- Who are you?
I am Priscilla Ayuen. With a pen name Wingless Bird though I prefer my home names.
- Where are you from?
I am a South Sudanese.
- What’s your book category?
I write plays and poems though the book I have published is a play.
- Why did you write?
The fact that I grew up in a war torn society and a disillusioned one at the same time gave me an urge of addressing the fact that ‘This is not the end, let’s not lose hope and indeed we shall have a better South Sudan in the future.” This thought gave birth to the book ‘Fading Lives.’
- What inspired you?
I do admire writers so much and I think they are mysterious human beings and I have always wanted to be one of them. This made me grow so much passion for writing inside me. This is the first thing that pushes me.
- Who is your illustrator?
I don’t have one yet.
- Do you have fans?
Yes I do.
- How are sales?
Tough part of being a writer especially a growing one. It is still low.
- What are your future plans?
I want to be a great writer with a lot effective books. I want to be the second Taban loliyong of South Sudan and the second Chimanda Ngozi Adichie of Africa
- How is the book industry?
It is fun but hard. It requires consistency and persistence.
- Any awards yet?
Yes 2
One in 2022 in Writers Hub poetry slam competition. I won the award for the best poem.
The second one is the award of the best writer of the year at Jubub talent awards.
- Who is your role model?
This is tough to decide because I have literally grown up admiring a lot. Among them are my most favourite, Taban Loliyong, Rumi, Ngungi Wa Thiongo, Chinua Achebe, Meja Mwangi, John Ruganda, William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.
- When did you begin writing?
I started writing in 2019 when I was in senior 4.
- Where did you publish?
I published with Jescho Publishing Company.
They are located in Uganda.
- What can you say to upcoming author?
To the upcoming writers, if you love writing and want to be a writer, write. Don’t wait for the right time or perfection, you may wait forever. Read a lot of books because it sharpens your mind and remember, this road is full of ups and downs but it is surely worth it when you don’t give up. Pick your pen and tomorrow we will be celebrating you.
