René van Zyl

AUTHOR BIO: René van Zyl I am from the cradle of Mankind in the Magalies mountain range area in South Africa. I'm a writer (screenplays, plays, musicals, books, educational Christian games/curriculums,) puppet-master, journalist, a open-minded reverend's wife and mother of a severely brain-injured son, now 28. (See blog: www.Kuierkidz.blogspot.com) which means I have to be more creative than other people in order to survive this life! In this family a sense of humor has saved us through difficult times - it also means I am a activist for the needs of special needs kids. My two super-creative daughters (Michelle 26 and Chantal 23) also teach me to think way out of the box and keep me on the tip of my toes! I have published 10 Romance novels (in Afrikaans) with Lapa publishers and also a conspiracy-romance novel - Die Alfadokument. All of them are available on Amazon. My musicals (community theater) have modern day themes/music eg. Mamma Mia, a Child is born (love story - Mary and Joseph); and: Joseph and his amazing blue suede shoes; and A new day has come, a Passion play - in 2011: Samson, Lion of God with the music of Queen! And in 2012 I wrote: King David and his eight wives with the music of Simon and Garfunkel as well as Shania Twain. Esther, Queen of Persia, etc. These plays teach people something from behind the scenes of the Bible stories! I write and co-direct the plays. I've written and staged 12 musicals over the last 12 years. I have written a medieval teenage adventure novel, Wee Monk's Tale, the Secret of Immortality and its screenplay. Just waiting for Pierce Brosnan or Mel Gibson to pick it up and make the movie in Ireland! This article in a local newspaper says it all . . . or most of it . . . TALENTED MINISTER’S WIFE PUBLISHES FIRST NOVEL TO GREAT APPLAUSE Her full time career as wife to successful Hartbeespoort minister Anton van Zyl meant that René van Zyl had to leave the hustle and bustle of a full time career in journalism behind her. This however did not quell her passion for the written word and it was through this and her love of Ireland and Scotland that Wee Monk’s Tale – The Secret of Immortality, was born. The novel, a medieval action packed adventure, tells of three child-warriors who are propelled, rather reluctantly, into terrifying situations and forced to think on their feet outsmarting Vikings, druids and witches. These dangers however are nothing compared to the internal forces in each of their lives that continuously threaten to derail them and no one is more surprised than our young adventurers to find that deep inside of each of them lives a true hero. Set against the backdrop of the year 795, a time of superstitious beliefs in dark forces, a 14 year old orphan named Shaughn finds himself without his adopted Scottish family when Viking marauders attack and burn the monastery where he lives. He flees to Ireland accompanied by his adopted and cripple brother Connor (who dreams of becoming a knight) and an outspoken, superstitious gypsy girl named Heather. Never far behind them is a cold-blooded, murderous Viking, Thorvald who is after the book of Kells that Shaughn rescued from the burning monastery. Journeying desperately from one medieval predicament to another, the trio find themselves stranded in ‘bewitched’ castles, threatened in gloomy dungeons and even, bizarrely, at a Viking tournament. In the end God’s grace and love prevails though and shines on everyone including an orphan, a Viking, a king, a princess, a knight, a midget, a druid and a monk. Our three friends, with their different beliefs and outlooks discover that it is this, more than anything that is their greatest weapon. René set out to write a book that would be enjoyed by young and old alike and even with the Christian theme of good vs. evil manages not to let it slump into the often associated ‘lameness’ as she keeps it fresh, hip and interesting throughout. Her supportive husband, minister at an independent Christian Church in Hartbeespoort, applauds the energetic and worldly way in which this story is being told and has this to say: “We need to provide the youth of today with supernatural, but Biblical, stories as they crave secrets, intrigue and adventure. One just has to look at the popularity of books like Harry Potter and Twilight for confirmation of this.” Main stream publishers, it seems, do not agree and though and René has certainly received her fair share of rejection letters. Local publishers have their sights set on authentic South African stories with one wryly remarking that “our youth do not read books with a historical background or, for that matter, books set in other countries.” Strangely enough, it is exactly these types of books that René’s own teenage daughters enjoy the most. Determined to see her work published and after several people of different age groups commented favorably on the book, René took the plunge and decided to self publish regardless of the risks and expense involved. True to the nature of the beast, she burnt her fingers a couple of times and lost a great deal of money but pulled through in the end and now sells the book through her own marketing initiatives. She still holds on to the hope of finding a publisher though and continues to pop off letters of enquiry to suitable agents and publishers. An adaption of the screenplay has found a home with an agent in Hollywood and is being offered to producers with the view of turning it into a movie. Unfortunately this industry is a dog eats dog world and René harbors no illusions about the fact that it is not what you know but who you know that counts. Her Friend in higher places keeps a keen eye on he though and she is convinced that He would appreciate a quality Christian action adventure movie on the big screen as much as she would. She has pitched the story as a combination of A Knight’s Tale and Spy Kids but with a Christian flavor of course! Since 2018 she has published 10 Romance novels and a conspiracy-romance novel, Die Alfadokument. (Lapa, Wenkbrou). Her inspiration she finds from an ever curious mind, her out-of-the-box-thinking husband and three children, Michelle (26), Chantal (23) and Sean-Jacques (287), who is brain-injured with special needs. Afrikaans Books by Rene': LIEFDESAFARI ALICE SE IERSE SPROKIE OPA VIR DIE LIEFDE WEER EENS LILLY LIEFDE IS WYNROOI STORM VOL LIEFDE (Super Romance novel) MIN OF MEER N MEERMIN LIEFDE IN DIE BOENDOES WAAR DIE SPOKE SING STRANDWOLF (JULY 2021) DIE ALFADOKUMENT (Conspiracy Romance) AND: WEE MONK'S TALE, THE SECRET OF IMMORTALITY (A MEDIEVAL ADVENTURE - AMAZON KINDLE EBOOK) All books are available from Amazon.com.