Five of our books are among the fifteen bestselling books at Open Book Festival 2023!
Everyone Dies by Frankie Murrey (Karavan Press)
Glass Tower by Sarah Isaacs (Holland House Books, locally distributed by Karavan Press)
The Bitterness of Olives by Andrew Brown (Karavan Press)
Inside your body there are flowers by Diane Awerbuck (Karavan Press)
Striving for Social Equity edited by Joy Watson and Ogochukwu Nzewi (Karavan Press)
Thank you to all who bought a book!
In their latest newsletter, The Book Lounge, wrote the following about Karavan Press:
Karavan Press is a small publishing house owned and run by Karina Szczurek, seriously punching above its weight. We are so grateful to Karina for publishing so many wonderful books that we thought we should shine a light on some of the books she is responsible for that will be featured at Open Book Festival:
Everyone Dies by Frankie Murrey ~ An exquisite debut collection of stories – I will be cajoling Frankie on to the stage to talk about Everyone Dies. – Mervyn
A Crowded Lonely Walk by Sipho Banda ~ In this riveting poetry collection, Sipho Banda delves into the daily happenings of the ubiquitous but anonymous working class, and restores dignity to those whose lived experiences so often go overlooked. – Belinda
Glass Tower by Sarah Isaacs ~ Glass Tower is the winner of the inaugural Island Prize for debut fiction from Africa.
Inside your body there are flowers by Diane Awerbuck ~ an incredibly versatile writer who returns to the genre for which she is best known – the short story – in this new collection which is nothing short of superb.
The Bitterness of Olives is set in Gaza and Israel and is Andrew’s finest novel. Empathetic, thought provoking, beautifully written with the pace of a thriller. – Mervyn
Striving for Social Equity edited by Joy Watson and Ogochuku Nzewi ~ an invaluable gathering of voices touching on the very real challenges facing South Africans today.
What Remains by Dawn Garisch ~ new collection of stories from one of our best-loved writers that deals with relationships, ageing and so much more.
Karina will be participating in a discussion about the future of publishing.
The Book Lounge
We are immensely grateful for the encouragement and support! And this is how we will be “punching” at Open Book Festival 2023:
Watch out for Karavan Press authors and Friends (we are lucky distribution partners for Glass Tower by Sarah Isaacs and Cat Therapy by Gail Gilbride):
Book your tickets here:
The Durban International Book Fair is taking place between 9 and 13 August, and Lethokuhle Msimang will be returning to her hometown to speak about The Frightened.
9 August:
12:00-13:00 | Lethokuhle Msimang The Frightened (Alan Paton Stage)
16:00-17:00 | Black women in the arts: challenging the notion of subservience, with Gcina Mhlophe, LethokuhleMsimang and Mbali Malimela (Phyllis Naidoo Stage)
Click here for the full programme: DIBF 2023
Another highly successful Kingsmead Book Fair (KBF) is behind us. And we had so much literary fun! Joanne Hichens, Lester Walbrugh and I were on the same flight going up to Johannesburg. We all spoke at the festival – Lester and I about Elton Baatjies, and Joanne and I about Fluid: The Freedom to Be.
We ‘met’ Joy Watson and Lethokuhle Msimang at the airport on the bookshelves of Exclusive Books.
What is the best way of passing flight time? Reading, of course.
We joined Joy on the morning of the book fair and dived into the busy, amazing programme of this year’s KBF that had something to offer for EVERYONE.
Authors met up in the Green Room for refreshments and a bit of rest between the fascinating sessions.
Exclusive Books pop-up shop at the KBF. Two of our titles sold out at the book fair!
It was wonderful to meet Jarred Thompson and Lerato Moletsane in person – both contributed to Fluid: The Freedom to Be.
Thank you to the organisers of the book fair, to everyone who came to listen to us, to all who bought books and made the KBF 2023 such a joyous book fair. Already counting the days until KBF 2024!
Happy reading!
We are excited to be part of this year’s programme of the wonderful Kingsmead Book Fair!
Full programme:
Karavan Press authors participating:
All participants:
Buy your tickets:
Two Karavan Press authors are speaking about their work at this year’s edition of the Franschhoek Literary Festival (FLF): Lester Walbrugh and Lethokuhle Msimang.
Click on the images below to book your ticket for the individual sessions.
You can buy their books in advance of the festival via the FLF website (and Exclusive Books):
Two other Karavan Press authors – Joy Watson and Nancy Richards – are chairing a few sessions:
We look forward to seeing you in Franschhoek!
“Memoir and Fiction”: a conversation between Karin CronjĂ© and Nancy Richards, with Elleke Boehmer chairing. Please join us at the Lecture Room of the Simon’s Town Museum.
For more information, please see:
The bi-annual Jewish Literary Festival (JLF) is back and taking place on Human Rights Day, 21 March 2023. Karavan Press will be represented by James Leatt, who will be speaking about his Conjectures: Living With Questions.
The JLF showcases writers who are either Jewish themselves, have a strong connection to the Jewish community, or have chosen to write about Jews or Judaism. The event takes place in the heart of Cape Town at the Gardens Community Centre, home to the acclaimed Jacob Gitlin Library which partners with the festival.
The inaugural Karavan Press Literary Festival last year was a prayer. We were still in lockdown, still scared, and in-person literary events were scarce, but the longing for them after all the loss and depravation was overwhelming, and so the idea for a small, socially distanced, as safe as possible (under the circumstances) festival was born. Together, we made it happen, and it was a resounding success.
Much has changed since last year, but the longing has remained, and it seems that the Karavan Press Literary Festival is here to stay. The 2022 edition was another day of literary joy, and I want to thank everyone who made it happen!
EVENT 1 10:30-11:30Â LOVE STORY
Love is in the air: Sally Partridge and Melissa A. Volker speak to Karina M. Szczurek about writing romance and love (feline guest appearance: Antonia Salieri)
EVENT 2 12:00-13:00Â SHORT STORY
Rachel Zadok, founder of SHORT STORY DAY AFRICA, Joanne Hichens, founder of SHORT.SHARP.STORIES, and Lester Walbrugh, talk to Helen Moffett about the projects that define and nurture the short fiction landscape in South Africa and beyond
LUNCHÂ Â 13:00-14:00Â WOMEN OF SOIL
Lunch hour inspired by stories and recipes from Women of Soil: Changing Lives, snacks and drinks were served
EVENT 3 14:00-15:00Â MEMOIR
Tracy Going, Erika Bornman, Joanne Hichens and Leslie Swartz discuss the memoir’s potential to change lives
EVENT 4 15:30-16:30Â WRITING SISTERS
Joy Watson and Mary Watson (via Skype) in conversation
EVENT 5 17:00-18:00Â HISTORICAL NOVEL
Penny Haw, Helen Moffett and Justin Fox talk to Gail Gilbride about the histories that shaped their latest novels
EVENT 6 18:15-19:15Â POETRY EVENING
Melissa Sussens, Kerry Hammerton, Stephen Symons and Justin Fox read from their collections
In the audience:
Apart from the gigantic gift of this day of shared literary wonder, I received three physical gifts: smiling sunflowers from Brenda, a lovely Christmas parcel from Sally and an inspiring book from Christy. Thank you, Everyone!
The day ended with a rabbit rescue mission that felt like something out of Alice in Wonderland – thank you, Joanne, for not abandoning my neighbours’ beautiful Sparkles (The Escape Artist) to her uncertain fate. We not only managed to catch her, but made sure that she returned safely home the next day.
The Karavan Press Team at the end of the day (after the successful rabbit rescue)!
Thank you to everyone who participated, attended, shared stories and food and wine, and bought and swapped books, and in general made us believe in miracles again!
See you next year! 🙂
Book your tickets here:
Melissa Sussens is a queer veterinarian and poet. Her work has appeared in many publications, both locally and internationally, and has been recognised with several accolades. Melissa has performed at the Poetry in McGregor festival, Off The Wall, The Commons and The Red Wheelbarrow, where she also hosts poetry readings. She lives in Cape Town with her wife and their two dogs. Slaughterhouse is her first book.
Sipho Banda was born in Himeville and grew up in Impendle, KwaZulu Natal. He is the author of Vusi’s Visit to Drakensberg Mountain, a children’s book published by Msinsi Press. His first collection of poetry, Ngigabe Ngezakithi, and a drama book, Umoya Wamagagasi, were published in isiZulu by Pelmo Publishers. Most of his poems in A Lonely Crowded Walk, his debut collection in English, reflect his own lonely and crowded walk.
Stephen Symons has published poetry and short-fiction, locally and abroad. His debut collection, Questions for the Sea, received an honourable mention for the 2017 Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry, and was also shortlisted for the 2017 Ingrid Jonker Prize. He is also the author of Spioenkop, Landscapes of Light and Loss and FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS POINTLESS AND PERFECT. Small Souls is a collection of new and collected poems.
Klara du Plessis is an award-winning Canadian South African writer, scholar, and literary curator. Her debut multilingual poetry collection Ekke, recipient of the 2019 Pat Lowther Memorial Award, was published by Palimpsest Press. She is also the author of poetry and essay collections, Hell Light Flesh, Unfurl, and most recently, Skin and Meat Sky. She is a PhD candidate in English Literature at Concordia University and lives in Montreal, Canada.
karavanpress.com 