In researching for PRINCE OF SOLANA, I had the rare
privilege of interviewing a princess of Namibia, Ms. Nene Nwoko. I stumbled
across her name from another writer in our critique group who took an acting
class with her and was kind enough to share her information with me.
Who gets to speak with real royalty? Research gold for my
series!
 |
| Nervous about speaking to a princess |
Right before our call started, I was suddenly nervous, getting
to speak to a real princess. I had a list of questions written out, by topic,
hoping not to take up too much of her time or ask the wrong question. I didn’t
want to blow my only chance at this incredible research opportunity.
First of all, Nene was a joy to speak with, extremely
personable and seemed down to earth. She had a slight accent, but was fluent in
English and sounded like she grew up in the States. Nene briefly explained her
family, and while drastically different than the scenario I’ve depicted in my
series, I couldn’t pull the phone away from my ear.
 |
| Nene Nwoko |
Her father is the brother of the current king in Namibia.
The king (her uncle) has more than twenty wives, and over fifty children. The
family tree and dynamic she explained was fascinating.
They aren’t ultra-wealthy, like the royals of the UK or
Denmark, and many of her family members live in the United States (herself
included). They lead normal lives with families, jobs, and careers. Amazingly
enough, she lives right here in Texas.
 |
| Namibia in Africa |
Though she is married, she explained an interesting custom
that the eldest daughter of the king traditionally never marries. Her cousin is
a representative of the royal line, and the eldest son inherits the throne. Nene
is an actress, model, and entrepreneur. She created a commercial advertising
and marketing firm.
When she asked about the books I’m writing, she was
genuinely intrigued, especially since it was an international setting (though
far from Africa).
 |
| Amazon buy link is http://amzn.com/B00T1OZW0Y |
Overall, the interview lasted about an hour, and several of
my questions had her laughing. Such as were they restricted by what clothes
they had to wear, or what places they could go to (much like my interpretation
of the British Royal family). I felt like such a newbie, but she was more than
gracious enough to answer my questions.
After the interview, I had some valuable research for my
series, and I laughed at how nervous I was before the phone call. One of the
biggest things I learned was that you never know who will cross your path in
the simple conversations you have every day. Just put yourself out there—put
your work out there—and see who’s reading. J
Map of Namibia from Wikipedia
Image of Nene Nwoko from Idb
