Please join us at The Book Lounge on Tuesday, 5 May 2026, for the launch of the first (of many, I hope) book of plays that Karavan Press has published: Selected Plays by Louis Viljoen. Described as ‘one of South Africa’s most exciting playwrights’, Louis’s gripping writing is known for its intricate use of language and an uneasy intimacy that keeps audiences enthralled. Ten of his plays, selected by the playwright, feature in the book.
Louis will be in conversation with John Maytham, who as an actor has been working with Louis for many years and starred in two of the plays included in the book.
Please join us for an evening of storytelling and song when we launch How to Build a House in the Mountains by Roger Lucey at The Book Lounge, on Thursday, 13 November 2025, 6 for 6.30PM. Roger will be in conversation with John Maytham.
We are delighted to announce that the fourth KARAVAN PRESS LITERARY FESTIVAL is going to take place on Saturday, 12 April 2025, at the wonderful South African Centre for the Netherlands and Flanders – SASNEV– 4 Central Square, Pinelands, Cape Town, 7405. Thank you to Eureka Barnard and the Staff of SASNEV for hosting us!
As part of the festival, Penny Haw, winner of the 2024 Philida Literary Award, will deliver the André Brink Memorial Lecture – 6 February 2025 was the 10th anniversary of André’s death, and on 29 May 2025, he would have turned 90. We will remember and celebrate together!
Also as part of the festival, Qarnita Loxton and Amy Heydenrych are offering a Creative Writing Workshop. For all details, please see below.
EVENT 1 09:30-10:15 LIFE AND LAUGHTER
Diane Awerbuck, Lisa Tredoux and Gail Gilbride speak to Nick Clelland about how to use humour in literature across the genres to address important themes that are not necessarily always funny.
EVENT 2 10:30-11:15 FINDING ONESELF
Sarah Isaacs, Anna Stroud, Kharys Ateh Laue and Lester Walbrugh talk to John Maytham about their young characters’ search for who they are and how they want to be in the world when the world is unwilling to cooperate.
COFFEE / TEA BREAK
EVENT 3 12:00-12:45 SECOND CHANCES
“Sometimes the only thing you can do to change is to leave.” (Qarnita Loxton)
Amy Heydenrych, Stephen Symons & Alex Latimer talk to Karina M. Szczurek about their characters’ opportunities for change.
EVENT 4 13:00-13:45
ANDRÉ BRINK MEMORIAL LECTURE
“Influences and Legacies” – PENNY HAW, winner of the 2024 Philida Literary Award
FREE ENTRY TO ALL EVENTS AT SASNEV!
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WORKSHOP 15:30-17:30
6 Banksia Road, Rosebank, 7700 Cape Town
(Please note change of venue for the workshop!)
OPENING THE DOOR TO YOUR STORY
Join authors and collaborators – QARNITA LOXTON and AMY HEYDENRYCH – for an intimate, nurturing creative writing workshop. Get to the heart of your story, uncover the theme of your writing project and work through any potential blocks to your creative writing process in a quiet, encouraging setting.
Snacks and drinks will be served.
The workshop is open to writers of all levels, including beginners. Only 10 spots available. Please book early to avoid disappointment.
Please join us for the Cape Town launch of Andrew Robert Wilson’s The Fourth Boy at The Book Lounge on Tuesday, 1 April 2025, 6 for 6:30PM. Andrew will be in conversation with John Maytham. Not to be missed!
John Maytham speaks to Nick Clelland about his debut novel, Good Hope – the book is about an alternative present-day Cape Town that is the capital of a new independent country.
Being in a bookshop always makes me happy. Being in a bookshop while a poet is reading his work and discussing it with insight and care makes me extra happy. So when we gathered at Wordsworth Books Gardens at the end of a long, windy day to celebrate the launch of The Algebra of Insignificance by Stephen Symons the world immediately felt like a better place.
Stephen is one of the finest poets I know, and it is a great joy to work with him and to share his writing with other readers. He was in conversation with John Maytham, who asked all the right questions to allow the audience to get a real taste of what lies at the heart of Stephen’s creative process.
An audience member shared how he always marvels at Stephen’s ability to not only remain accessible, but to allow nearly each line of his poems to shine as a poetic gem in its own right. And so it is …
Half the city is drunk on the black liquor of February heat.
A wad of forgotten letters from which a type of longing germinates.
Two lovers inhale the scene and unfurl their white flags of surrender over each other’s salt-sticky flesh.
Day will eventually beat its wings and become flight …
Thank you to Wordsworth Books Gardens for hosting the evening and for being so supportive of Stephen’s work and of so many other local writers! Thank you to Stephen and John for the conversation. And thank you to all who attended!
Far beyond the rummage of whitewater the sail of a yacht argues with the wind, rolling and pitching in hesitancy as if about to make a life-changing decision.
“This poet is a gem,” says David Keplinger, and anyone who has ever encountered Stephen Symons’s poetry will understand the sentiment. The Algebra of Insignificance is as beautiful and intriguing as its title. Don’t miss this special launch at Wordsworth Books Gardens. Stephen will be in conversation with John Maytham. We look forward to seeing you all there!
Dear Kalk Bay Readers,
Please join us on 6 December, 6:30 for 7PM, at Studio Muse as we launch Kalk Bay's very own Dawn Garisch's short story collection, What Remains.
Dawn will be in conversation with John Maytham.
Love,
Karavan Press
karavanpress.com 