Unveiling the Author's Inspirational Journey in Writing Hotel Tippu Tip

Why I Wrote Hotel Tippu Tip

I write under a pen name because this story wasn’t mine to invent—it was given to me by the forgotten voices of history.  The willow tree in my name symbolizes resilience and new beginnings, a tribute to those who endured unimaginable hardships during the slave trade.

Author holding her book in her hands

In 2010, I visited Zanzibar and stood at the site of an old slave market.  I learned how enslaved people were whipped to test their strength before being sold. That memory stayed with me, and Hotel Tippu Tip grew from it.

 This book is my way of honoring those ancestors—those who survived, those who didn’t, and those whose stories were never told.

Mabelle Willow