Pinelands siblings survive the lost island!

Pinelands siblings, Tasneem and Nadia Arend, star in an adventure story titled Surviving the Lost Island. The book, which was published in December, finds the girls stranded alone on an island where their days are filled with danger, fun and adventure. Long-time Pinelands resident, and avid reader Penny Smith, has always shown a keen interest in the girls' journey and their achievements, hence the Q & A session with the author and father of the girls, Ziyaad (Rudi Swart), to find out more about the book.

Firstly, congratulations on writing the book. Tell me, what is the girls’ history with Pinelands?

We moved to Pinelands in 2000 and the girls attended Meerendal Pre-Primary School, Pinelands North Primary School (PNPS) and Cannons Creek High School. They have featured in previous editions of the MUSE. Both for sporting achievements and Tasneem as host of a radio talk show at the age of 16, and Nadia as Cannons Creek Head Prefect and School Dux.

Some fathers will read stories to their children, but seldom write them a book. What motivated the book?

When the girls were little, I would put them to bed at night with a story. At the time the Survivor series on TV was one of their favourite programs, so I told a story about them in an island adventure. But, a couple of minutes into the story they would be fast asleep. This happened every night and they never got to hear the real adventure part of their own personal story, so I decided to publish it in a book for them.

The story is fictional and was aimed at entertaining them when they were little.

They are in their twenties now. Do you think they will still be able to associate themselves with the story?

I have included some memory joggers that make the story personal, such as naming the animals they adopt on the island the same as their favourite soft toys when they were little. I weaved into the story their love for animals and most of their real life activities that they did through their teenage years like ziplining, cliff jumping, hiking, canoeing, paragliding, horse riding, bungee jumping and abseiling. They also had a helicopter flight in their teens and in the book they are rescued off the island by helicopter, so I believe there is enough for them to associate themselves with the story. What were the girls’ comments after reading the book?

Well done dad. Super proud. It’s a great book. It’s a fun book. All with exclamation marks. (laughing). Great story line, lots of twists and turns. Liked the personal touches of certain activities we experienced and some life lessons. Really enjoyed it. In the story Nadia adopts a monkey - laughing she said the book makes her want to go and live on an island with monkeys. Tasneem wants a sequel and has already given some ideas. So you achieved your goal, they really felt part of the story. How did you feel when writing your first book?

A huge learning experience, and having written a book of 240 pages, I now have a great admiration for authors who write books in excess of that.

There’s a saying; “It's admirable for a father to take his son fishing, but there is a special place in heaven for the father who takes his daughter shopping.” I know you have done plenty of shopping with the girls, what do you think your reward will be for writing them a book? (tongue in cheek)

Writing the book has given me the opportunity to go down memory lane and recall so many of the times and experiences the girls and I shared and that is enough reward for me.

Footnote: Nadia completed her MBChB degree at UCT in 2022 and still resides in Pinelands. Tasneem graduated at UCT with a B.Sc. Honours degree in Occupational Therapy and left Pinelands 18 months ago to work in Brisbane, Australia. 