A Hibiscus Coast does not simplify anything, does not try to redeem nor condemn—it complicates. It shows how much we lose when we close ourselves off to that which is strange, Other and new—whether it is at home or somewhere else. Although it resists a linear path of character growth and healing for Mary (or any of the other characters) it does offer hope; hope in connection and relation, and in the expansive power of opening oneself up to that which is unknown and outside.
Happy US publication day to An Island by Karen Jennings!
The book arrives with great reviews:
“No plot summary can do justice to a story woven this carefully, whose strength lies in its deliberate pacing and sharp dispensation of detail. Samuel is as real as a shaking hand.”
“Much of the story reads like an allegory, but Jennings, despite her insight, never implies that Samuel’s actions are generalizable to a nation. This is simply how isolation, humiliation and disappointment at the hands of friends, family and institutions crafted one man.”
And the team at Hogarth Books shares on Instagram:
“When An Island arrived on our desks last summer, several of us here at Hogarth closed our laptops for the afternoon and read it in one sitting. It’s that kind of book–short, fable-like, written in a timeless quality that makes it feel like it’s been with us forever. And its ending–it has an ending we’ve been thinking about ever since. This is one of those books that you will turn over in your mind again and again, with no simple interpretation or single meaning, and that you will desperately want to discuss with one of your best book friends. Returning to Lydia Millet’s question: An Island is history written via literature. Don’t miss it.”
Please join us for the Liberty Books launch of The Other Me by Joy Watson on Wednesday, 25 May 2022. Joy will be in conversation with the bookshop’s wonderful owner and soul, Christy Weyer. We look forward to seeing you there!
The Faculty of Arts and Design at the Durban University of Technology conferred an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Visual and Performing Arts to the seasoned multitalented singer, actress, producer and playwright, Thembi Mtshali-Jones. The honorary degree was conferred during DUT’s second session of the 2022 Virtual Autumn Graduation ceremony on Monday, 16 May 2022.
“In 2011 my city, eThekwini, gave me a Living Legend Award and I would like to repeat the same words I made on that night. I have been highly decorated in almost all corners of the world where I have worked. This gave me a sense of achievement and pride. However, as it kept happening, I started to feel a sense of inadequacy. I had many questions I could not answer. As it happened then, I am now sure of where that emptiness stems from, despite being showered with all manners of praises and awards. The reason-being is that: no recognition, no matter how much weight and wealth it carries, can ever beat a simple gesture, such as a Thank You from your own city and more so, by a reputable institution such as DUT,” said Mtshali-Jones, expressing her gratitude for the recognition from DUT.
Here is another opportunity to meet Joy and hear her speak about her debut novel: please join us for the launch of the book at Exclusive Books Cavendish on 24 May! Joy will be in conversation with Rebecca Davis.
Family, friends, writers and readers gathered at The Electric last night to celebrate the launch of The Other Me by Joy Watson. Our wonderful Book Lounge co-hosted. An occasion that proved once again that oceans of love can be contained in relatively small spaces. Thank you to Joy and everyone else who made the event possible!
Joy was in conversation with the wonderful Qarnita Loxton, author of the Being Series.
Mervyn Sloman of The Book Lounge said that The Other Me is the kind of debut novel that makes you want to know immediately when the next one is coming. Joy’s fans are hoping for SOON!
A magical evening. Thank you to everyone, especially Joy, Qarnita and Mervyn! And all who attended and brought so much warmth to the occasion.
A special thank you to Karavan Press authors, Cathy Park Kelly and Melissa A. Volker, one of our fabulous designers, Monique Cleghorn, and Nazreen Essack, who took Joy’s author photograph, for attending. Monique designed The Other Me and Cathy’s memoir, Boiling a Frog Slowly.
Submissions for the inaugural The Island Prize opened in September of 2021. By the time the submission window ended in mid-December, we had received more than 120 entries from all over Africa. There is a myth that there is only one type of storytelling in Africa. We can say with confidence that this is not the case. The submissions we saw were not only written in a variety of styles, but also included different genres and subjects, depicting people and experiences from all walks of life. You need only look at the shortlist to see a sample of these! However, before we get to the shortlist, we must thank our volunteer readers who spent many hours going through submissions and who helped to whittle them down to a longlist of ten. At this point the judges – Karen Jennings, Obinna Udenwe and Hilda Twongyeirwe – began reading the manuscripts and were pleased to note that the ten longlisted authors came from all over the continent, with the following countries represented: Zambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Algeria. After careful reading, the judges were able to agree unanimously on the five manuscripts selected for the shortlist.
And here are the winners:
WINNER OF THE ISLAND PRIZE 2022
“Glass Tower” by Sarah Isaacs
SECOND PLACE
“A Darkness with Her Name on It” by Doreen Anyango
THIRD PLACE
The other three novels could not be separated and so we have three in third place.
To say that I was moved would be the understatement of the last two years. Our first post-lockdown book launch at THE BOOK LOUNGE again – after more than seven hundred loss-filled days! Fittingly, it was of Nick Mulgrew’s debut novel A Hibiscus Coast, and he was interviewed by Bongani Kona. Nick is as much of a literary institutions in his own right as is The Book Lounge. So is Bongani. Between the three of them – Mervyn (and his Book Lounge team!), Bongani and Nick – they connect most of the local literary community around us in ways that are difficult to capture in a few words. I would just like to say that I do not want to imagine a world without them. They make what I do at Karavan Press possible. They give me hope when little else does. Thank you!
And thank you to all the writers and readers who showed up at The Book Lounge tonight – I cannot tell you what it meant to me to sit among you during this evening of celebration.
karavanpress.com 