Stephen Davies

Welcome. My name is Stephen Davies and I am a children's author writing picture books, chapter books and teen novels. I have lived in Africa for ten years, working with World Horizons amongst Fulani cattle herders. My books are set in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, on the edge of the Sahara Desert.

About

by Stephen Davies

A day in the life

Stephen Davies children's author

I live in Djibo, a small town in Burkina Faso on the edge of the Sahara desert. Most of the year it is simply too hot to sleep inside the house, so my wife Charlie and I sleep under a mosquito net hanging from a tree in our back yard. We wake up to an early-morning soundtrack of donkeys, cockerels and cows.

Greeting is important in African societies, so I first go round saying hello to our neighbours: Jam waali (Did you pass the night in peace?), Noy koreeji maa (How is your family?), we sing the long greeting sequence back and forth. The answer to these questions is invariably Jam tan (Peace only). When they answer Jam tan, my neighbours are putting a brave face on things: in reality this region is one of the poorest in the world.

My work here as a missionary includes humanitarian relief: grain handouts, yes, but also working with individuals to find creative ways out of poverty. A donkey and cart for Bukari, a sheep for Mariama, school fees for Adama – the slow, intangible work of development.

A missionary is also a storyteller and I love sharing the stories of Jesus with people – ancient stories which still have incredible power to inspire and transform the human heart.

In the afternoon, I write. I bash away on my laptop with sweat dripping off my elbows. I have written three adventure books for young adults, three for children and two picture books beautifully illustrated by Christopher Corr. I also do occasional travel writing for the Guardian Weekly, the Sunday Times and Africa Geographic.

I’m so grateful to my friends and neighbours here for sharing their lives with me – it is their truth which inspires my fiction.

Published: September 20, 2011

9 Responses to “About”

  1. Matt Reynolds says:

    My name is Matt Reynolds. I am in New Mexico, USA and am so happy to see books by a person like Stephen Davies in our schools. Thank you Stephen for your work in Africa, and your writing.

  2. harry storer says:

    hi, you are comming to my school and i was wondering if you could metion me because im your biggest fan. My name is harry storer and i go to oakham school.

  3. harry stuart says:

    Hi stephan i have readall yourbook and you are coming to my school soon could we chat after,cheers harry stuart

  4. Stefan Taylor says:

    Heya I am your biggest fan, was wondering if you could mention my name in your talk next week when you come to my school. I AM YOUR BIGGEST IDOL!!!!

  5. James Sutton says:

    The author visit today was great fun! Already finished the first chapter of Outlaw and gripped like a vice! Thanks, Stephen!

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