Local scribe publishes a short stories book
Friday, June 28, 2024 | 60 Views |
Life Is A Matter of Choice And Other Stories book cover PIC MORERI SEJAKGOMO
In an interview with Arts&Culture, the freelance journalist who works for one of the local newspapers, pointed out that, in the line of his journalistic work, he interviewed the leader of Botswana Institute for Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Offenders (BIRRO). He said after the interview, he was inspired to come up with the book. He said they later thought of coming up with a non-fiction book where ex-convicts would confess their experiences. “Just at point of takeoff, we thought of getting funding. We approached American Embassy for sponsorship (grant). One of the embassy's requirements was presentation (attachment) of financial report. My friends could not do this. It drowned our relationship. I had already done very few interviews, popping out my insufficient funds but had little to do with information gathered. I later opted for edified version, which turns out to be this very small book,” he said. Life Is A Matter of Choice And Other Stories was published this month at Denjebuya Graphics and Publishing. It has 10 stories (chapters) and 88 pages.
Furthermore, Letsholo said his decision to write the book came because he was worried by incidents of alcohol and drug abuse in the country. He added that he believed he could use his writing skills to contribute towards bringing change. The book is fiction, with some edited interviews from ex convicts and those who experienced hardships associated with alcohol and drug abuse. When writing the short stories, he said he was motivated by the fact that he was sharing information of national concern. He added that his target audience was upper primary school pupils and junior secondary students.
More than P8.1 million has already been spent, yet there appears to be no lasting solution in sight. This is not simply a dispute between the DIS and a group of officers. It is a matter of public accountability. Every pula spent by government comes from taxpayers who expect public funds to be used wisely and responsibly, especially during economic hardships faced by many.The officers exercised their constitutional right to seek justice through...