Gideon Mutai, 22, is both artistic and book smart. He is a published author, medical student and chairs a charity that sensitizes communities on reproductive health. He is also a poet, playwright and inspirational writer/speaker. He is currently in 3rd year of medicine at Egerton University. He comes from a humble background (His dad digs latrines for a living and his mother is a house wife). This has not stopped him from exploring his talents. He started writing in form two with poems but wrote the first book after high school. He wrote The Last Straw, which is a play, and took to his high school teacher, Mrs. Opiyo, who inspired him by saying that one day it could become a set book because of the themes it tackles and its presentation. His journey to publish began on 2010. Just like all first time writers, publishers were hesitant to take his work for the mere fact that he was young and in their humble opinion, didn’t think his work was worth publishing. “We have accessed the manuscript and feel you have every right to be proud of your achievement. However, we cannot make you an offer of publication…” read one of the replies from KLB Publishers Ref KLB/6/12/V245 dated August 9, 2011. In the assessment report by the same publishers, they mentioned many strengths. One of them read, “The playwright has addressed several problems today. His style is laudable as is his choice of words and setting.” He tried several other publishers but all was in vain. He wrote several emails and making calls but one day he met Sahel Publishing Association (SPA) who gladly took his work and encouraged him. He did not give up but went on writing other books. After getting a chance to speak to various high schools, he wrote the second book, The Optimist Creed. His observations tackled in the book covered also the general public. It is without say that the same has not been published. He wrote the third book, Revived Through Poetry, inspirational and spiritual book. Good enough, this one has been published with Sahel Publishing Association. However, this was done under “Print On Demand” (POD) option. Gideon couldn’t raise enough cash to print the book in bulk which required him close to 200k. The book is at the International level (Amazon) http://www.amazon.com/Revived-Through-Poetry-Gideon Mutai/dp/9966169318/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392296387&sr=8-1&keywords=revived+through+poetry.It’s is printed in USA but much profit is not realized with POD option. He is currently writing three new books, I’m Tired of Mediocre Life and Other Short Stories-It’s a motivational short story book, Poetry for High Schools-and the other is Healthy Relationships and True Love in Marriage, which sounds funny but he says will be the largest book he’ll have ever written. He is a hardworking gentleman but is short of resources to publish the good work he has authored. SPA is willing to publish all his unpublished manuscripts but challenged by short of funds. If you can help him in any way, ideas or finance, then contact him through phone: +254718696779 or email: [email protected] Find him at these other places: www.facebook.com/drmutai www.successlines.blogspot.com
