FROM IRELAND WITH LOVE!

TALENTED MINISTER’S WIFE PUBLISHES FIRST NOVEL TO GREAT APPLAUSE

Her full time career as wife to successful Hartbeespoort minister Anton van Zyl meant that René van Zyl had to leave the hustle and bustle of a full time career in journalism behind her. This however did not quell her passion for the written word and it was through this and her love of Ireland and Scotland that Wee Monk’s Tale – The Secret of Immortality was born.

The novel, a medieval action packed adventure, tells of three child-warriors who are propelled, rather reluctantly, into terrifying situations and forced to think on their feet outsmarting Vikings, druids and witches. These dangers however are nothing compared to the internal forces in each of their lives that continuously threaten to derail them and no one is more surprised than our young adventurers to find that deep inside of each of them lives a true hero.

Set against the backdrop of the year 795, a time of superstitious beliefs in dark forces, a 14 year old orphan named Shaughn finds himself without his adopted Scottish family when Viking marauders attack and burn the monastery where he lives. He flees to Ireland accompanied by his adopted and cripple brother Connor (who dreams of becoming a knight) and an outspoken, superstitious gypsy girl named Heather. Never far behind them is a cold-blooded, murderous Viking, Thorvald who is after the book of Kells that Shaughn rescued from the burning monastery. Journeying desperately from one medieval predicament to another, the trio find themselves stranded in ‘bewitched’ castles, threatened in gloomy dungeons and even, bizarrely, at a Viking tournament.

In the end God’s grace and love prevails though and shines on everyone including an orphan, a Viking, a king, a princess, a knight, a midget, a druid and a monk. Our three friends, with their different beliefs and outlooks discover that it is this, more than anything that is their greatest weapon.

René set out to write a book that would be enjoyed by young and old alike and even with the Christian theme of good vs. evil manages not to let it slump into the often associated ‘lameness’ as she keeps it fresh, hip and interesting throughout.

Her tremendously supportive husband, minister at the Dutch Reformed Church Hartbeespoort, applauds the energetic and worldly way in which this story is being told and has this to say: “We need to provide the youth of today with supernatural, but Biblical, stories as they crave secrets, intrigue and adventure. One just has to look at the popularity of books like Harry Potter and Twilight for confirmation of this.”

Main stream publishers, it seems, do not agree and though and René has certainly received her fair share of rejection letters. Local publishers have their sights set on authentic South African stories with one wryly remarking that “our youth do not read books with a historical background or, for that matter, books set in other countries.” Strangely enough, it is exactly these types of books that René’s own teenage daughters enjoy the most.

Determined to see her work published and after several people of different age groups commented favorably on the book, René took the plunge and decided to self publish regardless of the risks and expense involved. True to the nature of the beast, she burnt her fingers a couple of times and lost a great deal of money but pulled through in the end and now sells the book through her own marketing initiatives. She still holds on to the hope of finding a publisher though and continues to pop off letters of enquiry to suitable agents and publishers.

An adaption of the screenplay has found a home with an agent in Hollywood and is being offered to producers with the view of turning it into a movie. Unfortunately this industry is a dog eats dog world and René harbors no illusions about the fact that it is not what you know but who you know that counts. Her Friend in higher places keeps a keen eye on he though and she is convinced that He would appreciate a quality Christian action adventure movie on the big screen as much as she would. She has pitched the story as a combination of A Knight’s Tale and Spy Kids but with a Christian flavor of course!

She is currently spending the little spare time she has left from her duties as a minister’s wife and mother to three children, Michelle (18), Chantal (16) and Sean-Jacques (20), who is brain-injured with very special needs, working on the second installment of a planned trilogy. Set in fantastical Norway with its ‘Ice Giants’ and ‘Mountain Trolls’ the heroes search for a monk that was captured by the Vikings during the first book with many hilarious and disastrous consequences.

Aspiring writers may contact René on 0823964100 or at rene@kuierkerk.co.za to enquire how to best get around the daunting process of self-publishing. It is a tough and nasty world to navigate as a new writer and a helping hand goes a long way to smoothing the road.

Web address: renevanzyl.blogspot.com