and triumph. It is a narrative that will benefit many readers. Its strength lies in its originality based on a personal experience. Your personal experience is very useful in examining these issues. You’re not making a personal attack on anybody or institution except to present the contradictions inherent in our human interactions and relations, which require clarification through serious conversations with each other. I see your work in this context. It speaks to many people as the subject of domestic abuse is with us.

I admire your courage and resilience that you have come through these nasty experiences and that you are willing to share with others your story in order to raise awareness. There are many others out there who will relate to your story and I hope this can start the conversation which will bring about ways of creating change in the way we tackle these issues from the cultural perspective and break down the wall of silence.

Hi Sister Tina, I have now finished reading your book from cover to cover. Firstly, let me commend you for your courage, resilience and dedication to reach out to those who are in despair. As an Author myself, and a woman from African background, this is a monumental achievement. The power of someone’s story is that no one can take it from them, however the targeted audience will gravitate toward it and be impacted by what you’ve shared. You took me on a journey of your personal life, and girl, I experienced every emotion; I cried, laughed, and jumped out of my seat on numerous occasions. I was like boy, finally, someone has said it!

There’s no doubt that the book is not for everyone, it’s for those who are open-minded to be challenged and to acknowledge the underlying misfortunes that has been contributed by inadequacies of culture and certain practices which are far outdated. When you told me, you had a lot of discouragements from people you didn’t expect these to come from, now I understand why. You have touched on very sensitive topics that have been tabus for centuries. I wish you the very best as you continue to reach new heights.