"I am an avid reader and for my research for Crucible, I read ALL novels published in Kenya on HIV/AIDS and gave them out to young ladies. Interestingly most took weeks to progress past the 3rd chapter and some didn’t finish reading the novels. I asked them their reason and they said that they didn’t identify with the characters. Yet when I gave them the first 5 chapters of Crucible, they got back to me in two days time demanding for the rest of the manuscript. I knew I was on the right track and finished writing the book."
Moraa Gitaa is a Kenyan novelist, born in Mombasa. She is also a Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution researcher, cultural
"One of my best friends in Mombasa was HIV positive in the late 90’s. In 2000 she met a German man in Malindi who was HIV negative and they fell in love. As we shared all our secrets, she confided in me how hard it was revealing her status to him. They had safe sex for months, but eventually she told him and they still got married. Unfortunately she passed on a couple of years ago. Their love became my inspiration for Crucible."
"Like most writers, I usually hold a day job mostly 8-5pm. If in between jobs, I offer proof-reading and copy-editing services for raw manuscripts and also carry out transcriptions and translations."
"The hardest part is making time for my writing, given the above scenario. This calls for immense discipline like cutting down on my social life – that means no partying!! Sacrificing my sleep on most nights to write and type. No outings on weekends!!"
"Interview with Moraa Gitaa, the author of ‘Crucible for Silver and Furnace for Gold’"
"My next novel is titled ‘Shifting Sands’ – it is about Kemunto or Kemu as her 3 girlfriends call her. Shifting Sands is about a young African lady growing up and coming of age. Her tribulations and triumphs. It will be published mid this year."
"To me literature is the truth and I am thus able to give a human face o stereotyped and marginalized groups of people. My writing is also a form of self-therapy as I have passed through most of the situations I write about. Also writing is extremely exciting as it is to place time and place in chains."