“Schools are not buying my novel as they have opted for photocopying that makes me lose the much needed cash,” he said. Mahanya attributed this photocopying to the underperforming economy dogging Zimbabwe.
The writer has 13 novels under his belt including the following titles that are school set books: Munzwa mundove, Chinotanga mberi mashura and Rufu runobereka rufu.
His other books includee Chidamwoyo,Zvinoyera The wound, which is about the liberation struggle,Takunda and Chipo in Forestland and Ndomene haichemedzi.
He said he was planning to start a writing club in Zhombe to inspire young writers.
Asked on his advice to budding writers Mahanya said this would be a rocky and hard road for writer to take due to poor renumeration.
"Publishers pay writers once or twice a year meaning one has to go for months without money," he said. "Budding writers should have patience, if they wish to have a mark in writing.”
The writer was born in 1948 in Zimuto communal lands in Masvingo. He worked for the defunct Moto magazine in the 70s.
He is married to Rebecca and they are blessed with four girls.
Mahanya said his last born Grace Mahanya is set to follow in his footsteps as she is working on her first novel.
Post published in: Arts