Today we talk about Gold In The Ashes a book by Edna Moraa Thamm and Nicholas Anyuor published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of asking the authors, Edna Moraa Thamm and Nicholas Anyuor, to let the audience know more about Gold In The Ashes. Therefore, here below, you can find their separate book interviews. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
Edna Moraa Thamm
- What prompted you to the writing of your book of poetry?
This book of poetry was born from a deep need to make sense of both personal and societal change. I experienced moments that felt too complex, too painful, or too fleeting to be expressed through ordinary language, and poetry became the most honest way to capture them. Witnessing the impact of terrorism and the suffering it causes deeply influenced me. While much of the discussion focuses on its brutality, I felt compelled to explore a different perspective, the possibility of healing. I wanted to reflect on how communities can come together after tragedy rather than remain divided by fear and hatred. What began as scattered reflections gradually revealed patterns of resilience, pain, and hope, which shaped the collection into a unified work. Ultimately, this book is my attempt to transform confusion and pain into something meaningful and to create a space where readers can reflect not only on destruction but also on recovery and shared humanity.
- What are the messages you would like to convey to your readers?
Through my poetry, I hope to create a sense of recognition in my readers, a quiet moment where they feel, “I have felt this too.” My work explores vulnerability, resilience, and the emotional complexity of everyday life. Rather than presenting fixed conclusions, I aim to create space for readers to interpret the poems in their own way and discover meanings that resonate with their personal experiences. A key message in the collection is the importance of peace and understanding, especially in a world where division is often amplified. I also seek to challenge simplified views of issues such as terrorism by encouraging empathy and deeper reflection. Poetry allows me to communicate emotional truth directly, without relying on formal argument or structured storytelling. In doing so, I hope readers engage not only intellectually but also emotionally, leaving with a renewed sense of compassion and a deeper awareness of our shared human experience.
- What messages did you want to convey with your book?
At its core, my book explores how we navigate uncertainty and learn to embrace imperfection. It suggests that growth often emerges from discomfort and that even in moments of pain and confusion there is still space for beauty and possibility. A central theme is the lasting impact of terrorism and the emotional wounds it leaves behind. Too often, such events lead to blame and division, where entire communities or religions are judged for the actions of a few individuals. Through my poetry, I encourage readers to move beyond this thinking and approach these issues with understanding and empathy. Healing, in my view, is both personal and collective. It has the power to bring people together, encourage dialogue, and reduce hatred. Rather than offering final answers, the book invites readers to reflect on difficult questions and consider different perspectives, ultimately promoting peace and a more compassionate and thoughtful society.
- What does poetry mean to you?
Poetry, to me, is both a refuge and a powerful form of expression. It allows me to distil complex experiences into their essence and to express more with fewer words. When ordinary language feels limited, poetry gives me the freedom to explore thoughts and emotions that are otherwise difficult to describe. It is deeply personal, yet it also creates a connection with others. Writing poetry brings me clarity and calm. It feels like a form of meditation that helps me process the world and release emotional weight. I see it as an outlet to confront injustice, question harmful ideas, and inspire reflection. It allows me to express both pain and beauty, criticism and hope. Poetry is an essential part of who I am. It shapes how I think, how I feel, and how I share my understanding of life.
- Are you working on a new writing project you can tell us about?
Yes, I am currently working on a new project that continues my exploration of human experience in a slightly different form. This work combines poetry with short prose and elements of memoir writing, allowing me to engage more directly with personal stories. The project continues to explore themes such as healing, memory, identity, and the passage of time. Its greater focus is on lived experience and how individual stories connect to wider social realities. I am particularly interested in how memory shapes our understanding of ourselves and influences the way we see the world. This approach gives me more flexibility in storytelling while preserving the emotional depth of my writing. Like my previous work, this project aims to encourage reflection, connection, and a deeper understanding of the human condition.
Nicholas Anyuor
- What prompted you to write your book of poetry?
Environment provokes writing spirit. It is the kitchen where a sumptuous meal is prepared and served to the audience. Things that happen around us would prompt a writer to draft a piece. This happens mostly when the society is faced with awful and terrific situations such as terrorism. Therefore, this is the foundation upon which an idea of this book was built. In Kenya, terrorism is a thorn in the flesh, with the al Shahaab terrorist group claiming responsibility for almost all the attacks witnessed in this East African country. Additionally, my studies on media and terrorism revealed a representation of Muslims as the major terrorism perpetrators. However, in some quarters, Muslim leaders and Islam abhor terrorism. But some ‘jihadists’ argue they are liberating Islam. In other parts of the world, Muslim communities also accuse non-Muslims of terrorism. Away from religion, political leaders and youth have been charged with terrorism. Kenya recently accused its youth (the GenZs) of terrorism; even though the youth argued they were protesting against ill in this country. So who is behind terrorism? It is this confusion that further brewed the specific themes, style and structure of the poems. And so a child was born.
- What are the messages you would like to convey to your readers?
Yes, why do we kill ourselves? This book views peace as paramount. The book reveals that some people might use religion, politics and their own interests to perpetrate terrorism. Others, especially the youth, are hoodwinked by extremists to engage in acts of terrorism for pay. Therefore, it is imperative to tactfully engage the audience in fiction for them to beautifully understand terrorism and its contexts, and to eventually propose why appreciating peace is crucial in the society. Terrorism is ugly. Anyone can be a perpetrator regardless of religion and or political affiliation. Therefore, what is key is finding a way of mitigating it. This book has discussed all these parameters and has suggested truth, peace and inter-faith coexistence as a way of combating extremism. The book discourages youth from being lied to by extremists since no one is safe in a violent world. The book further underscores the value of religion and why faith should not be used to brainwash believers and non-believers. Therefore, this becomes one of the cornerstone poetry books covering issues of global ideology.
- What does poetry mean to you?
Great! Poetry is like water I drink when thirsty. I cannot do without poetry because, how can I do without drinking water? I will die! Poetry soothes my soul. When I write or read a poem, I feel peace strike my heart. Reading and writing poetry is my way of meditating. I think it feels like a dry, cracked piece of land that receives a gentle flow of water after a long period of dry spell. Further, I use poetry to relieve myself from the worldly burdens. The moment I write a poem about an issue that bogs down my mind, I feel relieved; I feel like the thirst is gone, I feel stronger and satisfied. Yes, poetry satisfies my dry soul. Poetry to me is a weapon that I use to fight injustices. It is the gun I use to shoot the societal ills. This is why when my poem is read somewhere, I feel awesome because the bullet will have hit hard the ‘criminal.’ Finally, through poetry, I express my feelings deeply and satisfactorily. I use it to appreciate the world around me; the beautiful nature, the love I have someone or for something. Yes, poetry is sweet!
- Are you working on a new writing project you can tell us about?
Yes, writers don’t sleep. I am currently working on three projects. One is drama, The Voices from the Grave. Here the ‘dead’ are talking. They have died; they have become hopeless; no one is there to help because those who were given funds for climate change mitigation squandered it. However, in the talks; the discussions from the ‘graves’ of ‘death’, they are looking for solutions to the problem of climate change. Problems that have ‘killed’ them. Who is stealing money meant for climate change mitigation? What can we do to save our environment? They finally find solutions without engaging the government much. Community initiative! Another one is a textbook, Islam, Terrorism, and the Kenyan Press: Ethics and Representation, for college and university students. This is a well-researched text. Data widely collected from my PhD research. It discusses parameters of terrorism, the aspect of religion in terrorism, and role the media play in fuelling terrorism and violent extremism. The book finds a solution drawn from research conducted. Finally, there is a collection of poems, Where Bones Were Crushed: Hope in Trauma (The title is tentative), which is about psychological problems people face because of personal societal issues such as marriage, relationships, widowhood, orphanhood, others. Then? The poems provide relief; beautiful life after.
Europe Books thanks the auhors, Edna Moraa Thamm and Nicholas Anyuor, once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside them on the editorial path that led to the publication of their book Gold In The Ashes. We wish them the best of luck for their future works.
So, my dear reader, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your editor!