Tshepiso Madihlaba’s debut novel Maserati has only been available a few days however already the graph showcasing book sales are fast climbing. The author’s contemporary romance novel aims to entertain as it follows the female protagonist, who finds herself emerging from under a toxic relationship. But is she truly ready for love again?

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Your author name

Tshepiso Madihlaba.

Your book title

Maserati – A Love Worth Finding

Give us the elevator pitch for your book?

Maserati vowed never to endure the betrayal her mother had experienced at the hands of her father. When she met Tshepo, he was everything she thought she wanted, and a happily ever after was an inevitable right.

Everything was falling perfectly into place. Or was it?

Blinded by the love she felt for Tshepo and consumed by images of her future life, she missed the signs of betrayal he had hidden so well. Until that fateful day of the party. Her world as she had imagined came to a crashing halt.

How can a perfect soulmate be the source of such deep pain?

Finally emerging from the heartbreak, Maserati is ready to experience love again.

She meets Ben. But soon learns that true love does not come in neat little packages. Ben cannot let go of ghosts from the past. His life is complicated, and she yearns for simplicity.

Yet his brown eyes feel like the safe heaven she’d been looking for her whole life.

What would you give as your main reason or goal for writing?

Hmmmm. Words and stories roam freely in my head, rent-free 😊. I love the experience of piecing them together and translating them into stories that resonate.

Who was the book written for?

Primarily women. But then again, the themes of love, loss, heartbreak, second chances, family, friendships, etc, are universal in our human experience. And so, anyone who relates to these themes may relate with the book.

How long did it take for you to finish the final draft of your book?

About 6 years. It wasn’t meant to take this long. I first wrote this story in 2016, as a 1000-words short story with the intent to submit to one of the weekly magazines’ short-story features. However, the full story kept nagging me to be written, and so in 2017 I decided to expand it into a novel.

In the same year, I had to relocate to the US, due to my work and had to put things on hold as I adjusted to my new life. Maserati never left my thoughts though. And in 2022, I finally put the last period to her story.  

What makes this book different from others on the shelf?

Romance novels are often described as full of cliches. This is because cliches are the mirror to our shared experiences and common truths, especially in the matters of the heart.   

Maserati explores these universal themes of love, heartbreak and serendipitous second chances with wit, humour, and grace. Even the cynics in love will be converted. 😊  

What was the hardest part of the writing journey for you?

Not overthinking the process. Separating my wishful thinking on where I wanted a character to go versus where the character’s story needed to go.

Your favourite place to write?

Cosy coffee shops. Or sidewalk cafes.  

What kept you motivated to write during the times you felt stuck?

The story was nagging me to be written. I found that writing the words as they appeared in my head without interrogating them, helped. The refinement would happen later.

Tell us something about yourself that readers would not be able to guess?

An introvert that loves to dance!

Have you written any other books?

You mean the multitude of storybooks I wrote as high-school teenager? 😊

I consider myself a writer who is fascinated by everyday life experiences and have written varied commentary pieces that are yet to be boxed in any specific genre.

I have another romance novel in draft. (Hmmm, a budding romance author, who woulda thunk it?)

Assuming you may not write full-time, what is your day job?

I am a qualified medical doctor, and currently work as medical executive for a multinational pharmaceutical company in the US.

How should someone get in touch with you?

• www.iamtshepiso.com
• facebook.com/tshepiso.madihlaba
• instagram.com/tshepisomadihlaba