African Book Safari

During the month of October, a group of eleven authors, who either live in Africa or are rooted in this amazing continent, are teaming up for an exciting adventure.

We're going on an Africa Book Safari! Together, we will discover some of the rich, diverse colors and nuances of Africa through stories, devotions, and memoirs, all set in Africa. What's more, because we are writers, we would like to invite you all to come along with us!

For free!

We will be traveling together in a blog hop through ten blog posts featuring fiction and non-fiction books, all centered in Africa. Our Safari Guide will be interviewing each of us, and we invite you to listen in as we chat about ourselves and our books.  You will find the interviews on the author's own sites, as well as posted on one another's blogs or websites.

So come along and join in the fun! And here comes our guide who will be taking us on our safari.

Safari Guide: Hi! I believe you are Lisa Harris, is that correct?

Lisa: It sure is. And you, I presume, are going to be our Tour Leader for this great time. What should we call you?

Safari Guide: You can call me Mr. Africa!

Are you all comfortable? Please buckle up your seat-belts. Starting today, I plan to show you all different angles to this continent.

Lisa, it's your turn to sit up front with me. Everyone, let's go discover Africa!

As our large safari landrover moves away from the buildings and
heads into the wilds of Africa, Mr. Africa swings in his seat to face me.

Safari Guide / Mr. Africa: So, Lisa, tell me a bit about yourself. Have you always lived in Africa?

Lisa: No, I was born in the United States and first visited Kenya when I was in college. After that summer, I knew I had to return. My husband and I spent a couple years in West Africa, then later, after we had our three children, we moved to South Africa. We have worked with churches in South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and then eventually moved to Mozambique where we currently live and work as missionaries. We’ve spent a total of almost twenty years in Africa and raised our kids there, so the continent will always hold a piece of our hearts no matter where we are!

Mr. Africa: And what family do you have?

Lisa: I have three college age kids, two sons and a daughter. Our youngest graduated from a boarding school in Kenya this year and for the first time in eight years, I have all three kids living on the same continent in the US.

Mr. Africa: Lisa, did you always want to be a writer? Or what prompted you to start writing?

Lisa: I actually always wanted to be an author. My mother tells me I used to dictate stories to her before I could even write. When our first child was a baby, I finally decided to start writing and finished my first book. And I’ve been writing ever since, for over twenty years!

Mr. Africa: What genre do you write in, and why?

Lisa: I’ve written some Christian romance, but now I write romantic suspense and medical thrillers. I love seeing justice served and the good guys win. I also love seeing God use an ordinary person for something extraordinary.

Mr. Africa: What book are you going to be sharing with us during this safari? Tell us a little about it. What inspired this particular story or topic?

Lisa: While I’ve written quite a few books set in Africa, I’m going to be sharing Blood Ransom. I loved writing this series, and this story in particular gave me a chance to really show my love for this continent and use the setting for a fast-paced romantic suspense story. It was nominated for a Christy award, and is a powerful thriller about the modern-day slave trade. Book two in the series is Blood Covenant and it was the winner of the 2011 Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for best inspirational suspense. Both books in the series take the reader deep into the heart of Africa for non-stop action and, of course, a bit of romance as well.

Mr. Africa: Lisa, it sounds exciting, and I'm looking forward to reading it myself. You obviously have a deep love for this land. What in particular makes Africa so special for you?

Lisa: I’ve been blessed to be able to spend time all over Africa, from west Africa, to east Africa, to southern Africa. In the process, we’ve met so many amazing people plus seen so many diverse landscapes and beauty. From Victoria Falls, to lions and leopards in the bush, to the beautiful beaches of the Indian ocean. 

Mr. Africa: Okay, everyone. Ahead of us, we’re going to stop at a large water hole where we’ll see a vast array of animals, elephants, giraffe, hippos, and zebra, who have come out for their daily drink. As we park and watch them, I'll hand out some refreshments, and perhaps one of the other authors can join me in the front.

Lisa, which do you prefer? Coffee or tea? Sweet or savory?

Lisa: I’ll have some coffee and something savory please!

Here are the others participating in the safari. Please, everyone, stay in the vehicle and visitors, feel free to visit us all here!