Empress Ciku Kimani-Mwaniki’s fifth book NaiRobbery Cocktail, whose launch coincided with her fiftieth birthday, has taken the Kenyan literary scene by storm. Her previous books were self-published efforts. That changed when she met eKitabu, who were making plans to roll out their imprint Mvua Press, which publishes literature geared towards grown-ups.

NaiRobbery was the third book published by Mvua, after Scholastica Moraa’s collection of poems, When Love Says Goodbye, and Emmanuel Ngwainmbi's novel, The Unpaid Bride Price.

Ciku recently came back from the London Book Fair, where she accompanied the eKitabu team. She spoke to Mbugua Ngunjiri.

What was your reaction when you learnt that you were going to the London Book Fair?

It was a cocktail of feelings: happiness, disbelief, shock and fear. Strangely, it made me second-guess myself for a moment. Like, why me? Aren't those opportunities for phenomenal people, and I don't think I am that yet? Then I reminded myself something I have learned within the time I have been with Mvua Press, that they believe in their authors, they can sort of see the future, and they are not shy about investing.

When you got to the London Book Fair, what was the first thought that came to your mind?

My first thought was, it's so white! It was literally a sea of Caucasian faces, except a couple of security guards at the entrance. For long minutes, the only black faces I saw were Mercy Kirui and myself. Then I made it my business to look for black people, and that day it was less than twenty in a crowd of likely thousands. It was lovely, though, that whenever my eyes met with another black person, we would smile and nod at each other. I guess they were thinking the same as I was. China was there in a huge way. Right there, in the sea of white, was the answer why hardly any black-authored book is a world bestseller.

You have attended local book events; how do they compare with the London Book Fair?

I think it would be unfair to compare them. They are worlds apart, plus our local book events are very hugely about selling books. At the London Book Fair, it is more about making contacts and deals with international stakeholders. Of course, ours are localised while over there it's literally international. It was however interesting to meet a French journalist I had met at a local book fair. IThen of course, there's the massive difference in numbers, but they both serve their intended purposes.

You took your new baby NaiRobbery Cocktail – barely four months old. How was she received?

Because the fair was not about book sales, it's hard to say as most of the books were samples given to potential collaborators, but the title and the designer definitely captured enough attention. Hopefully, enough to attract what Mvua Press is looking for.

At London, you rubbed shoulders with the cream of global publishing and writing. How well does Kenyan writing fare and what needs to be done for us to get there?

I don't think Kenyan publishers have done enough for our books, honestly. Apart from Mvua Press, I did not see any other. I believe Text Book Centre had representation. The competition is high and if there's no aggressive marketing, if nobody is making noise about our books, then we shall continue to trail others. As Will Clurman told me once, Ciku, you have to turn up.

While there, you must have interacted with contingents from the African continent; what were their concerns, if any?

Not many, unfortunately.  Black presence was rare, African even more so. I was however excited to meet the Nigerian who published Nearly All Men in Lagos are Mad. He has a copy of NaiRobbery—how awesome it would be to be published in Nigeria. I also met Kate Wallis, wife of former Kwani? bigwig Billy Kahora. The two of them run a publishing house. They have a copy of NaiRobbery as well.

Based on what you witnessed, what is the space for African writing on the global stage?

African writing is virgin ground with so much potential. I know we have Chimamanda representing contemporary writing but Chima is slowly getting westernised. It is likely most people think Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Wole Soyinka and Chinua (Achebe) are what African writing is all about, but we need someone to push Africans writing their own stories, the modern way. We just need that one book to open the doors, and I hope NaiRobbery is that book.

Were you curious that not enough of our Kenyan writing is getting to the global market and perhaps the reasons behind this?

I have always been curious, and I know why. I mean, enough Kenyan authors write amazing books but it's Nigeria and South Africa that keep getting the flowers. It's because the push is not enough. The traditional publishers are not investing, always preferring quick money with education publishing. I can't blame them; they are running a business, but that leaves us out in the cold. My fingers are crossed that Mvua Press will succeed in filling that gap.

What are some of the lessons you learnt that you are dying to share with fellow writers back at home?

Lesson number one, and the one that sums it all: there's a market, and there's curiosity about African stories by Africans. We must find our way into that market. Most Kenyan authors are self-published, which of course makes it hard to get noticed because you need financial back-up, but Deborah Auko was able to get noticed without a publisher so it's not impossible. I am not sure how we can penetrate that market, but I am thinking making enough noise about it is a good starting point.

You must have learnt a thing or two about book marketing; what are we not doing right?

Sitting with the Mvua Press team through tens of meetings with publishers, agents, printers and translators was a near-painful reminder that marketing books is not and is never going to be easy. It's blood and sweat.  It's studying markets, it's identifying gaps, it's talking for hours to persuade stakeholders that you are worthy. Marketing a book to an international audience that doesn't know you is walking-on-coals, painful but satisfying. Also, there's no space for giving up, for being slack because if you blink, someone else with a product as good as yours will take your opportunity.

How is the London experience going to shape your writing, going forward?

A: It will have me thinking of a global audience when I am penning stories. It's no longer about writing for the village. It is scary in a way because you feel like there's a huge burden on your shoulders, but the fear could be turned into a beautiful story that will catch the world's attention.

Any new deal for NaiRobbery Cocktail you stitched together?

About new deals, you would have to speak to my publisher. I like using that phrase, "Speak to my publisher."

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Mbugua Ngunjiri, a Kenyan art and literary journalist, is the curator of the digital arts and culture platform Maisha Yetu. Email: mbugua5ngunjiri@gmail.com