Ndiritu Wahome is a Kenyan author and a businessman whose critically acclaimed works include: The Sad Artist and Other Stories (2021), The Sad Artist and Other Fairy Tales (2014), The Girl with the Flawless Face (2015), 2100; a work in progress, and other works. In addition to his creative work, the author also dedicates his time to reviewing a wide array of both nonfiction and literature pieces.
Ndiritu Wahome began writing at the tender age of 13 years, while in primary school. It is at this age his teachers noticed his keen interest, and encouraged him to write more; he made up his mind then to become an author, and has never looked back. Over the years, his works have matured and evolved from poetry, epitomized by The Voice from a Young Man under the Burning African Sun (2006), a volume of poetry published when he was just 19 years old. Today, his output encompasses literary works that span the world of magical realism. Other themes that characterize his work include: social hierarchy and objective philosophy, appalling politics and radicalism, Art and economics, among other diverse themes, all of which are made unique with a tinge of fantasy.
The Sad Artist and Other Fairy Tales was first published in 2014, and The Girl with the Flawless Face in 2015, both by Word Branch Publishing, North Carolina, USA. Ndiritu writes for both adults and young readers; he sees literature as an effective way of speaking and connecting authentically with this group of readers.
Ndiritu Wahome has been featured in several regional, and international media publications. Locally KBC, Nation TV, Inooro TV, 3 Stones TV, and Youth TV have hosted the author, with each host hailing him as an inspiration to the young generation, and a hallmark of literature in Africa in years to come.
The author has also held a series of successful events including book signings, and talks that have accorded him a loyal and enthusiastic following. He has also participated in literature-based festivals in and out of the country.
In 2014, Ndiritu Wahome partook in a literary event held in Meier’s Winery, Silverton, Ohio, USA. He was also a featured author in the Story Moja festival, a prestigious literary and cultural event held internationally, and locally each year to recognize the contributions of promising Creatives. In fact, it was during the 2014 Story Moja event that Wahome launched his largely successful book, The Sad Artist and Other Fairy Tales.
In early 2015, he was one of the hosts and key panelists at the Conversations with African Writers held at the Goethe Institute, Nairobi. During this event, he discussed the process he underwent to create his book, answered questions from his eager readers, and engaged in an exciting discussion about ongoing and anticipated trends in Africa’s literary space, and the role of young and upcoming writers.
Later that year, specifically in the month of November, Ndiritu Wahome launched his second work of fiction, The Girl With The Flawless Face. The book received much critical acclaim and went on to sell out in leading bookstores in the country, including Text Book Center and Books First within the first three months of its publication.
In the same year, the author went on to collaborate and organize a buzzing book-signing event with Text Book Center. The event, held at Thika Road Mall, one of the most popular malls in East and Central Africa, gave Ndiritu’s readers a chance to interact one-on-one with the author. The book signing was also instrumental in helping to boost sales further and to solidify the author’s stand with his target audience.
Arguably, the hallmark of Ndiritu Wahome’s career was the approval of The Sad Artist and Other Fairy Tales by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) as a Reader for high schools across the country. According to the author, this milestone helped him to achieve one of his most important dreams, which is to establish himself as a renowned author among young readers in the country and beyond and to have his books easily accessible by this target audience in all the regions of the country.
In addition to the approval by KICD, the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation, one of the largest publishing houses in East Africa, acquired the publishing rights for The Sad Artist and Other Fairy Tales. The Foundation released the book in 2021 under the modified title: The Sad Artist and Other Short Stories.
Apart from writing fiction, Ndiritu Wahome is also a businessman with an acute interest in markets such as the hospitality and restaurant industries. When he is not writing or canvassing between his businesses, Ndiritu Wahome is snuggling up with a book or exploring the serenading waters of the Indian Ocean.
He is a lover of art, an ardent traveler, and dedicates quite a significant amount of his time to enjoying nature’s serene places.
For any queries or questions, contact Ndiritu Wahome on info@ndirituwahome.co.ke