Archive for the ‘Short Stories’ Category
by Amanda on Nov 30th, 2012
Familiestories word selde ordentlik oorvertel en baie deurstaan nie die toets van tyd nie. SJ Naudé, skrywer van Alfabet van die voëls, pen in dié artikel vir Die Burger een van die meer hardnekkige verhale oor sy Skotse oumagrootjie neer:
Van familiestories oor die voorouers bly daar by ’n mens net ’n afsaksel van half-gehoorde, half-onthoude fragmente oor. ’n Paar stukkies inligting uit groottantes of oumas se relase (en dit ís gewoonlik die vroue wat onthou en vertel), ’n paar beelde wat vassteek uit jou kindertyd, al het sulke dinge jou toe verveel. Jy dink jy het jou daarvan afgesluit, maar wanneer die waters beroer word, drywe fragmente boontoe.
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by Amanda on Nov 14th, 2012
Umuzi authors Hannes Haasbroek and SJ Naudé have each just won a SALA.
The awards ceremony was held on 10 November 2012 in Bloemfontein. Hannes Haasbroek won an award in the Creative Non-Fiction category and SJ Naudé in the First Time Published Author category.
Haasbroek’s remarkable double biography of Bram Fischer and his mother Ella appeared in 2011. Naudé’s groundbreaking collection also appeared in 2011 and has already won this year’s Jan Rabie Rapport prize, as well as the UJ debut prize.
Steve Connolly, Managing Director of Random House Struik, says: “It was with considerable pride that I heard of the Umuzi team’s success at this year’s SALA awards. Particularly satisfying was the award for Creative Non-Fiction won by Hannes Haasbroek’s ‘n Seun soos Bram. This book is unusual in its approach and scope, and we hope that the recognition will encourage more people to read this moving portrait of the political and family story of Afrikaner struggle hero Bram Fischer. It also is incredibly rewarding to see SJ Naudé receiving the First Time Published Author Award, to add to his Jan Rabie Rapport prize and the University of Johannesburg debut prize, for the remarkable Alfabet van die Voëls.
Fourie Botha, Managing Editor of Umuzi, says: “We at Umuzi are proud of our authors who were winners in two of the three categories in which we were nominated. The excellent books of SJ Naudé and Hannes Haasbroek deserve the honour.”
Hannes Haasbroek was born in Bothaville. He obtains a doctorate in history at the University of the Free State. He is head of the Department of History at the National Museum in Bloemfontein and regularly contributes articles to academic journals, magazines and newspapers.
SJ Naudé was born in 1970. Hy studied in Pretoria en obtained master’s degrees at Cambridge and Columbia University. After years as a lawyer in New York and London, he returned to South Africa for a master’s degree in creative writing at the University of Stellenbosch. Currently he works as editor in Cape Town.
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Umuzi-skrywers Hannes Haasbroek en SJ Naudé het sopas elkeen ’n Sala ingepalm. Die toekenningsfunksie is op 10 November 2012 in Bloemfontein gehou. Hannes Haasbroek het ’n toekenning gewen in die kreatiewe nie-fiksie kategorie and SJ Naudé in die debuutkategorie.
Haasbroek se merkwaardige dubbele biografie van Bram Fischer en sy moeder Ella het in 2011 verskyn. Naudé se bakenverskuiwende bundel verhale het in 2011 verskyn en het reeds vanjaar se Jan Rabie Rapport-prys gewen, asook die UJ-debuutprys.
Steve Connolly, Besturende Direkteur van Random House Struik, sê: “Dit is met besondere trots dat ek van die Umuzi-span se sukses by vanjaar se South African Literary Awards verneem. Bevredigend was veral die kreatiewe nie-fiksie toekenning aan Hannes Haasbroek se ’n Seun soos Bram. Die boek het ’n ongewone reikwydte en benadering, en ons hoop dat die erkenning meer mense sal aanmoedig om hierdie roerende portret van die politieke- en familiegeskiedenis van die Afrikaanse struggle-held Bram Fischer te lees. Dit is ook ongelooflik verblydend om te sien dat SJ Naudé gewen het in die debuutkategorie – en dít benewens die twee pryse wat hy reeds verower het – vir die merkwaardige Alfabet van die voëls.”
Fourie Botha, Redaksiehoof van Umuzi, sê: “Ons by Umuzi is trots op ons skrywers wat wenners was in twee van die drie kategorieë waarvoor ons benoem is. SJ Naudé en Hannes Haasbroek se uitstekende boeke verdien die eer.”
Hannes Haasbroek is in Bothaville gebore. Hy behaal ’n doktorsgraad in Geskiedenis aan die Universiteit van die Oranje-Vrystaat. Hy is hoof van die Geskiedenisdepartement by die Nasionale Museum in Bloemfontein en lewer gereeld bydraes tot wetenskaplike joernale, tydskrifte en koerante.
SJ Naudé is in 1970 gebore. Hy studeer in Pretoria en voltooi meestersgrade aan Cambridge en Columbia. Na jare as regspraktisyn in New York en Londen keer hy terug na Suid-Afrika vir ’n meestersgraad in kreatiewe skryfkunde aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Hy werk tans as redakteur in Kaapstad.
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by Amanda on Sep 4th, 2012
Ivan Vladislavić was interviewed by Jan Steyn of The White Review and talked about the process of producing art, namely literature and sculpture, and how good ideas don’t necessarily translate easily into works of art. Vladislavić’s ouevre includes The Loss Library, Restless Supermarket, Double Negative and The Exploded View.
Ivan Vladislavić is one of a handful of writers working in South Africa after apartheid whose work will still be read in fifty years. He is perhaps best known for his depictions of Johannesburg, his home city, which include the lauded Portrait with Keys (2006). He is the author of four novels – The Folly (1993), The Restless Supermarket (2001), The Exploded View (2004) and, most recently, Double Negative (2011).
His two collections of short stories are now jointly available in Flashback Hotel (2010). Last year he published two books that include artistic illustrations – A Labour of Moles, as part of the artfully produced Cahier Series from Sylph editions, and The Loss Library, this time from Seagull Books. His essay on Robert Walser and photography, ‘The Last Walk’, appears in The White Review No. 5.
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by Amanda on Aug 30th, 2012
SJ Naudé het sopas die Universiteit van Johannesburg se prys vir skeppende debuutskryfwerk vir sy kortverhaalbundel Alfabet van die voëls verower.
Dié bakenverskuiwende bundel het in 2011 by Umuzi verskyn en het ook reeds vanjaar se Jan Rabie Rapport-prys gewen.
Die beoordelaars beskryf die bundel as ’n “indrukwekkende debuut wat ’n daadwerklike bydrae tot die Afrikaanse letterkunde lewer” en prys die versameling se tegniese afronding en taalvermoë: “Elk van die verhale is sterk, maar hulle word nog sterker deur subtiele onderlinge verbande en terugkerende motiewe.”
Steve Connolly, besturende direkteur van Random House Struik, sê: “Dit is duidelik dat Alfabet van die voëls lesers (en beoordelaars!) diep roer. Dit is die tweede groot prys wat SJ Naudé in soveel maande wen en ons is trots om geassosieer te word met so ‘n wonderlike boek en so ‘n talentvolle skrywer.”
Fourie Botha, redaksiehoof van Umuzi, sê: “Op baie lesers se boekrakke staan die uitstekende Alfabet van die voëls gemaklik langs groot boeke in die letterkunde. Dit is ’n eer om by SJ Naudé se skryfwerk betrokke te wees.”
SJ Naudé is in 1970 gebore. Hy studeer in Pretoria en voltooi meestersgrade aan Cambridge en Columbia. Na jare as regspraktisyn in New York en Londen keer hy terug na Suid-Afrika vir ‘n meestersgraad in kreatiewe skryfkunde aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Hy werk tans as redakteur in Kaapstad.
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by Amanda on Jun 20th, 2012
Met sy kortverhale in Alfabet van die voëls protesteer SJ (Fanie) Naudé teen “die idee dat Afrikaans en skryf in Afrikaans ’n al hoe kleiner gehoor kry”.
In ‘n onderhoud met Hanlie Retief vertel Naudé dat ‘n 22-jarige Suid-Afrikaanse animasiekunstenaar wat in China woon hom laat weet het Alfabet van die voëls is die eerste Afrikaanse boek wat hy sedert skooldae gelees en geniet het! “Dis die soort reaksie waarvan ek hou en die soort mense vir wie ek graag wil skryf.”
Naudé, wat vanjaar die Jan Rabie Rapportprys vir Alfabet van die voëls ontvang het, en pas as uitgewer by Umuzi aangestel is, het met Retief gesels oor die redes waarom hy sy werk as internasionale regspraktisyn in Londen verlaat en ‘n meestersgraad in kreatiewe skryfwerk op Stellenbosch kom volg het:
Toe hy agt was, het Fanie Naudé voor ’n boekrak in sy ouerhuis gaan staan en Etienne le Roux se Sewe dae by die Silbersteins uitgetrek.
“Kyk, ek het daarvan min verstaan, maar ek het die drang gevoel om dit te lees. En die boek het beslis op ’n manier sy merk gelaat.”
Een vir een het die skraal seuntjie die Sestigers in daardie boekrak ontdek.
“Daar was iets opwindends aan hulle. Le Roux en Barnard en Aucamp, ja, veral hulle…” onthou hy.
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by Amanda on Jun 18th, 2012
Die wenner van vanjaar se Jan Rabie Rapport-prys en skrywer van Alfabet van die voëls, SJ Naudé, het ’n pos as redakteur by die uitgewershuis Umuzi aanvaar.
Umuzi, ’n druknaam van Random House Struik, verteenwoordig prominente Suid-Afrikaanse skrywers en publiseer Suid-Afrikaanse fiksie in Afrikaans en Engels.
Fourie Botha, redaksiehoof van Umuzi, sê: “Umuzi is bekend as ’n uitgewery van boeke van gehalte in Afrikaans en Engels. Fanie se aanstelling plaas Umuzi in selfs nog ’n beter posisie om skrywers wat in Afrikaans skryf te ondersteun.”
Naudé het in die regte aan die universiteite van Pretoria, Cambridge en Columbia gestudeer en vir jare as regsgeleerde in New York en Londen gewerk.
Hy het in 2010 na Suid-Afrika teruggekeer en het ’n meestersgraad in kreatiewe skryfkunde onder leiding van Marlene van Niekerk aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch voltooi.
Steve Connolly, besturende direkteur van Random House Struik, sê: “Ons is opgewonde om iemand van Fanie se kaliber by Umuzi te hê. Dit is ‘n baie opwindende tyd vir ons omdat ons voortbou op die sterk fondament wat ons reeds met Engelse literêre fiksie by Umuzi gelê het. Ons sien uit om ’n wye verskeidenheid Afrikaanse fiksie uit te gee en verwelkom manuskripte vir oorweging.”
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by Amanda on Jun 12th, 2012
On Friday, SJ Naudé won the Jan Rabie Rapport Prize for his short story collection Alfabet van die voëls. Naudé’s groundbreaking book was published by Umuzi in 2011.
The judges (André Brink and Michael le Cordeur, with Anastasia de Vries as convener) consider the volume “a collection of stories rich in imagination, intellectual depth and excellent writing that gives testimony to a remarkable talent that one could easily associate with the name and successes of Rabie.”
Steve Connolly, Managing Director of Random House Struik, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that SJ’s remarkable writing is receiving the recognition it deserves in the wider reading community in South Africa. We believe he is a writer of enormous talent and hope that this prize helps draw even more readers to his work.”
Fourie Botha, Managing Editor of Umuzi, said: “Alfabet van die voëls grabbed our imagination from the beginning. It is a riveting, heartbreaking book and the beginning of a great writing career.”
SJ Naudé was born in 1970. He studied in Pretoria and completed Masters Degrees at Cambridge and Columbia. After years as a lawyer in New York and London he returned to South Africa for a Masters degree in creative writing at the University of Stellenbosch.
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SJ Naudé is Vrydagaand as die wenner van vanjaar se Jan Rabie Rapport-prys vir sy kortverhaalbundel Alfabet van die voëls aangekondig. Dié bakenverskuiwende bundel het in 2011 by Umuzi verskyn.
Die beoordelaars (André P. Brink en Michael le Cordeur, met Anastasia de Vries as sameroeper) ag die bundel “’n versameling kortverhale ryk aan verbeelding, intellektuele diepte en opvallende skryftalent wat van ’n verbasende begaafdheid getuig en wat ’n mens graag met die naam en die prestasie van Rabie kan vereenselwig.”
Steve Connolly, Besturende Direkteur van Random House Struik, sê: “Ek is absoluut verheug dat SJ Naudé se merkwaardige skryfwerk die erkenning wat dit verdien van die breër lesergemeenskap in Suid-Afrika ontvang. Ons glo hy is ’n skrywer met ’n enorme talent en hoop dat die prys selfs meer lesers aan sy werk sal blootstel.”
Fourie Botha, Redaksiehoof van Umuzi, sê: “Alfabet van die voëls het ons verbeelding van die begin af aangegryp. Dit is ’n meesleurende, hartroerende boek en die begin van ’n opwindende skrywersloopbaan.”
SJ Naudé is in 1970 gebore. Hy studeer in Pretoria en voltooi meestersgrade aan Cambridge en Columbia. Na jare as regspraktisyn in New York en Londen keer hy terug na Suid-Afrika vir ‘n meestersgraad in kreatiewe skryfkunde aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch.
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by Amanda on Jun 4th, 2012
Bloody Parchment: Hidden Things, Lost Things and Other Stories showcases the winning and finalist horror short stories from the 2011 Bloody Parchment writing competition, the literary component of the annual South African HorrorFest. The anthology showcases tales that examine fears – real or imagined – and plunges you into darkness from the relative safety of your armchair.
The Bloody Parchment horror writing competition is the ideal hothouse to nurture and cross-pollinate South African and international talent. This year’s anthology features top stories by Brett Bruton and Jenny Robson, and all the finalists adding their frightening voices to the offering.
Step across the threshold and taste the horror. We double dare you.
About the editor
Nerine Dorman is the editor of Bloody Parchment: Hidden Things, Lost Things and Other Stories, which includes stories from eleven horror writers from South Africa, Botswana, Australia, the US and the UK that have been selected as winners, runners up and finalists in the Bloody Parchment writing competition.
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by Amanda on May 23rd, 2012
In an article for O Magazine, Diane Awerbuck, author of the short story collection Cabin Fever, comments on the necessity of being able to access a quiet state for both reading and writing. Awerbuck finds inspiration in Hatha yoga:
Every writer was a reader first. Slipping sideways between pages is one of the luxuries of childhood, the time in our life when reading is considered most healthy, productive and desirable. We encourage children to read as a kind of evolutionary practice: We want them to be better human beings by recognising that other people exist, and we want them to be able to make sense of the world.
Good reading requires an hour or two and a quiet spot – both undervalued and rare in adult life. Good writing like good reading, requires the same conditions: Writers have to do most of their work alone, in their heads – when waiting for ideas, the free association of the dream-state, the “zone.”
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by Amanda on May 4th, 2012
eKhaya, the straight-to-digital imprint of Random House Struik, is delighted that “Love on Trial”, a short story from its launch title, For Honour and Other Stories, by SO (Stanley) Kenani, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Caine Prize – known as ‘The African Booker’ – for 2012.
The Chair of judges, author and Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature Bernardine Evaristo MBE, has described the Caine Prize shortlist – selected form 122 entries from 14 African countries – as ‘truly diverse fiction from a truly diverse continent’. She noted “Love on Trial”, a story which challenges traditional assumptions about love and sexuality, as ‘bravely provocative’.
The winner of the £10,000 Caine Prize will be announced on 2 July 2012, and will be given the opportunity of taking up a month’s residence at Georgetown University, as a Writer-in-Residence at the Lannan Center for Poetics and Social Practice. The award will cover all travel and living expenses. The winner will also be invited to take part in the Open Book Festival in Cape Town in September 2012 and events at the Museum of African Art in New York in November 2012. South African winners of the Caine Prize include Mary Watson (2006) and Umuzi author Henrietta Rose-Innes (2008).
Stanley Kenani is a Malawian writer and poet who works as an accountant in Geneva. The title story of his collection, “For Honour”, was also shortlisted for the Caine Prize, in 2008.
Stanley is an alumnus of the Random House Creative Writing Course, presented online in conjunction with GetSmarter, a high-touch online education company. eKhaya was initially established to publish select manuscripts from the Random House Struik Creative Writing and Random House Struik Write a Non-Fiction Story courses, both taught by high-profile South African author, Mike Nicol.
For Honour and Other Stories was published in August 2012, and was eKhaya’s first-ever title. It can be purchased online in South Africa at Kalahari.com and Exclus1ves.co.za, in Britain at Amazon.co.uk and internationally at Amazon.com and other e-retailers.
eKhaya is treading into further exciting territory in June 2012 when it publishes Bloody Parchment: Inferna and Other Stories, an anthology of stories selected for the South African Horrorfest taking place in Cape Town in October 2012. In July, the imprint will publish Ms Conception, a rollicking and heartful novel about a woman juggling family and career by Johannesburg-based television writer, Pamela Power.
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