Karina Author, Book, Distribution, Literary Awards

Karavan Press in 2025

Twenty new titles, several prize nominations, three wins, a big move and an abundance of stories to tell – that in a nutshell was 2025. And what a ride it has been; again! No wonder my body is telling me to rest. And I am about to, but before I put my keyboard away for a month of restoring my well-being, I would like to celebrate the highlights of the publishing year that is coming to an end …

PRIZE NOMINATIONS

Crooked Seeds by Karen Jennings longlisted for the Women’s Prize

Land | Lines by Shari Daya and Good Hope by Nick Clelland shortlisted for the HSS Awards

In Silence My Heart Speaks by Thobeka Yose, Good Hope by Nick Clelland and Who Looks Inside by Anna Stroud longlisted for the Sunday Times Literary Awards

Crooked Seeds by Karen Jennings shortlisted for the Sunday Times Literary Awards

Who Looks Inside shortlisted for the UJ Debut Prize

The JDL Award for Poetry: honourable mention given to Land | Lines by Shari Daya

Good Hope by Nick Clelland shortlisted for the SALA Novel Award

A Collection of Gaps by Frankie Murrey and Lone Wolf Living by Werner Pretorius shortlisted for The Book Lounge’s Book of the Year Award

WINS

Who Looks Inside by Anna Stroud won the HSS Award for Best Fiction Emerging Author 

Love Stories for Ghosts by Alex Latimer won the HSS Award for Best Fiction Short Stories

Karavan Press won the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) Book Factory Prize for Publishing in Africa for In Silence My Heart Speaks by Thobeka Yose

IN OTHER GOOD NEWS

Mannequin Pictures optioned Good Hope by Nick Clelland

Ice Shock by Elleke Boehmer has been picked up by Valley Press and will be published in the UK next year

NEW TITLES OF 2025

Among these is our first boox (the book that is a box) – Frankie Murrey’s stunning new collection of short stories which we published in a limited, special edition – as a box containing stories and other treasures: A Collection of Gaps. 

Ek’t Act by Klara du Plessis, a collection of exquisite poetry, is our first book written in Afrikaans and English.

And I am thrilled that we are continuing with two story projects: IN OTHER STORIES edited by Kerry Hammerton, now in its second year, and KARAVAN STORIES Workshop & Anthology, now in its third year, are both thriving.

ALL ABOUT PHILIPPI

One of the greatest honours for Stephen Symons and me this year was to assist Andrew Brown with the publication of this incredible book: All About Philippi

Towards the end of 2024, Andrew visited iThemba Labantu Primary School in the crime-stricken area of Philippi, Cape Town, to talk to the Grade 7 learners about creative writing. To welcome him, the learners prepared short pieces on how they experienced life as a child growing up amidst poverty and violence. These are their unedited writings. At their request, some names have been changed and some withheld. This publication is distributed for free and aims to highlight the extraordinary trauma that our youth are exposed to every day, and their resilience and determination to express themselves nonetheless.

Andrew will be speaking about this remarkable book at the Cape Flats Book Festival 2026. Not to be missed! You can get a free copy of All About Philippi at The Book Lounge.

INDEED BOOKS

Recognising a need for a carefully curated platform where self-published authors can find a home, Kerry Hammerton and I started INDEED BOOKS. Our first three titles:

COFFEE WITH KARAVAN PRESS

A new tradition began at Casa Karavan this year: I hosted five Coffees with Karavan Press – Saturday mornings when readers and writers gathered at my home to chat about their books, the publishing journey and their favourite reads. I loved every one of these mornings and will continue hosting them in 2026.

THE BIG MOVE

Karavan Press had to change distributors this year and we are thrilled that we have now successfully moved to our new distribution partner – BOOKSITE.

All Karavan Press and Indeed Books titles can be ordered by booksellers via Booksite now. Together, we also continue bringing the titles we assist in distributing in South Africa to our local readers.

It has been an astounding year. Despite and because of its many challenges, Karavan Press was forced to grow and restructure and find new ways of being in the world. Not all of it went smoothly, and I have dropped many balls in the process and could not deliver on all my promises this year, but I am not giving up – and I hope that some waits are worth it.

I would like to thank EVERYONE who makes Karavan Press possible – the journey so far has surpassed all my expectations and my wildest dreams. I would like to especially thank the authors who have been waiting patiently for me to deliver on my promises. (The good thing about having to put my keyboard away is that I can finally tackle the pile of manuscripts that has been waiting to be read for a very looooooong time …)

It is time for rest, for Festive Season and holiday reading, and for another amazing year for Karavan Press, Indeed Books and our Friends!

Happy reading and writing!

Karina Author, Book, Distribution, Event

Braids & Migraines by Andile Cele to be launched at The Book Lounge

Happy publication day to Andile Cele and Holland House Books! Today, Andile’s debut novel, Braids & Migraines, runner-up in The Island Prize for unpublished African novelists 2023, is officially making its way into the world. Together with Protea Distribution, we are delighted to be the South African distribution partner for the moving debut novel. Please join us on Thursday, 24 April 2025, for the Cape Town launch of Braids & Migraines at The Book Lounge. Andile will be in conversation with Karen Jennings, founder of The Island Prize. Can’t wait!

Karina Author, Book, Distribution

Karavan Press and Protea Distribution become local distribution partners for ODETTE by Joëlle Searle

A story of a woman’s coming of age in war-torn Paris. Her challenges, adventures and passions.

Odette is a young, highly intelligent, headstrong Parisian woman, from a bourgeois military background. She finds herself flirting around the edges of a bohemian lifestyle during the heady days of resistance fighters and WWII. Her story takes us through her work in Paris at the French Ministry of Defence, their relocation to make way for German occupation, her meeting of an enigmatic man, her journey into a world of resistance fighters and espionage during which time she discovers the pleasures of womanhood and love.

Jean is Mauritian-born of a German father and an Irish/French mother. He is an enigma. Nobody really knows who he works for. Is he a spy or not, if so, for friend or foe? He is charismatic, a born leader and undertakes daring missions as lead of a Parisian resistance cadre. He is captured and interred at Gurs internment camp. His story takes us from Mauritius to the heart of Parisian artistes and intellectual bohemians, and to the underground resistance movement, where as a leader, he sets up escape routes for the Jews of Paris.

This is their story.

“An immersive and lively tale of love, resilience, and courage, Odette transports us back to another ear while telling a compelling, pacey adventure story.” – Penny Haw, author of The Invincible Miss Cust, Woman at the Wheel, and Follow Me to Africa

“Searle’s riveting tale of passion, heartache, and devastating betrayals kept me at the edge of my seat as I travelled back in time with her. Immerse yourself in this epic tale.” – Gail Gilbride, author of Under the African Sun and Cat Therapy

Publisher: Lulu.com, U.S.

South African distribution partner: Karavan Press and Protea Distribution

Publication date: October 2024

ISBN: 978-1300969679

JOËLLE SEARLE was born in Mauritius and came to South Africa aged two. She is retired and currently lives in Hout Bay at the southern tip of Africa with her husband Alf and a border terrier, Lulu. She has four children and eleven grandchildren.

If you are a bookseller, please contact Protea Distribution to order copies of Odette. If you are a reader, please ask your local bookshop to order the book for you via Protea Distribution.

Karina Author, Book, Distribution

Karavan Press and Protea Distribution become local distribution partners for AKHONA’S JOURNEY: A true life story from the Lulibo Project by Pharie Sefali and Deborah Ewing

Akhona’s Journey – A true life story from the Lulibo Project is about a young girl who grows up in a township and faces difficulties that threaten her childhood and family life. Through this seven-part book and the accompanying animated video, discover the profound impact of her experiences and the critical choices she makes to forge ahead.

In partnership with ACT Ubumbano, Lulibo Project is launching this series along with a transformative resource pack, which is intended to help educators and facilitators guide conversations and activities with young people about the issues raised in the series. The purpose is to support young people in difficult circumstances to avoid the challenges Akhona faces and to prevent and reduce the harm related to crime and exploitation.

The launch of Akhona’s Journey is not just about a series: it’s about igniting change. And that’s why the authors – Pharie Sefali and Deborah Ewing – created the resource pack, designed to equip activists and community members with the tools to spark thought-provoking conversations and inspire young people to become agents of change in their community.

Teaser for the animated video: Akhona’s Journey Trailer

Animated video: Akhona’s Journey

South African distribution partner: Karavan Press

Publisher: ACT Ubumbano

ISBN: 978-0-7961-7428-4

If you are a bookseller, please contact Protea Distribution to order copies of Akhona’s Journey. If you are a reader / educator / activist, please ask your local bookshop to order the book for you via Protea Distribution.

Karina Author, Book, Distribution

Karavan Press becomes the local distribution partner for BRAIDS & MIGRAINES by Andile Cele

WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT KARAVAN PRESS IS THE SOUTH AFRICAN DISTRIBUTION PARTNER FOR BRAIDS & MIGRAINES BY ANDILE CELE, RUNNER-UP FOR THE ISLAND PRIZE 2023.

ABOUT THE BOOK

“A novel of insight and emotion. Cele has the talent to both shatter and uplift, making her an invaluable new voice in South African literature.” The Island Prize Judges

“The beauty of this novel is that while it takes a close-up look at human strife, in doing so it shines a light on the humanity we all share.” From the Foreword by Rachel Edwards

When Nomandla is awarded a scholarship to attend the prestigious Cameron House for Girls in Durban, she thinks her life will improve. Instead it falls apart. Growing up in Ziyabuya township, Nomandla battles poverty, racism, and her own mental health. She is pursued by visions which result in her being hospitalised, and is then made to accompany her father on Saturdays to his gardening job at the home of the Smith family. It is here that she first encounters Casey, a girl who will play a significant role in turning her life upside down, destroying her hope of a better future. Meanwhile, at Cameron House, Nomandla learns that, as a scholarship girl, she is expected to showcase gratitude as well as her culture, being regarded as little more than a display of transformation, unity and acceptance. Unfortunately, the reality is very different.

Andile Cele’s beautiful debut novel considers the complexities around identity, its ties to shame, grief, and to South Africa’s painful history. Braids & Migraines follows Nomandla as she comes to a place of personal understanding and acceptance, without compromise.

South African distribution partner: Karavan Press

Publisher: Holland House Books, UK

Publication date: 17 April 2025

ISBN: 978-1-7391047-6-4

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ANDILE CELE is a writer and communications specialist, born and raised in Stanger, KwaZulu-Natal. She was born in 1986, when apartheid was nearing its end – to a mother who has worked as a domestic worker all her adult life. She has three siblings; one of them, a brother, is autistic and nonverbal. Andile’s advocacy for mental health awareness stems from the experiences they faced as a family – with a member who was and still is, for the most part, misunderstood. Andile has a degree in Journalism from the Tshwane University of Technology, and a Creative Writing and Theory of Literature degree from the University of South Africa. She is an MA candidate at Stellenbosch University, where she is examining the depiction of intergenerational trauma in selected South African women’s writing. She is the current holder of the Gwen Knowles-Williams Bursary, administered by the English Academy of Southern Africa. She dedicates her writing to her mother. Her short fiction has been published in Botsotso and Short.Sharp.Stories.

If you are a bookseller, please contact BOOKSITE to order copies of Braids & Migraines. If you are a reader, please ask your local bookshop to order the book for you via Booksite.

Karina Author, Book, Distribution

Karavan Press is the local distribution partner for THE MEMORY OF THE AIR by Caroline Lamarche (Héloïse Press)

THE MEMORY OF THE AIR

CAROLINE LAMARCHE

From the winner of the Prix Goncourt de la nouvelle

English PEN Award

The autobiographical The Memory of the Air is a sophisticated and introspective narrative about a toxic relationship. As the narrator shares with us her memories of a past relationship, we discover the small details hidden behind psychological abuse until we are led to witness and understand a major traumatic event in her life.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

“As a writer, reader, and woman, I found this book original, compelling and thought-provoking.” Dawn Garisch, author

“A nuanced, beguiling, haunting and deep exploration of the impact of male violence. A beautifully written portrait of a woman trying to reclaim selfhood through storytelling. I haven’t read anything else quite like it. It will stay with me.” Marisa Bate, journalist

“Like a spider, Manfore is a predator who has her trapped in his web, but the narrator is also like the spider, a beautiful woman who has spun a web and who sits at the centre of her story.” Shara Kronmal, Necessary Fiction

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Caroline Lamarche (Liège, 1955) is one of the most important contemporary Belgian authors. She studied Romance Studies at the University of Liège. Her debut novel Le jour du chien (Minuit, 1996) received the Prix Rossel. She is the author of fourteen novels and six short story collections, including Nous sommes à la lisière (Gallimard, 2019) which received the prestigious Prix Goncourt de la nouvelle.

ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR

Katherine Gregor is a full-time literary translator from Italian and French. She was on the Premio Straga Jury in 2020. Her translation credits include Stefanis Auci’s The Florios of Sicily (HarperVia), MarionBrunet’s Summer of Reckoning (Bitter Lemon), Donato Carrisi’s Into the Labyrinth (Little, Brown), and Sylvain Tesson’s Berenzina (Europa Editions).

South African distribution partner: Karavan Press

Publisher: Héloïse Press

Publication date: October 2022

ISBN: 978-1-7397515-2-4

If you are a bookseller, please contact BOOKSITE to order copies of The Memory of the Air. If you are a reader, please ask your local bookshop to order the book for you via Booksite.

Karina Author, Book, Distribution

Karavan Press becomes local distribution partner for SAND ROSES by Hamza Koudri

WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT KARAVAN PRESS IS THE SOUTH AFRICAN DISTRIBUTION PARTNER FOR SAND ROSES BY HAMZA KOUDRI, RUNNER-UP FOR THE ISLAND PRIZE 2022.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Tourists know it as the City of Joy. For Ouled Nail dancers, Bousaada is a city of horrors.

It is 1931 when two sisters arrive in Bousaada bursting with dreams of becoming successful dancers. But the city, occupied by the ruthless French colonial army, changes their lives forever.

When they kill a soldier in self-defence, Fahima and Salima must outsmart the French Colonel who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. The sisters are driven further into a cycle of violence with every attempt to hide their crime. Risking their lives and the lives of their loved ones, the dancers find themselves at the heart of a civilizational clash.

Sand Roses is a tale of resistance, sisterhood and the shameful past of two colliding nations. This extraordinarily immersive narrative thrusts its reader into the Algerian city of Bousaada during the 1930s and the story of the Nailiya dancers.

“… an extraordinarily immersive narrative, and a fascinating story of the little-known Ouled Nail dancers.”

The Island Prize Judges

“A compelling storyteller, fresh and engaging.”

Karen Jennings, An Island

South African distribution partner: Karavan Press

Publisher: Holland House Books, UK

Publication date: 1 November 2023

ISBN: 9781739104733

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

HAMZA KOUDRI has an MA in English Literature and Civilization and has been working in education and international development since 2008. Research for his novel took the better part of a decade, seeking traces of a muted past between the folds of visual documentation and oral histories. In 2022, Sand Roses was shortlisted for the Island Prize for unpublished African authors. Currently serving as the Country Director with the British Council in Algeria, he oversees a portfolio of English, STEM, higher education and cultural programmes, working closely with public sector teachers and institutions. Over the years, he has created and led courses and projects for youth and educators across the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region and beyond.

During a year-long fellowship in the United States, he helped establish a mentorship programme for a social equity course at Penn State University and a teacher training certificate program for Indiana University. He also took a creative writing course with award-winning author, Elizabeth Kadetsky, during which time he started working on Sand Roses.

If you are a bookseller, please contact BOOKSITE to order copies of Sand Roses. If you are a reader, please ask your local bookshop to order the book for you via Booksite.

Karina Author, Book, Distribution

Karavan Press becomes local distribution partner for GLASS TOWER by Sarah Isaacs

WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT KARAVAN PRESS IS THE SOUTH AFRICAN DISTRIBUTION PARTNER FOR GLASS TOWER BY SARAH ISAACS, THE INAUGURAL WINNER OF THE ISLAND PRIZE.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Leilah meets Frankie, and the two misfits become the closest of friends at their new school – until secrets, betrayal, and sexuality drive them apart …

It’s 1997, three years after the official end of Apartheid in South Africa. Two girls from very different backgrounds, Leilah, who is mixed race, and Frankie, who is white, are drawn together when they start at a new school, one that remains racially divided despite the country’s new laws. Their friendship deepens and intensifies before suddenly falling apart when each tells the other a secret. The girls must grapple with young womanhood alone, leaving Leila with only her troubled family to fall back on.

Glass Tower is a powerful, beautiful story of two young people on a journey of sexual hurt and personal discovery which asks questions of who we are and why we love, set against a new and confusing social order.

Winner of the 2022 Island Prize for debut African novels

‘Sarah Isaacs writes with sensitivity and care about the pains of adolescence in a changing society coming to terms with the dark history of South Africa.’ — Karen Jennings, An Island, longlisted for the Booker Prize 2021

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SARAH ISAACS is a writer and visual storyteller based in Cape Town, South Africa. Born in 1985 to a Coloured father and white mother, she occupied an undefinable place within the Apartheid system of racial division. Not belonging to one group or another has informed much of her life experience and continues to be one of the key drivers in her work. After graduating from a psychology degree at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 2009, Sarah shifted her professional focus to portrait and documentary photography, creating safe spaces for South African women to share their everyday struggles. Boosted by the voices of those women she photographed, she was able to explore her own relationship to issues of identity, gender-based violence and the impact of infertility on a woman’s sense of self. In 2018, she invited victims of GBV to be photographed as a way of sharing their stories of sexual trauma and turned the lessons she learnt from that portrait series into a 2019 TEDx talk, which centred on survivor shame and its implications for the expression of vulnerability. Sarah completed Glass Tower in 2021. It went on to win The Island Prize for debut fiction from Africa in 2022.

Publisher: Holland House Books, UK

Publication date: 24 August 2023

ISBN: 978-1-7391047-4-0

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY, SARAH!

If you are a bookseller, please contact BOOKSITE to order copies of Glass Tower. If you are a reader, please ask your local bookshop to order the book for you via Booksite.