Today we talk about Hello Tree, a book by Geo Louw published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author Geo Louw to get to know him better, what was the moment that brought him to the writing of his book Hello Tree, as well as if he sees any resemblances of himself with the protagonist of the his story.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- What is the moment that brought you to the writing of your book?
Nobody wants to know that they are getting older, when you are young, aging is way in the future and not anticipated. I suddenly realised one day that I am now old, it happened so fast, and that I am going to that good night, but the journey was never gentle. There were so many changes that happened during my lifetime; changes to technology, the world, my country and to values that used to be dear. Changes that, when you grow older, are difficult to understand and adapt to. The world is quite a different place now, from when I was young. Thomase’s poem comes to mind when I think about my life, it has always been” rage”, not only rage against the” dying of the light”, but rage against all the pain and injustices that crossed my path on this unique journey. This journey which is a daily fight against the approaching dark. Sometimes one doesn’t understand why difficulties crosses one’s path and is uncertain how to act and unsure if you are correct in your approach to these problems. I like to pen my thoughts when major events cross my path and this, eventually, was the inspiration for this book.
- What are the messages you want to communicate to your readers with your book?
One cannot choose what life will bring, and how you will respond, but each of us live as best we can with what we have. There will be ups and downs and, in some cases, it will be difficult to deal with it. We all have to be able to communicate our fears, concerns, joys and dreams, openly and without prejudice, to someone, even if it is just to a tree.
- Do you see any resemblances of yourself with the protagonist of the story? What are they?
Most of the experiences covered in the book are my own. Some were major events in my life and other merely observations. The realities of world climate changes are real, the deterioration of habitats in Africa, well recorded, over population acknowledged, and the failure of my country discussed and debated worldwide. This deterioration happened within the last forty years; the speed of it is alarming and leads to uncertainty in many countries, communities and households in Africa and other continents. Friends, family, love and nature helped me cope with my own fears, inefficiencies, personal tragedies and demons. Talking to someone always helps to find clarity and release. The experiences and profound emotions I wrote about, are real; the betrayal by a blue-chip company is in public domain; the suicide of a loved one, still raw. The friends that I write about are real and so are my children. The beauty of the majestic African continent, its peoples, folklore, plants and animals and the magnificence of it, lifted my low spirit when needed, helped me to rage and fight. The Baobab tree; my light.
- Which authors of the present and/or the past do you take as a model?
I am an avid reader; If I can capture only one percent of the sonnets of Shakespear, the inquisitive mind of Gibran, the analytical thinking of Einstein, the humour of Goscinny and Uderzo, the plots of Grisham and the imagination of Rowling, in my writing, I will be grateful and humbled.
- Are you working on a new writing project you can tell us about?
I have completed a novel “Beneath the Vulture’s Wings” that spans two generations in Africa, from the Apartheids era to the current era, and started with a “Hello Africa” project. I have also just completed a seven series children book that is about a boy that can speak animal language. It has some illustrations and have funny stories like Strictly Animal Dances, The Hippo’s Tooth, The Hole in the Bubble and more.
Europe Books thanks the author Geo Louw once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside him on the editorial path that led to the publication of his book Hello Tree. We wish him the best of luck for his book and for his future works.
To you, my dear reader, I wish that each of you can be free to choose how to respond to life in the best way you can, despite the difficulties and fears you may have. Let’s remember that it is important to know how to communicate our emotions, because it can make us feel better and allow us to notice nuances and grasp new useful ideas for ourselves.
So, my dear reader, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your editor!