Once Upon a Dynasty - Behind the scenes
- Itai Vhudzijena
- Jan 7, 2021
- 2 min read
Updated: Dec 4, 2021
Once Upon a Dynasty was originally written as The True Legend of The Tshambiwas.
Its a novel based on a true story - my mother’s line of the family.
When I originally wrote it, ALL the facts, name of characters, the dates they were born, the places they resided, the things they said and did ... were 90% true and real.
My father, Dr. E.H.K Mutubuki provided all the parts where I was blank or mistaken.
He was my first Editor and proof reader.
You see, my mother, Laurentia Eunah Mutubuki (nee Tshambiwa) was an excellent story teller and when I was growing up, she used to narrate stories about how her grandfather traveled all the way from South Africa to the then Southern Rhodesia (present day Zimbabwe)
She also used to narrate about her family ... the things they got up to.
The reason I wrote this book originally with the characters as-is was because I felt my maternal side of the family had something which mankind could learn from.
I felt they had a human story which most of society grapples with; can identify with and garner nuggets of wisdom from.
The reason I later changed some facts and events and then called my book ‘Once Upon a Dynasty’ was because my Publishing Editorial Team felt that it was better that way for family security reasons.
The Manuscript, ‘The True Legend of The Tshambiwas’ will be distributed to all Laurentia Eunah Tshambiwa’s grandchildren spread across 4 continents so that they get to know about their grandmother’s story.
Laurentia Eunah Tshambiwa Mutubuki was a great woman!
The Tshambiwas were a great people!!
They live on through the children and grandchildren they went on to have.
'Once Upon a Dynasty' is dedicated to my mother and her lineage, the late Laurentia Eunah Tshambiwa Mutubuki. She was a great woman. Her story makes a great read. What an adventure!!