Author Interviews
Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff
Published: Wednesday, September 1, 2010
New York (TADIAS) – After graduating from Yale and working at a cancer research lab at Stanford and as a chemist at SRI and Raychem, Getty Ambau went to graduate school to receive a master’s degree in business. He went on to develop his own venture in the health and nutrition industry. Although he formally started writing his first book of fiction, Desta, three years ago, he worked on a different novel idea prior to that for many years. A course in short story writing inspired him to complete and get Desta published.
Below is our recent conversation with the author.
Tadias: You have written a couple books and several articles on health and nutrition. Is Desta your foray into novel writing?
Yes, I have written books and articles on health because my academic background was partly in the sciences, but I have always felt my inner calling was in writing novels. Yes, I guess, you can say Desta is my entry into the novel-writing profession because I really do enjoy writing.
Tadias: Please tell us a bit more about the book. What prompted you to write it?
The book is about a seven-year-old boy named Desta who dreams of climbing one of the mountains that circle his home to touch the sky and run his fingers through the clouds and his middle-aged father, Abraham, who yearns to find his long lost father and a missing, ancient family gold coin. But this story is also about love, relationships, greed and jealousy and losses and redemption. There is magical aspect to the setting and mystery and adventure to the story.
A few years ago, I took a short story-writing class online. Although what I wrote for this class had little connection to the novel, it served as an impetus to it in that somehow this opportunity set me on the track to engage in what I had long wanted to do.
Tadias: You paint an incredible imagery of Ethiopia’s magical landscape. Is that drawn from your childhood recollection?
Yes, much of the vivid description you find in the novel comes from what I saw and observed as a boy. The Ethiopian landscape has a soul or spirit within it which pulls and holds you every time you gaze at it. I remember whenever I had an opportunity to be on a mountaintop, I would perch on a rock and stare to the distant hazy, terrain for a long time, wondering who lived in there or how far out the earth extended.
Tadias: Where in Ethiopia were you born?
I was born in north western Ethiopia, in Gojjam Kilil. I first left Ethiopia in the seventies to come and study for one year in high school in United States. I went back home at the end of the year, but returned to the states a year later to go to college.
Interview with Desta series author Getty Ambau, by Books and Mocha
Interview questions are in italics.
What was the first piece you ever wrote and have you had it framed and mounted yet?
Creative writing-wise I had never written any which you would consider a masterpiece that merits the treatment you’re suggesting. My academic background is in the sciences, but I have always loved to read. And I dreamt that someday I shall write a novel. That “someday” I had thought would be after I was done with ordinary life, when I retire from work. In college I wrote a couple of short stories, which my friends thought were good. That was the extent of my creative writing experience up until I wrote the first volume of DESTA. Like I said, I was heavily into the sciences. I didn’t have time for English courses.
When did you realize you were a writer? Was this realization preceded by much personal Sturm und Drang or did it just come to you over morning coffee?
I always thought I had a writer’s streak in me, because I loved words; their sound, magic and power. I often took extra care when I wrote letters, essays for my university courses and work-related projects. The first bona fide test came when I committed to write my nutrition/health books. I had no idea how they would turn out. They came out more than just okay. People loved them. They moved through a built-in distribution network that includes many countries outside of the United States. That experience gave me confidence. Still, synthesizing facts is different from creative writing, where you produce something out of nothing. All I had to do was give it a try. Although writing the first volume was hard – at least the first ten chapters or so of it – the experience was thrilling!
Desta…his name means “happiness” in Amharic, right? It also sounds like “destiny.” Where can we go with that one?
My father used to say that our proper names are given by God. Yes, the literal meaning of Desta is “happiness or joy”. The subtle meaning or association with “destiny” couldn’t have been more apt. Desta’s pursuit of a modern education as well as his search for King Solomon’s second Coin of Magic and Fortune, didn’t happen by either whim or coercion. On the contrary, he was in fact meant to do these things. He was destined; chosen thousands of years before he was born. So the connection between his real name and “destiny” is one of the hundreds, if not thousands, things what people call “coincidence”. Desta will tell you that there is no such thing as coincidence. Everything that happens to us happens by design.
What did you do…where were you in your life before you started on Desta? How did the idea for the character come to you?
I was working on my first novel, where this young research scientist was trying to save a woman he loved from a rare type of breast cancer. I had already written nine chapters of this book when I realized that to make the story sound and feel authentic, I myself needed the experience that would come only from actually working in a cancer research lab. So I called Stanford and talked to the head of the Cancer Biology lab. After I explained to him what I was trying to do, he said he would be happy to have me there 2-3 hours a week for however long I needed to be there.
Then a couple of days later the same man called back and told me that for insurance reasons the university wouldn’t permit me to be on their premises. Later I called UC Davis (the University of California at Davis) and I had the same reply. Now I was stuck. I was trying to figure out the dilemma I was in when out of the blue I got an email from this guy in Australia about an online six-week short story writing class. One of the requirements of the class was that we write an 8- to 10-page narrative at the end. Amazingly, for me, this ten-page tale turned out to be the genesis not only of the four-hundred fifty-four-page novel, “Desta and King Solomon’s Coin of Magic and Fortune”, but for the rest of the series as well.
Who has reacted most enthusiastically to your work and what is your take on it?
Just about everyone who has read the books has reacted enthusiastically. Like Harry Potter or the Book Thief, Desta is for all ages. The young people have fun finding their own stories in the Desta character—their dreams and aspirations, trials and tribulations of being a kid and dealing with the adults in their families. The older readers enjoy being transported to their own childhood and reliving those precious years. Beyond these indirect personal experiences, people also learn so much about the culture, land and history of Ethiopia. These experiences help to expand both their knowledge and perspective on things.
Which writers were most inspiring to you?
My favorites were those who wrote classics: Joyce, Conrad, the Bronte’s sisters, Franz Kafka, Camus, Dostoevsky, and others.
Desta seems like he is not of this world at times. How do your readers see him?
Some have referred to him as a spiritual being with angelic qualities in him, someone from another place and time who is here to do lasting and far-reaching things. They find his drive, tenacity, kindness and generosity of spirit inspiring and empowering. The way he behaves and relates with people and to his surroundings as well as the kinds of things he does and says are not something you would expect from a boy of his age and background. He knows a lot more–and is wise and mature beyond his years.
You took the road not taken…preparing for a career in the sciences and ending up a writer of some very imaginative fiction. Isn’t that a lot like Desta? I mean when you shift your direction in life 180 degrees it’s got to do something deep and significant to you and to your life. Got any thoughts on this?
You pursue your true calling. Sometimes you don’t know what that is until later in life or you knew it from early on but opted to pursue a career that you thought would be more rewarding financially or whatever your other reasons maybe. Like I had mentioned before, I unequivocally now know that writing as a career was my destiny. This discovery is indeed deep and significant. I’m a lot happier and enjoy my work immensely. Yes, there is a parallel between Desta and me in our choices. He knew his true calling at a very young age. I realized or rather acknowledged mine later in life. We both were transformed by our choices—he from a life in the country as a shepherd to a modern school student who is also on a grand quest to find a 3,000-year-old missing magical coin—and me from a student of facts and theories to a storyteller.
ON HEALTH
Booksandmocha.com is pleased and proud to interview Getty Ambau,
author of Four Pillars for Your Health, Good Looks and Longevity –
an important work about the sweet science of safeguarding your
health through proper diet. Get ready to be inspired!
Questions are in italics.
NUTRITION EDUCATION SHOULD BE UNIVERSAL
“Let’s say you’re the head of the FDA and as such you have lots of power to influence the direction that your agency will take. What would be the first thing you would do to get America . . . as well as the world?. . . healthy? Would the ax fall on any current businesses or practices within the food and drug industries?”
“The first thing I would do would be to institute nutrition education from Kindergarten to twelfth grade. I’m sure it won’t be as simple as it sounds. It will probably involve the Department of Education, Congress and even the president to introduce these changes. I would also require the food processing industry to stop removing the skin from grains, stop treating dough to high temperature/pressure and then extruding it to make breakfast flakes. These processes destroy the naturally occurring vitamins, essential oils and other nutrients.”
NUTRITION SHOULD BE TAUGHT AT THE PRIMARY LEVEL
“O.K. . . Fast food . . . what’s your professional take on it? Is it always bad all the time? Is an occasional burger or some such at one of your (comparatively) better fast food places ok or is it all strictly taboo?”
“Some fast-food outlets are getting better or at least becoming more sensitive to offering choices for those who wish to eat healthy. If you order salads and other non-greasy, non-fried foods, you will be okay. But these are not the foods most people go to eat at fast-food outlets. It’s the cheeseburgers, hamburgers, French fries—all of which are filled with fat, salt and sweets. Consuming these foods once or twice a month probably wouldn’t lead to high health risks. However, these spare foods can still impact the body in the long run if the person is not eating healthy at home.”
Interview with Author Getty Ambau About Health and Healthcare in America
CAN HEALTH FOOD BECOME AS POPULAR AS FAST FOOD?
“Do you foresee the possibility of health food chains with drive-through lanes and the fast service offered by McDonald’s and that ilk so that health-conscious people on the go can eat healthy and still save time and money?”
“I think that is a possibility. More people are conscious of what they eat now. The baby boomers were largely the driving force behind the growth of fast-food chains in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. They are getting older and they want to live healthy as long as they can. Smart entrepreneurs who watch these trends will probably create a fast food chain that offers foods based on their nutritional/health merits instead of just for their taste and convenience.”
“Did you grow up with a thing for cooking and cuisine? Did you learn your way around a kitchen when you were still just a kid?”
“No. The kitchen is off-limit for boys in Ethiopia. It’s not a manly thing to do. My friends would have laughed at and ridiculed me if I did something like that. How I arrived at the idea of nourishing the body properly is partly intuitive and partly from what I know about how the body uses and processed foods we eat.”
A SERIOUS STUDENT AND PRACTITIONER OF HEALTHY EATING
“Your interest in health and nutrition…has it always been there?”
“My interest in health and nutrition evolved over the years. I had a weight problem a while back— not too bad but bad enough to cause me to change my diet. Then, about 20 years ago, I joined a company that manufactured and sold nutritional supplements. It was then that I read extensively about nutrition and discovered that many of the diseases that afflict people in this country are diet-related and can be minimized or eliminated if one watches what he or she eats. I wrote two books based on my findings.”
“Give us your report on healthcare and nutrition in America. What are the 3 or 4 or biggest threats to the health of most Americans and what needs to be done about it?”
Is healthcare in America commercialized?
“My overall impression of healthcare in America is that it’s too confused, too commercialized and too reactive. The healthcare policy-makers say one thing while the public does something else—often influenced by the news, fads or trends. That is what I mean by “confused”. The drug companies, doctors, and all those establishments which provide services to the sick and the needy stand to gain when someone is not well. This is probably why fundamental changes on a nutritional level still have not been made.”
What are the biggest threats to the health of Americans?
“Continued indulgence in sweets, fatty/salty foods; overconsumption of foods and the lack of exercise. These three areas are the causes of the growing phenomena of weight gain and obesity in this country. Type II Diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and other serious health problems have often been linked to a person’s excess body fat. It’s a simple fact of life: if you eat more than your body can use, the excess food (calories) will be converted into and stored as fat. And most Americans consume way more than their body needs in order to meet its energy demands.
“If you don’t burn off calories through physical exertion, they get processed to add to your poundage. Some people consume more calories than necessary with the belief that by doing so they can increase their consumption of essential nutrients (vitamins and minerals). They can achieve this without consuming more than they need. How can this be done? It can be done by choosing nutrient-dense foods: fruits, vegetables, herbs and even spices. For example, those who use The Four Pillars drinks described in my book The Four Pillars for Your Health, Good Looks and Longevity, can reduce their caloric intake substantially by using these drinks as the source of their essential nutrients.
“Another big health issue for Americans is the continued reliance on prescription and non-prescription drugs. I take Hippocrates literally when he says “Make food thy medicine; thy medicine thy food.” I think if we give nature a chance—by availing our bodies/selves of all the essential nutrients in sufficient quantities and drinking or eating foods made from fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, then our bodies can do what they are designed to do: repair, build, protect and heal themselves when they get sick. Synthetic drugs are foreign to our bodies. They can accumulate in the tissues, becoming toxic or causing unhealthy side effects. Their benefit is largely a bandaid; a temporary fix of a problem and not the solution.”
“There is also a lack of education in the field of health and nutrition on a fundamental level—in elementary and high schools. Whatever we learn during these formative years often lasts a lifetime. Good primary education that teaches the value of good nutrition can be empowering. People can make healthy choices if they know enough about what bad foods can do to their health and well-being. I think if we don’t adopt this idea soon, Americans’ health will only get worse.”
“I also worry about pollution. I think progress is being made in this area by shifting to non-polluting, alternative energy sources, by having more stringent pollution-control measures and by raising the public’s awareness of the dangers of pollution.”
“Is there some kind of crossover/meeting point between the scientist in you and your interest in things related to the kitchen? Did you ever daydream about making your favorite dish(es) at home while sitting through a particularly slow-going microbiology lecture?”
“As I mentioned earlier, cooking or spending time in the kitchen, preparing food or helping my mother, was never a part of my upbringing. However, over the years, I learned how to cook and even invented dishes to meet my healthy lifestyle.”
“Make our mouths water . . . !! Can you describe one of your favorite Ethiopian dishes with a commentary on the health benefits /nutrients contained therein?”
“There are many dishes I like. Doro Wot (chicken stew), with punctured boiled eggs soaking in the sauce, used to be one of my favorites when I used to eat meat. The chicken parts are thoroughly cleaned and they are free of fat, ligaments and tendons. This meat is largely protein and relatively healthy. Most Ethiopians use light oil or butter for cooking. Re vegetarian foods, I like all the legume-based ones as well as collard greens and salads. I prefer them prepared with just lemon, vinegar and certain spices. I have no one particular dish that is my absolute favorite. And they are all healthy.”
“How did your studies in the sciences mesh with your concern with proper eating?”
“My studying biochemistry helped me understand how the body process and uses the food I consume. This knowledge, in turn, has made me appreciate and respect the food I put in my body. And I make my choices based on what value or benefit the food will have on my feeling after I eat it as well as the impact it will have on my long-term health.”
“What’s next, now that The Four Pillars for Your Health, Good Looks and Longevity is successfully launched? Are you going to pay more attention to Desta from here on? If you do that, will you still continue to promote awareness of proper nutrition to people? Do tell!”
“Yes, The Four Pillars is launched to the extent that it’s published and is available for people to purchase and read. As you may know, that’s only half the story in book writing and publishing, which brings me to your other two questions. Yes, I’ll be paying attention more to Desta from here on. In fact I have already written a few rough chapters of the 4th volume. However, like Desta, the main protagonist in the series, I will be pursuing dual missions.
He is on a journey trying to find the Second Coin of Magic and Fortune and at the same time earn a modern education. I’ll be writing the next volumes of the series and also continue to make people aware about the importance of eating and living healthy. Our path to wellness should come primarily from the quality foods and drinks we consume and not from drugs and other medicines, which we, unfortunately, have come to view as the panacea of all our ills.”
Any concluding remarks?
TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH!
“Despite what we may think or have been brought to believe, our lives are in our own hands. God gave us intelligence to know enough and make wiser choices in the foods we put in our bodies. God also gave intelligence to every cell, every molecule and atom in our bodies to work harmoniously to sustain the life they are meant to support for as long as it’s genetically destined to exist.
All these matters are a part of the processes that need the essential nutrients to function properly and resourcefully. Therefore, it’s our responsibility one, to know enough about the kinds of foods or nutrients that will be good for our body and avail them daily. Two, avoid consuming or ingesting substances (such as drugs, cigarettes, consume excessive alcohol, etc.,) that would interfere with those processes. If we don’t, we’ll be setting our bodies up to diseases or even cause them to cease if any of the processes come to a halt.
“Good nutritional knowledge and proper food choices give us power to control our day-to-day wellness as our long-term health and well-being. My Four Pillars book can start people on all key areas of good health. They can build on this knowledge by reading more books and articles on health and nutrition. When one is armed with knowledge, she or he will have fun eating and leading a healthy life.”