Adventures of the Negassi Brothers follows two brothers who are transported through time in a traditional coffee ceremony to witness their family’s history. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

As a first generation immigrant, I wanted to create a story I could share with my sons, Isaiah & Azariah. A book that was timeless and relevant at any age of their lives. A story they could share with their own children in the future. It is also an introduction into their history. I hope it sparks some curiosity that grows into reading and learning more about themselves.  

Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your characters life?

One of the most important memories for me was sharing stories with my own father. There were many stories about back-home and how he grew up. My love of history began with these stories. 

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

The story had to capture the essence of our culture, it was important to incorporate coffee and the coffee ceremony. Our countries, Eritrea & Ethiopia, have thousands of years of history together and apart, it’s easy to get lost in politics and tribalism. It was important that I leave that out of the story and focus on the historical facts. 

What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?

My next book will be a about our language, Tigrinya. A simple to read children’s book of our alphabet and common words. There are over 200 letter in our alphabet so I’ll have to think through the breakdown. It will be available Q2 of 2023. 

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