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Now available: Published 1 OCTOBER 2019
Excerpts:
Chapter 1: A buttressed secret
A mysterious velvet-blue butterfly led her. The butterfly – beautiful and enchanting – had floated deeper and deeper into the lush, green, and moist forest. Camilla is singing and orchestrating the birds and the butterflies. The forest is her choir. Right above her is a tiny black cloud – she is unaware of the fleeting shadow. It is dark – and behind her.
She sings:
Oh, what a beautiful morning,
Oh, what a beautiful day,
Everything is going my way…
Not everything had gone her way. What she did not notice was that the tiny black cloud was slowly increasing in size. Not fleeting.
The shadows of the black cloud – now behind her – had stretched, and stretched. It is stalking the young, innocent girl. Shivers ran down the spine of a mocking bird who looked up at the sky – the bird looked worried. The long shadows had been stretching and stretching. It was getting longer by the minute. Camilla unaware of the looming danger – caught up in her singing and mesmerised by the colourful butterfly – skipped and hopped further into the forest.
Oh, what a beautiful morning,…
The shadow of the wings of the butterfly had become the size of a large crow. It darted wildly up and down, left and right. It floated slowly and occasionally dived like a mad kite out of control.
A strong wind had been slowly churning up trouble – right behind her. A small dust cloud had crept in closer – following.
The forest was lush green; it seemed calm to Camilla. The bright sunlight filtered a mesh of abstract art on the forest floor through the canopy of leaves and branches. Camilla – hypnotised with eyes transfixed on the velvet blue floating butterfly – was following under a spell. Camilla, mesmerised by the sound of birds and the beautiful hues on the butterfly’s wings, was immersed. Camilla painted beautiful pictures with her arms and hands. She waved with her arms, conjuring up a wonderful fantasy world. She was in a world of her own.
The image below: Baobab tree.
The image below: 
Baobab tree and looming thunderstorm.
Nena Van Zyl
Image: Nena next to the antique organ which dad Charles renovated many years ago. The organ has a special place in Nena’s home. See the picture of dad Charles on the music stand in the centre of the organ (centre). Credit: Nena Van Zyl.
Description
Book description:
Word count = 27,200 words with many many images/pictures. 166 x size A4 pages.
Preface:
The fantasy novel portrays Camilla (Nena Van Zyl – Jacoba Cornelia Windell) as a young girl in a challenging forest. Barbarossa, an accursed adjacent forest, holds many mysteries and secrets. Could Camilla reverse the curse and save Virginiaztan? Her character traits and personality are illuminated throughout the story. The story is mostly fiction. However, this fun story reflects events in Nena’s life throughout the years. It endeavours to capture some of the real events in a creative and innovative way. For that reason, this fantasy story borders on a ‘true story.’ Bill Windell, Nena’s late dad, was a shoemaker. Also, the shoemakers who loyally worked for Bill and wife Tieka Windell for many, many years in Alberton (RSA) – John and Maboetie (Mabootey) – are included as characters in the story. Bill’s influence in Nena’s life is recognised in the novel. Some family members are also included as characters – however, you have to read the novel to find out. A surprise awaits! The fantasy revolves around hobbits, fairies, spiders, a bowerbird, and the animals of the forest. A devastating destroyer is also in the mix. Virginiaztan is cursed. What are the plans and intentions of the evil creature? In this novella, Camilla’s true temperament, passions, interests, love, care, faith, and dogged determination are highlighted. Will she achieve her ambitious goal? Will her audacious plan work? Is it a bridge too far?
Nena’s biography, life’s experiences, and challenges are woven and entwined into this extravagant rich fantasy. Interesting notes on her past – including some of her memoirs, some pictures, references to adventures, and intriguing facts – are included at the back of the novella. A truly unique and intriguing biography!
Contents
Preface. Page 8
Chapter 1: A buttressed secret. Page 11
Chapter 2: The Curse. 26
Chapter 3: A bridge too far?. 35
Chapter 4: The Bower. 59
Chapter 5: The Mould (The Making) 63
Chapter 6: Gemstones and a furry cape. 79
Chapter 7: The design. 89
Chapter 8: Fleeing. 95
Chapter 9: High tea. 107
Authors’ notes and sketches on the fantasy novel. 113
Tribute to Nena Van Zyl. 120
‘The Baobab’ 120
The Shoemaker and His Tools. 132
Bill Windell 137
The Vogelkop Bowerbird. 142
The Brazen Serpent (made from brass). 144
Short History & Timeline: Jacob Cornelia (Windell) Van Zyl 147
Gedig vir Nena. 154
Brooches, artefacts, and memories of Nena. 158
Nena’s brooches. 164
POEM/GEDIG: A Strong Tower (English version) / N Sterk Toring (Afrikaans version) 170
A Strong Tower /N Sterk Toring: 170
The Tower of Hercules. 172
Nena a Strong Tower. 174
A TRIBUTE BY RAY DA SILVA TO MY DEAREST SISTER NENA … 5TH OCTOBER, 2019. Page184
About the authors: Page 188
Gedig vir Nena
Deur William Van Zyl
DIE BORSSPELD
My vrou is in n sprooireen van naartjie en fyn gemaalde kaneel,
my ouma is in n dik gebotterde broodjie met heelstukke konfyt,
maar, my ma is in n glinster borsspeld en duur parfuum.
n Naartjie se sproei-reen gooi n waterval-reenboog van my lieflike vrou.
My ouma se botter-broodjie en konfyt laat my sag op haar donskombers le.
Maar, my ma se borsspeld en parfuum voer my weg na kerkbanke van fluweel.
My ma se borsspelde glinster hoofstuk vir hoofstuk met stories van statuur, baie omgee, oorloop-liefde, kerk-solos, snyers-klere, en prag-en-praal.
Haar borsspelde vang haar liefdevolle woorde vas: ‘William my eersgeborene, Martin my omgee-kind, Deon my ou Josef.’
My ma se fyn-sproeireen-parfuum gooi n boog van robyne, gesuiwerde goud, silwer, en saffier hoog bo die atmosfeer.
Haar woorde is in haar parfuum. Die fyn sproei van haar klanke is sag-soet, fluweel-ryk, toring-sterk, en granaat-rooi.
Sy weef werelde van glinster en glans, van ongerepte sprokies en van weelderige Franse kastele.
‘William, Martin, en Deon julle kan …’
‘Daar is n God en die Hemel…Hy kan.’
‘My kinders, julle kan.’
Julle het n Vader in die hemel.
THE BROOCH
By William Van Zyl
My wife is in a mist of mandarin and ground cinnamon,
My nanna is in a thick slice of bread with butter and chunky jam,
But, mom is in a glistening brooch and expensive perfume.
A mandarin’s spray shoots a colourful waterfall rainbow of my beautiful wife.
My nanna’s buttered bread and jam make a soft bed for me on her feather duvet.
But, my mum’s brooch and perfume transport me to velvety church pews.
Mum’s brooches sparkle chapter after chapter with intricate stories of stature.
Hemmed with care. Stories overflowing with love, church solos, custom-made clothes, and glamorous style.
Her brooches capture her loving words: ‘William my firstborn, Martin my caring son, and Deon my Joseph-son.’
Her fine perfume spray creates a rainbow of rubies, purified gold, silver, and sapphire. It rises high above the atmosphere.
Nena’s words are woven into her perfume. The threads of her words are sweet and shades of ruby-red velvet. It is tower-strong and pomegranate-red.
She intricately weaves a tapestry of possibility. It includes glitz and glamour. Her stories include a rich, extravagant French chateau.
‘William, Martin, and Deon you are able…’
‘There is a God in heaven…He is able.’
My children don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t.
You have a Father in heaven.
