In 2010, we independently signed up for an overland tour of Africa. Born travelers possessed by unrelenting wanderlust, we fell in love almost immediately. On the last day of our two-month safari from Cape Town to Nairobi, Maha took the plunge, moving overseas to Holland. Within a few short months, Erwin proposed in Italy. Before the year ended, we wed in the city where we first met.

Friends, and strangers alike, encouraged us to write a romantic comedy about our “cute meet.” A couple years later, we dreamed up a quirky, romanticized version of our coming together, immersing ourselves into the magical world of fiction. Producers and directors at the 2013 American Film Market raved about our indie film script. Regardless, their words of warning – “without attaching a bestselling novel, financing a film is nearly impossible” demoralized us. Eventually in 2014, we accepted the challenge to expand our tale, transitioning from aspiring filmmakers to novelists. By 2016, the page count of our chick lit series exploded seven-fold from the original 120-page screenplay.

Writing is Maha’s full-time obsession and Erwin’s diversion from trading on the stock market. The morning is set aside for writing, the afternoons for some outdoor sports, often swimming, running or hiking. Then it’s back to grind until the creative juices run dry. Our weekend routine is considerably laxer, mainly because Erwin can’t stand more book talk and Maha doesn’t want him to file for divorce.

To move to the Czech Republic. Our new home will be a big bubble surrounded by forested trails, tranquil lake shores, and sunny terraces. There, we hope to facilitate intensive writers’ retreats. Offer aspiring novelists a chance to be free from big city distractions. Once the mind is clear and skills are honed, that’s when the magic happens. Stories come to life.