DANIEL ROYSE

Published in 2015, The Watermelon King is a novelized story about a backpacking trip that Daniel took across East Africa. The book incorporates two narratives that run parallel throughout the story. The first being about two brothers as they backpack across Africa. The second, being a series of short stories written by their father about their grandfather. Together these narratives highlight the importance of following your heart and how it can inspire other to do the same.




After being laid off from his job at a prestigious consulting firm, Dean decides to embark on a journey across East Africa with his younger brother. Unknowingly, they travel into bandit territory where a medical emergency forces them to choose between their safety and their health.




Inspired by true events, The Watermelon King follows the journey of two brothers as they backpack across one of East Africa’s most inhospitable regions. As they endure endless days of difficult travel, a series of short stories written by their father begins to uncover their inherent desire for adventure and their connection to the past. Along the way they begin to understand the beauty and frustration of life in Africa.




WEBSITE:  THE WATERMELON KING