Book: The Biography of Nena Van Zyl.
The biography includes, as an introduction, a short novel 'The Brooch, the Fur, and the Magic Hat from Virginiazstan.' Inspired by Nena's brooches...
Front cover.
Back cover.
The Brooch, the Fur, and the Magic Hat from Virginiaztan.
Excerpt:
The silhouette of a massive tree slowly appeared in front of her. The trunk of the tree had a very large girth. The massive bulbous trunk was knobbly and uneven. The bark’s texture was rough but beautiful. On top of the trunk was grey-zigzagged sprawling ‘hair.’ Chunky, buttressed roots anchored the large bulky trunk into the ground – it looked like a giant’s hand. It anchored the big tree securely to the ground. She looked up. The chunky tree had a crown that resembled a root ball. ‘Who has turned this tree upside down,’ she thought. There were no leaves on the branches – stripped bare.
‘I had never seen such an enormous bulbous tree in the forest before.’
She had ventured deep into the forest. Too deep.
OVERVIEW: The story portrays Nena (Camilla)as a young girl in a challenging forest. Her character traits and personality are illuminated throughout this story. The story of the biography section is mostly fiction. However, embedded are her true temperament, her passions, interests, love, care, faith, and dogged determination to achieve an important goal. Her biography, history, and some interesting notes with her memoirs, pictures, and more are included at the back of this book. An intriguing, fun and exciting biography!
Book description:
Word count = 27,200. 192 Pages (size A4 pages).
PUBLISHING DATE: 1 Oct 2019
CONTENTS
Preface. Page 8
Chapter 1: A buttressed secret Page 11
Chapter 2: The Curse. Page 26
Chapter 3: A bridge too far?. 35
Chapter 4: The Bower. 59
Chapter 5: The Mould (The Making) 63
Chapter 6: Gemstones and a furry cape. 79
Chapter 7: The design. 89
Chapter 8: Fleeing. 95
Chapter 9: High tea. 107
Authors’ notes and sketches on the fantasy novel. 113
Tribute to Nena Van Zyl. 120
‘The Baobab’ 120
The Shoemaker and His Tools. 132
Bill Windell 137
The Vogelkop Bowerbird. 142
The Brazen Serpent (made from brass). 144
Short History & Timeline: Jacob Cornelia (Windell) Van Zyl 147
Gedig vir Nena. 154
Brooches, artefacts, and memories of Nena. 158
Nena’s brooches. 164
POEM/GEDIG: A Strong Tower (English version) / N Sterk Toring (Afrikaans version) 170
A Strong Tower /N Sterk Toring: 170
The Tower of Hercules. 172
Nena a Strong Tower. 174
A TRIBUTE BY RAY DA SILVA TO MY DEAREST SISTER NENA … 5TH OCTOBER, 2019. Page 184
About the authors: Page 188
Nena Van Zyl. See the renovated antique organ by her late husband, Charlie Van Zyl (framed picture of Charlie in the center of the organ).
BROOCH: One of Nena's brooches which she used to wear to church as young mother (1960 -1980). CHURCH: Apostolic Faith Mission Church, Virginia, Freestate, South Africa. This fantasy story of fiction is inspired by her many brooches.
Baobab tree. The story of 'The Brooch, the Fur, and the Magic Hat from Virginiaztan,' is set in a forest. A huge baobab tree is part of the fiction.
The book is available at Five House Publishing. https://fivehousepublishing.com/product/the-brooch-the-fur-and-the-magic-hat-from-virginiazstan/
A STRONG TOWER - ARTICLE - BY THE AUTHOR.
Poem: A Strong Tower (dedicated to Nena by William)
My mother stands mountain tall
She towers high above the stratosphere
Storms have no business with her
She waves her hand and the waves subside in rapid submission
She knows the Language the storms understand
Yes, she knows the Wave-Breaker…the Wave-Crusher.
She also has velvet in her voice
Her loving and caring velvet words cast a net and embrace
It captures, it uplifts, it inspires, it carries…
“No to mediocrity… always onward to excel” – always upwards!
Gedig: N Sterk Toring (opgedra aan Nena deur William)
My ma staan heuwel hoog
Sy toring hoog uit bo die stratosfeer
Storms het geen vat aan haar nie
Sy swaai haar hand en die branders onderwerp hul skielik aan haar
Sy ken die Woorde wat die storms verstaan
Ja, sy ken die Een wat die branders breek…die Brander-Vernietiger.
Sy het ook fluweel in haar stem
Haar sagte, liefdevole, fluweel sag woorde span n net
Haar woorde omhels iedereen rondow haar
Dit vang vas, dit lig op, dit inspirer, dit dra
“Nee vir gemiddeldheid…altyd opwaarts om uit te styg – altyd boontoe!
Read the article and see the many images of
Laerskool Frank Van Der Merwe (Laerskool Saaiplaas - Primary school in Virginia in the Free Stare, South Africa) for free: https://fivehousepublishing.com/2022/01/15/poem-a-strong-tower-gedig-n-sterk-toring/
