What''s the background to the novel Scatterlings of Africa? Who are the Scatterlings of Africa? And many other questions answered.
Juanita: Welcome to Reader Views Peter, and thanks for the opportunity to talk with you today about your new novel “Scatterlings of Africa.” Your story takes place in 60’s-70’s Rhodesia. Would you paint a picture of this area for readers, and tell us what was happening politically in the region?
Peter: Well, thank you for inviting me, Juanita. As you know; after almost fifteen years of war, Rhodesia fell under the grip of Marxist dictator Mugabe who changed its name to Zimbabwe in 1980. But Scatterlings of Africa takes you back to December 1972 in Rhodesia’s Zambezi Valley. At that time, the Valley was full of animals that were wild and free – it was what was known as a ‘protected hunting area’, not one of the relatively tame ‘game reserves’ that most people see. I had many encounters with lions, elephants, buffalo and other big game in addition to all the usual smaller stuff like wart hogs, antelope, etc. in this beautiful but wild part of the Valley. Scorpions, tsetse fly and other nasty insects abounded and there was abundant bird life.
Sadly, a civil war was getting underway, and the Zambezi Valley; Rhodesia’s north eastern border with Zambia and Mozambique, was the route insurgents used to gain access to the more populated areas of Rhodesia up on the highveld...
Juanita: The rawness of your story that exposes the reality of violence/turmoil in Africa and juxtaposes it with love/romance is an interesting statement in itself. Would you elaborate? Do you think this dichotomy is true to the African experience?
Peter: Great question – you really have hit the nail on the head. I’ve tried to take the tragedy of Rhodesia and make it into a readable novel that will entertain as well as educate. After all, we who lived through it had good times as well as bad – mostly good times until near the end. Of course love happens during terrible times… I think love is even more intense; people’s inhibitions become less constraining...
The FBI Inspector (380 pages) is a collection of 25 short fiction crime novellas involving the law enforcement services of FBI Inspector Joe Giralo along with his three government agents, Sal Velardi, Arthur Orsi and Dan Blachford.
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