Get to know our authors, the foundation and heart of Yellow Arrow Journal, and what writing means to them through our monthly series.
W.o.W. #39
Mala Naidoo
What does your inner writing voice tell you?
Never fear being authentic.
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be and why?
Maya Angelou, to say thank you for the inspiration and courage to tell my story.
What is a book you wish someone would write?
The conversations Maya Angelou, Winnie Mandela, and Toni Morrison would have at a Women’s Conference on Diversity and Belonging.
Mala Naidoo is an Australian writer, teacher, and university advisor. She was born in South Africa during the apartheid era which is the impetus for her fictional works which empower the voiceless in a range of societies. Her poignant piece about her journey, “Fear and Hope,” was included in Yellow Arrow Journal, Vol. VI, No. 2, ANFRACTUOUS. Mala participated in “An Exploration of Belonging: The Anfractuous Reading” last year. You can hear her read part of “Fear and Hope” below and find the reading in its entirety on the Yellow Arrow YouTube channel.
Her fourth poetry book, Random Heart Poetry: Rainbows and Shards, is in the final stages and is set to be published soon. Find Mala on Instagram @mala_naidoo, Facebook @authormalanaidoo, and Twitter @engsaoz or at her website malanaidoo.com.