Karina Author, Book

New edition of Tracy Going’s powerful memoir, Brutal Legacy

Tracy Going‘s powerful memoir, Brutal Legacy (originally published in 2018), was first adapted for stage by the award-winning theatre maker, Lesedi Job, with a cast including Natasha Sutherland, Charlie Bougenon and Jessica Wolhuter, and it has now inspired a documentary, That’s What She Said – A social inquiry: in it, Tracy offers up her story to be scrutinised by a random group of men in the present. They watch her account as it is displayed in a theatre production adaptation of her book. The film documents this process and the frank discussions that follow the performance. Offering a unique social dialogue, to bring an important message across as a relatable film without diminishing the abused, or men / women in general. You can watch the trailer here: That’s What She Said.

Karavan Press is publishing a new edition of Brutal Legacy to coincide with the release of the documentary and the annual 16 Days of Activism against GBV, beginning on 25 November. The book includes a new chapter, “Five years later”, and has been redesigned by Stephen Symons.

About the book:

Tracy Going vowed to herself as a little girl that her life would be different from her mother’s; that she would never be beaten up. But then she broke her own promise.

“As I stood before him all I could see were the lies, the disappearing for days without warning, the screaming, the threats, the terror, the hostage-holding, the keeping me up all night, the dragging me through the house by my hair, the choking, the doors locked around me, the phones disconnected, the isolation, the fear, the uncertainty.”

Brutal Legacy is an unflinching account of a romantic relationship that quickly turned violent. In mesmerising detail, the former TV and radio presenter tells the story of how she staggered into a police station battered and bruised, the harrowing two-and-a-half-year court process, the immediate collapse of her career due to the highly public nature of her assault, her decline into depression and the decades-long journey to undo the psychological damages in the search for safety and the reclaiming of self.

The legacy of violence forms the backdrop of the book as Going relives her childhood on a plot in Brits, laced with the unpredictable rage of an alcoholic father. Brilliantly penned, Brutal Legacy is ultimately uplifting in the realisation that healing is a lengthy process and that self-forgiveness and acceptance are essential in order to fully embrace life.

Parise for Brutal Legacy:

“Tracy’s story is stunning and hard, compelling and gentle, raw and then some …”
Eusebius McKaiser
“Searing, heartbreaking, triumphant: Brutal Legacy is for anyone who’s been punched in the face by someone they loved and then stood up again. It’s for every mother, sister, brother and for the children who have watched. Every South African should read it.”
Sisonke Msimang, author of Always Another Country

Publisher: This edition Karavan Press

Publication date: November 2023

ISBN: 978-1-7764581-8-9

(First published by MFBooks Joburg, an imprint of Jacana Media (Pty) Ltd, 2018)

About the author:

TRACY GOING is a best-selling South African author, documentary maker and domestic violence activist. She is a former award-winning TV news anchor and radio broadcaster.

Karina Author, Book

Karavan Press title: So, by Beatrice Willoughby

The cool side of a pillow on a midsummer’s night.
A dog’s tail when you open the door.
Your mother’s face.
That first sip, of what is up to you.
His hand on your waist.
An owl’s hoot.
A child calling for you.

Daughter of poet, author, and creative writing teacher, Finuala Dowling, and satirist, performer, and playwright, Guy Willoughby, Beatrice Willoughby grew up immersed in Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde and Billy Collins. Her school holidays were spent learning classic poems off by heart and performing comic sketches and take-offs for her uncles, aunts and cousins. Following in her maternal grandfather’s footsteps, she pursued copywriting, for which she has won several awards. She lives in Cape Town. So, is her debut collection of poetry.

Publication date: November 2023

ISBN: 978-1-7764581-5-8

‘YOU’RE OKAY, HEY?’

Years pass.
Life goes on,
until it doesn’t.
Death is eternal.
Once they’re gone,
they’re gone.

Years pass.
Condolences diminish,
you’ve forgotten his voice,
as if you were dropped 
onto your mother’s lap by a stork.

Years pass.
You graduate,
you get a desk,
you submit tax returns,
you buy a car with a red bow.

Years pass,
‘You’re okay now, hey?’
‘It was a long time ago.’
‘He was so sick.’

Yes, I’m okay.
Don’t worry about me.
I will play down my father’s death,
to make you feel more comfortable.

I won’t tell you he was gay,
I won’t tell you that he died of AIDS,
I won’t tell you that I never called him dad,
or that I saved the emails he sent,
the ones I didn’t respond to.

I won’t.
I will smile with his face,
and his eyes.
And then one day,
when you’re sixteen, 
and you’re authorising your father’s death,
call me, and I’ll say,
‘You’re okay, hey?’
Karina Author

Author: Beatrice Willoughby

Daughter of poet, author, and creative writing teacher, Finuala Dowling, and satirist, performer, and playwright, Guy Willoughby, Beatrice Willoughby grew up immersed in Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde and Billy Collins. Her school holidays were spent learning classic poems off by heart and performing comic sketches and take-offs for her uncles, aunts and cousins. Following in her maternal grandfather’s footsteps, she pursued copywriting, for which she has won several awards. She lives in Cape Town.

Karina Event

Lumkile’s Book Joint: FREE BOOK EVENT

A wonderful event is coming up! The FREE BOOK event is taking place on Sunday, 29 October 2023, at Lumkile’s Book Joint.

Address: 32 Ny 22, Guguletu, Cape Town, 7750

There will be performances, food will be sold, and there will be traders as well. Most importantly, Readers will be able to get BOOKS FOR FREE (watch out for Karavan Press titles!).

Four writers will be honoured with the highest BOOK PRIZE of Lumkile’s Book Joint (SA) called BOOK CATALOGUE 2040.

From now on, Lumkile and the organisers envision the FREE BOOK event as an annual event.

All welcome!

Karina Author, Book, Event

The Bitterness of Olives launched at The Book Lounge

It feels impossible for me to capture in a few words what it meant to launch Andrew Brown’s The Bitterness of Olives at The Book Lounge last night during the present time when the world the novel is set in has been shattered and the consequences of that shattering are reverberating in the Middle East and around the globe. So I just want to express my gratitude: to Andrew, for writing this story and speaking about it with such integrity and compassion; to Mervyn, for bringing this extraordinary novel to my attention, helping us to prepare it for publication and leading the discussion last night; to all who attended, for listening with open minds and hearts; to the Karavan support network, for never underestimating the power of storytelling and -sharing; and to Adara, for trying to find the way …

Karina Festival

Karavan Press at the Cape Flats Book Festival 2023

The Cape Flats Book Festival will be taking place on 4 and 5 November this year, and I cannot encourage you enough to attend this wonderful festival. Last year was the first time Karavan Press participated and we had an amazing time. We are so happy to have been invited back and can’t wait!

The programme is packed with literary goodness. The venue – West End Primary School – is great. Books will be on sale. Parking and delicious food are available at the school throughout the weekend. The atmosphere is celebratory. And we have heard that Oaky will be there. You do not want to miss it!

This is what we are doing:

4 November

5 November

For more details see:

Cape Flats Book Festival

Hope to see you all there!

Karina Author, Book, Event

Everyone Dies launched at The Book Lounge

We officially welcomed Everyone Dies, the beautifully crafted, mesmerising debut collection of short fiction by Frankie Murrey, into the literary world at the Book Lounge launch last night. Frankie was in conversation with Mervyn Sloman. To hear her speak about her love for the written word was truly inspiring. It made me open my own notebook with a smile today.

Thank you to Frankie, Mervyn, The Book Lounge and all Readers and Writers who attended. A wonderful evening.

During the conversation, Frankie referred to the alphabet as “a gateway drug”. The way she uses letters and words in her exquisite writing will make your soul soar. No surprise, Everyone Dies was the bestselling book at The Book Lounge in September. Congratulations, Frankie!

And to all the Readers who are yet to discover her work: Happy reading!

Karina Author, Book, Literary Award

SMALL SOULS by Stephen Symons shortlisted for the SALA Poetry Award

The shortlisted nominees of the S.A. Literary Awards 2023 have been announced and we are delighted to report that Small Souls by Stephen Symons was shortlisted for the Poetry Award.

“The 34-strong panel of judges of the South African Literary Awards (SALA) spent months rigorously reading, scrutinising, and scoring the over 200 books that answered to the Call for Submissions issued in November 2022. […] The huge number and diversity of books submitted are a testimony to the amazing journey SALA has travelled since the inaugural ceremony held at the Durban International Convention Centre, Kwa-Zulu Natal, on the 5th March 2005, in honour of South Africa’s world-renowned scholar, author, eminent yet unsung poet of majestic epics and literary genius, Prof. Mazisi Kunene.” (SALA)

Poetry Award

  • Vuyisile Msila – Yombela
  • Kaka Mokakale – Tswina ya poko
  • Anelisa Thengimfene – Amajingiqhiw’ entlalo
  • Michèle Betty – Dark Horse
  • Stephen Symons – Small Souls: New and Collected Poems

Congratulations to Stephen and all other shortlisted authors!

The 18th SALA Awards handover ceremony will take place on 7th November 2023.

For more information, click here: S.A. Literary Awards 2023

Karina Festival

Festival of Poetry – 4 November 2023

Earlier this year, the McGregor Poetry Festival announced a hiatus for a year. The organisers are taking a well-deserved break. The Red Wheelbarrow Poetry Collective and the Rosebank Writers’ Circle decided to step into the breach and organised a once-off event to celebrate poetry at a day-long poetry festival here in Cape Town. Please join us for these exciting poetry panels, taking place at two venues, the Bertha House and Youngblood-Africa, on 4 November 2023.

Events are free! Books will be on sale throughout the day.

Hope to see all poetry lovers there!