As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
On The Table Read, “the best book magazine in the UK“, Desange Kuenihira talks about being inspired to write her memoir, unDEfeated Woman, and her creative process.
Written by JJ Barnes
I interviewed author Desange Kuenihira about her life and career, what inspired her to start writing, and the work that went into writing her memoir, unDEfeated Woman.
As a young girl, I was told repeatedly that I was meaningless. An arranged marriage and motherhood before twenty—guaranteeing a life in poverty—were all I was told to expect. But I knew I had more inside me, and that education was the key to unlocking my potential.
In my memoir, unDEfeated Woman, I discuss the challenging journey of my childhood. I recall fleeing with my siblings from the civil war raging in Congo and the daily struggle of life in a refugee camp in Uganda, where I suffered many forms of abuse. I relate my journey to America, the culture clash of living with American foster families, and my quest for education and the ability to control my own life.
I first wanted to start writing my book when I got to America. When I was in 8th grade, I wanted to tell American kids how much we value education where I come from because some kids did not see the point of going to school! But when I started writing, it was no longer telling how much education meant to me, but became more about me writing my story and sharing it with the world!
I started writing this book when I was in 9th grade. I have been thinking about it for a while! I just started writing, and when I was writing, at first, I was not honest with myself. I was writing to please some characters in the book, and I was scared a little of what the world would think of me. It felt like, if my book could help a teen or another person to find out who they are, it would be worth it. I stopped caring about what the world would think and started writing.
It took me five years to finish writing my book. I had to rewrite a lot. As I grew, I started understanding the world better, my values, and how I view the world started changing.
When I came to America, I started my journey to find out who I am! A book I read was Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic. Seeing how he overcame his challenges in life motivated me to discover who I am. I no longer cared about other people’s opinions anymore. I had let the world define me; I had given so much power to other people. It was time to regain control and find the unDEfeated woman within me. It was a lot of hard work overcoming trauma and understanding that what happened to me was not okay. I am glad I took the time to understand and be honest with myself.
My biggest challenge is grammar! I started writing this book after one year in America. I did not know how to write or read. So, I wrote what I could, and as I went to school more, I started rewriting and trying to use spell check in a Google Doc. I asked one of my friends at school to help me fix it. She started going through it, correcting grammar, and when she did not understand what I was trying to say, she called, and I explained. After that, I invested in a professional edit to help me get it to where a publisher could read it. I am glad I did because I learned so much.
I did not have a structure for this book. I just wrote all the stories I was already telling! The structure became what it is after the book got to the professional editor.
The book did need a lot of editing, and I did get help editing the book from friends and a professional editor.
Start writing and keep writing until you are satisfied with your story or project. Do not worry about how long it will take; focus on the purpose and what you want people to get out of the stories. The message is the most important.
There are stories that I can tell only in poems.
Yes, I am, and it was worth every moment.
I am available for interviews, features, Q&As and select byline opportunities:
Website: Speakundefeated.org
Instagram: @undefeated_ug | @kuenihira | @speakundefeated
Facebook: @Speakundefeated
LinkedIn: Desange Kuenihira | Speak unDEfeated
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.
On The Table Read Magazine, "the best entertainment eBook magazine UK", author L. L. H.…
House Gospel Choir Released New Album, Love Is The Message, On The Table Read Magazine,…
Julia Raye Released Her New Single, Expectations, On The Table Read Magazine, "the best entertainment…
Ella Galvin Released Debut EP, The Way It Goes, On The Table Read Magazine, "the…
YA Fantasy Romance, The Magic Ring Of Brodgar By Katelyn Emilia Novak, On The Table…
Camille Schmidt Released Folk Drenched Indie Pop EP, Good Person, On The Table Read Magazine,…