Karina Literary Award, Literary Awards

Karavan Press at the HSS Awards 2024

The National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) announced the winners of the 9th Annual Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) Book, Creative Collection, and Digital Contribution Awards last night.

It gives me great pleasure to share the news that Dawn Garisch won the HSS Award for Best Fiction Short Stories for her collection, What Remains. And Frankie Murrey won the HSS Award for Best Emerging Author in the Fiction Category for her debut, Everyone Dies.

Congratulations,

Dawn and Frankie!

FLUID: The Freedom to Be, edited by Joanne Hichens and me won in the Best Fiction Edited Volume category! To say that we are delighted would be the understatement of the year. The Short.Sharp.Stories anthology was published by Tattoo Press and is distributed by Karavan Press. Thank you, Joanne, for inviting me to be part of this wonderful project! It is an honour to call myself your wingwoman.

Congratulations to all other winners! We are thrilled to be in your company.

Thank you to the NIHSS for recognising and celebrating our work.

Cheers to the Short Story!

Karina Author, Book, Event

Diane Awerbuck, Dawn Garisch and Frankie Murrey at Liberty Books

We launched three short story collections at Liberty Books last night: Diane Awerbuck (Inside your body there are flowers), Dawn Garisch (What Remains) and Frankie Murrey (Everyone Dies) were in conversation with Christy Weyer and spoke about the genre, about their individual stories and about what it means to be a writer. It was a magical treat to listen to the three amazing writers in the beautiful space of Christy’s literary cathedral, Liberty Books. Cleo made an appearance, of course, but decided to stay out of the Q&A action this time.

Thank you to the Authors, to Christy and to all who attended! Can’t wait to see you all again next week for the launch of The Bitterness of Olives by Andrew Brown.

Karina Author, Book, Event

Three short-story writers and a bookshop

What better way to approach the end of the year in which Karavan Press published several short story collections than with celebrating three of them on one evening at one of the best bookshops in the country (and the world): Liberty Books. Please join Christy Weyer (and Cleo) as she interviews Dawn Garisch, Diane Awerbuck and Frankie Murrey about their exquisite stories on Tuesday, 5 December, 6 to 8PM.

We look forward to seeing you 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 Book, Festival

Open Book Festival 2023 – Bestsellers

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!

Karina Author, Book, Event, Festival

Karavan Press and Friends at Open Book Festival 2023

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:

Open Book Festival 2023 Programme

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:

Open Book Festival – Webtickets

Karina Book

Karavan Press title: Striving for Social Equity edited by Joy Watson and Ogochukwu Nzewi

Dear Readers,

We’re putting this precious book into your hands. May the stories in it touch your hearts and your sense of patriotism – may it inspire you to be a part of changing the gross inequities in our society. May it grant you grace in truly ‘seeing’ others who are different. May it inspire you to reimagine what our future can look like. We have a beautiful country, let’s find ways of saving it.

Yours in striving for social equity,
Joy Watson and Ogochukwu Nzewi
August 2023

CONTRIBUTORS:

Joy Watson | Oma Zewi | Sibahle Serpent Daniel | Liberty Matthyse | Marc Smit | Kgothatso Mokgele | Mishka Wazar | Thabiso Zulu | Lenora Mars | Kirsten Deane | Cassandra Roxburgh | Sindiswa Mkhwanazi | Zazele Mabaso | Anita Gcolotela | Zamasomi Precious Mbonambi | Sinelizwi Ncaluka | Ben Uys | Jos-lene Benekema | Anastasia Witbooi | Irvin Kinnes | Carmine Rustin | Ali Rhida Khan | Sydney Gololo | Thandokazi Mshumpela | Zuko Yigi | Mandisa Roji | Lulama Portia Ngoqwana | Vuyokazi Dyosi | Frankie Murrey | Glenda Tambu Muzenda | Joline Young | Sonwabile Mfecane | Lerato Mathonsi

Cover illustration: Zoe Maralack

Publication date: September 2023

ISBN: 978-1-7764581-7-2