SA reads discussion

Zelda has kindly agreed to answer questions about her book this Friday at 4pm. Please place questions in this thread.

Zelda, thank you so much for agreeing to participate. This is very exciting. I have not yet finished reading your book, please excuse me if some of my questions are redundant.
My questions so far...

1) How long did you plan to write this book? Your attention to detail is fantastic for a memoir, did you keep a journal while working with Madiba?
2) We read A Long Walk to Freedom in April this year. We commented repeatedly on the way that Madiba wrote as if he was having a conversation or telling a story.
This style comes across in your book too, it feels like a conversation. Was this something that you were cognizant of attempting or a happy coincidence?
3) How did you chose your title?
4) do you ever wake up feeling as if the life you have been able to live is unreal?
5) lastly, a comment.
When paging through your book, I noted the picture of you sleeping on the plane covered by Madiba's jacket. This struck me as such a grandfatherly thing to do and as emotional. Such an up close image of your Khulu as a caring person, even more than the icon that he was.

Thank you again

Zelda,
Thank you for your book. I have read many about Madiba, and yours has touched me like no other. Your relationship with him is one of the great love stories of all time.

My questions:
1) Your unexpected, and deeply emotional, response to meeting Madiba for the first time reads like a Damascus-type conversion experience. I cannot avoid the comparison with the Apostle Paul. In retrospect, was it a spiritual experience for you?
2) You drove yourself to the verge of insanity in serving Madiba. Your desperation is a continual thread throughout the story. Madiba did the same in serving the world. We know what motivated him, but I’m not still not sure what truly motivated you?
3) You were privileged to love, and be loved, by a man that generations to come will revere as one of the greatest to walk this earth. How are you dealing with the responsibility, and the void, now that he is gone?

Thank you.

Hi everyone, I will check in and start answering questions just before 4pm.

Lisa wrote: "Zelda has kindly agreed to answer questions about her book this Friday at 4pm. Please place questions in this thread." Here I am

Lisa wrote: "Zelda, thank you so much for agreeing to participate. This is very exciting. I have not yet finished reading your book, please excuse me if some of my questions are redundant.
My questions so far....."

I started downloading my memory in 2009 when I realized I was becoming old too, and with that comes loss of memory. The intention wasn't to write a book at first but to write so I can remember. I only decided last year May that I would turn it into a book when a journalist friend told me I had an obligation to share the story of change, love and hope and the person I knew.

Lisa wrote: "Zelda, thank you so much for agreeing to participate. This is very exciting. I have not yet finished reading your book, please excuse me if some of my questions are redundant.
My questions so far....."

No the style of writing was then co-incidental. I wrote in my simple broken English because I didn't want an editor to put their own interpretation to my words - which is why I didn't use a ghost writer. It was probably not ideal but every word in that book is my own, my observations and my understanding of things. Precisely because of the easy writing style I now have very young followers....amongst them a 15 year old and recently a 10 year old who read my book. I am flattered by that because to me it means they may be influenced to start moulding their thinking much younger than I did.

Lisa wrote: "Zelda, thank you so much for agreeing to participate. This is very exciting. I have not yet finished reading your book, please excuse me if some of my questions are redundant.
My questions so far....."

The editor suggested the title and I liked it because it signifies that first day I met him when my entire being started to change.
Yes when you live a life it is hard to comprehend that its your own life when others fuss about it. To me it was a great privilege and opportunity but it was always about serving and how I could ensure that he had the best possible treatment he deserved. So you are consumed by that challenge and the pressure and you forget that you are working for the most famous man on earth. Which is probably a good thing because one could easily get conceited.

Zelda wrote: "Hi everyone, I will check in and start answering questions just before 4pm."

Welcome Zelda! It's great to have you here

John wrote: "Zelda,
Thank you for your book. I have read many about Madiba, and yours has touched me like no other. Your relationship with him is one of the great love stories of all time.

My questions:
1) Yo..."

What motivated me: the urge to serve, the urge of perfectionism. I drive myself beyond what is necessary. My entire family suffer from a bit of OCD. But it worked for the job.
The void is difficult to deal with. Its a process that I have to learn to allow to happen. Im sure anyone who has lost someone close to them will agree that its foreign feelings and experiences. The book has been another blessing in disguise because I havnt really had time to allow the emotions to get to me. But I miss him a lot, like we all do. On quiet days its difficult. My obligation will always be to tell MY story. Yes it involved Madiba too because he was part of my life for 19 years but my story is one of hope and change.

Zelda wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Zelda, thank you so much for agreeing to participate. This is very exciting. I have not yet finished reading your book, please excuse me if some of my questions are redundant.
My ques..."

It is a beautiful story and I think one that many South Africans value being able to share.

Vicki wrote: "Hi Zelda,

Thank you for agreeing to answer some of our question.
My question is: Of all the moments you shared with Mr Mandela, what was the one thing that you can remember that made you laugh out..."

When I teased him about charming women when he was young. Well even at old age but he often told me stories about dancing in Sophia town as a youngster and I would ask him: "did women just fell over their feet for you" and he would answer "yes of course" and I would burst out laughing.

Zelda wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Zelda, thank you so much for agreeing to participate. This is very exciting. I have not yet finished reading your book, please excuse me if some of my questions are redundant.
My ques..."

I find your style very comfortable. You are targeting a wide, multicultural society with differing language skills. Your book reads like a conversation. I'm surprised that you feel your English is broken, that's not how it comes across and I am glad that you prevented your story from being lost in translation.

Lisa wrote: "Zelda wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Zelda, thank you so much for agreeing to participate. This is very exciting. I have not yet finished reading your book, please excuse me if some of my questions are redu..."

Thanks Lisa. Yes well I am not expecting a call from Norway soon to be told I was nominated for the Nobel prize for literature :) BUT the story is mine and I can own it and I am happy with it. Most criticism has been about the language but the intention was never to create a literature master peace and I am happy that it reaches such a multicultural society.

I am greatful for so many original story gems you share in your book...and pleased that you resisted the temptation to politicise your story. Well done.

I wrote a novel about a fictional account to assassinate Mandela just before his release from prison. Did you ever become aware of any actual attempts or plans to kill him?

Would you ever write further?

John wrote: "I am greatful for so many original story gems you share in your book...and pleased that you resisted the temptation to politicise your story. Well done."

Thank you John. I know of many people who had a professional ghost writer and inevitably their own opinions and observations influence the outcome. Understandably in such a sensitive environment I also couldn't afford having anyone force my hand at writing certain things so I had to write it myself in total secrecy.

John wrote: "I wrote a novel about a fictional account to assassinate Mandela just before his release from prison. Did you ever become aware of any actual attempts or plans to kill him?"

Yes the security told me on a few occasions or I simply became aware of it when we had task force police in our immediate surroundings suddenly but it wasn't often and somehow I didn't worry about it too much. Madiba had very good and efficient security people around him in those days so I felt safe for him.

Lisa wrote: "Would you ever write further?"

I have learnt to never say never. So I would rather not say never. But right now I don't have definite plans.

Lisa wrote: "Zelda wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Zelda, thank you so much for agreeing to participate. This is very exciting. I have not yet finished reading your book, please excuse me if some of my questions are redu..."

Thanks Lisa

Zelda, I think there may be questions that you didn't see with all my interrupting. From John and from Vikki in messages 3 and 4 above

John wrote: "Zelda,
Thank you for your book. I have read many about Madiba, and yours has touched me like no other. Your relationship with him is one of the great love stories of all time.

My questions:
1) Yo..."

Damascus experience - no at the time it was not a spiritual experience but time provided insight and understanding and now in hindsight I probably simply didn't recognise or comprehend the value of it at the time.

Hi Zelda

Apologies for being late to the conversation this afternoon. Your job became something that I think many people envied, but it was VERY hard work. Mr Mandela seems to have been great with deciding What he wanted, but I get the idea you very often were left to deal with the How. How did you cope with those situations where you were left to make it happen?