By Iminza Keboge
Published December 22, 2024

Stories from Life, an anthology of prose, poetry and drama is based on the premise that history is written not to justify anything but to inform, educate and caution.

From a distance, spine-tingling cries of babies pierced the stillness of the morning. But Maria noticed none of these things as she hurried back home from the village well with a water pot balancing on her head, deep in thought. The picturesque hills covered with flowers and the golden wheat swaying in the gentle morning breeze had just taken on a new meaning. Even the birds singing and gliding in the clear blue sky seemed to share Maria’s secret. She could hardly wait to share the good news with her mother. Some barley harvesters looked up as Maria passed by. While some mocked her, others admired her. However, they had one thing in common: they did not know that through this timid-looking ‘Princess in Tatters’ God would change human history. Forever. – The Princess in Tatters, taken from Stories From Life by Ogova Ondego.

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Stories From Life is a collection of prose, drama and poetry running the whole gamut of human experience that, I daresay, would be a perfect gift for any one who enjoys writing that informs,  educates, cautions, entertains and celebrates humanity.

Coming in both digital and physical formats, Stories From Life is available at reduced price in the 2024 end year sale at https://smashwords.com/shelves/promos/ for anyone across the earth December 12, 2024 – January 1, 2025.

The book is also available  at https://books.apple.com/us/book/stories-from-life/id6443130701/, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stories-from-life-ogova-ondego/1141750638?ean=2940166776518/, https://www.everand.com/book/581865833/Stories-From-Life/, https://fable.co/book/x-9798201888299/, https://market.thepalaceproject.org/item/5186625/, https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/A1064251360/,and  https://shop.vivlio.com/product/9798201888299_9798201888299_10020/stories-from-life/.

For physical book orders within Kenya, buyers are advised to email director(at)commatterskenya(dot)com or call 0733 703 374 for assistance.

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The themes of the creatively written fiction and nonfiction in Stories From Life anthology are as diverse as the stories, poems and plays contained therein.

Stories From Life, that comes in both digital and physical formats, is available at reduced price in the 2024 end year sale at https://smashwords.com/shelves/promos/ for anyone across the earth December 12, 2024 - January 1, 2025.Among the stories under the faith and Christmas category are The First Christmas, The Princess in Tatters, and The Gentile Messiah; When Womewn Go On Leave and In Praise of the Matatu are listed under Tribute, Service: The Hallmark of Humanity under Community Service, A Short Street with a Long History under Colonial and postcolonial histofry and Thanks for Being My Friend under Friendship. Those falling under Relationships and Affairs are Love or Lust? Why My Village Doesn’t Celebrate Valentine’s Day and It Could Happen to You, Too. The Shriek of Terror, That Lady Could Be Dangerous and And the Rain Came are categorised under Victims of Circumstances.

The Mask, the only drama in the collection, is an expose of hypocrites who use Christianity as a tool of exploitation for personal gain, social climbing and upward advancement.

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The themes of the creatively written fiction and nonfiction in Stories From Life anthology are as diverse as the stories, poems and plays contained therein.The collection that has 23 chapters corresponding to the content, is written by Ogova Ondego save for three stories that are written by the author’s children – Fadhili Ogova, Karama Ogova and Mina Ogova – as part of their primary school class assignment.

The other stories in the compilation are Evil Knocks on My Door, The Tower of the Greatest of All Time Takes the World Off Course, Noah’s Non-Sinking Ship, God Punishes the King and Queen of Sin, You Think You Had A Bad Day?, The Ungrateful Squatters, and The Day I Almost Died.

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The drought had dragged on, the heat persisting and the nation wilting with it. Then, finally, the rain had come. But with it much destruction and suffering. – And the Rain Came, taken from Stories From Life by Ogova Ondego.