Hear The Whispers Sing.

Thanks and Dedications.

Thanks

I would have given up on this book a long, a long, a loooong time ago if it weren't for all the support I received throughout writing it. From being really excited about having an actual BOOK to present to the world and finding out said book didn't have a goddamn villain (yes, I reached all the lows) it was only the thought that there were actual people who read this every time I posted that got me going, creating and writing, even when nobody else could see. 

So, without further ado, this book is brought to you by Novel_Worm. Seriously, with all the support they've given me, they might as well have written it. Thank you, thank you, for introducing me to that amazing discord group and being one of the first people that showed me all my stress around my opening chapter wasn't all for naught. 

WP apparently deletes notifications after sometime, so I'll mention those I remember. Thank you so much 

pictureXthisX, 

@Universaljoy 

@gorgeousdoll76  

minus1digit

QueenofPepper

For voting/commenting/adding this book to your reading list. It was the littlest of gestures, but you all did it when I was in a horrible place with my writing, and those little things pushed me through it. 

And last, but definitely not least, I'd like to thank the QUEEN Amanda-Mae  for not only putting this book on the radar of way more people than I would have ever managed, but for inspiring me to cherish my readers as much as you do. Thank you so much. 

This is for you

For helping me leave a competition with an honest and true friend better than all the first places in the world, I dedicate this book to raymondisrael457

For being my de facto manager and never pulling back on the punches when it comes to my writing so long as I grew from it I dedicate this book to letusread001 

For being there since this book's literal conception three years ago and cheering me on every. step. of. the. way. I dedicate this book to Bobo Chan and Nje Chan. Thank you, favourite people. 

For treating my first, messy manuscript like an actual book, and showing me that I could create characters that people could actually be invested in, I dedicated this book to Sabah. 

For everyone I've mentioned here, it may have been the littlest things, it may have been the biggest, but what's for sure is that you all believed in this book at a time when even I didn't believe in it myself. So thanks. 

Credit

Lastly, and most importantly (because we don't do cultural appropriation in this household) I'd like to make a few things clear. The culture in this book is based in Kenya. And Kenya is a culturally diverse country with over forty ethnicities. I have chosen to represent two of those ethnicities here, as they are the ones I am most familiar with, namely Swahili and Somali. 

However, while I am ethnically a Somali, I am NOT a Swahili. So all the credit for any Swahili culture goes to the Swahilis themselves. They deserve all the applause in the world for braving brutal occupation, and keeping their culture as vibrant as ever. And for my Swahili friends that I have bothered to the bone about cultural nuances, but who have helped me anyway, Nimewapatia Moyo wangu wote. 

As such, I will be routinely putting links for charities based in Mombasa (where the Swahili culture in my book is derived from) and I will be starting now. 

http://www.mombasahouseofhope.org/. This is a children's home in Mombasa, and they are looking out for donations, so please check them out, guys. 

And lastly, before we get into the book, I'd like to put a disclaimer. This book is a FANTASY. I will be making up names of places and I will be making up some customs. If you're new to this culture, please do your research. If you're not, don't come at me for inaccuracies. Let me warn you now, I will be VERY liberal in my creativity. But if you do feel as if I am perpetuating harmful stereotypes, come at me with all the fire you have. I'll have deserved it. 

And now, are we ready? I'm ready. Let's do this!