The Book Lounge included a list of their bestsellers for 2023 in their latest newsletter. Thank you to all our Readers who made this possible:
We launched The Bitterness of Olives by Andrew Brown at Liberty Books last night. Andrew always knew that it would be difficult to talk about his latest novel which is set at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but no one could have predicted just how topical the book would become. It was published in time for the Open Book Festival in early September, almost exactly a month before the 7th of October. Since then, the world the novel is set in has once again been completely shattered by violence and suffering. It has become even more fraught to discuss the novel in the context of our tragic present, but the way Christy Weyer and Andrew spoke about it last night was soul-restoring. Thank you both for your kindness, integrity and courage! Thank you for offering insight and gentleness at a time when both are deeply needed.
Thank you to all who attended, but especially to Karavan Press authors Lester Walbrugh and Joanne Hichens for your continued support!
Lester also baked fresh bread (best in the country!) for the occasion, and fittingly, we enjoyed it with olives. Thank you, Lester!
Lester also shared the good news with us that one of his stories from Let It Fall Where It Will has been turned into a short film which will premier in the new year, and that he has finished editing the first Afrikaans book that Karavan Press will publish, a memoir by Erika Viljoen!
Launching The Bitterness of Olives at Liberty Books was the perfect way to end a year of exciting book events. Thank you to Christy for being a champion of local literature, for inviting us to share our stories with the wonderful readers of Elgin and for leading the conversations that make us believe that what we do is meaningful to others.
Dear festive season travellers! If you are on the N2 in Grabouw, stop at Liberty Books for your holiday read fix. You will not regret it!
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.
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
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!
Listening to Finuala Dowling interviewing her daughter Beatrice Willoughby at the launch of her debut poetry collection – So, – at The Book Lounge last night felt like witnessing literary history in the making. The two have published and performed poetry together before, but with So, Beatrice is embarking on her own, individual path as a poet. She is bringing the love, nurture, talent, support, creativity of an entire community of creatives with her, and making it her own. So, is a remarkable debut. It will enchant you with its exquisite clarity.
Thank you to Beaty and Finuala for an evening of poetic magic, to The Book Lounge for hosting the event, and to everyone who was present for being there on this special evening.
Hearing Frankie Murrey speak about her debut, Everyone Dies, at the Open Book Festival last month was one of the highlights of the festival. It gives us great pleasure to invite you to the official launch of this exquisite book, and we hope to see you all at The Book Lounge on 16 October to celebrate the occasion. Frankie will be in conversation with Mervyn Sloman.
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:
Fellow Authors,
Do you have boxes of your own finished books gathering dust? And would you love to get them into the hands of readers? But you cringe when you hear the word Marketing and you have to fight the urge to apologise every time you do a post about your book?
How to find your readers and sell more books?
We’re having a free webinar on how to Shift from Storyteller to Story Seller in 3 Steps, with Cathy Park Kelly, author of two popular memoirs, and independent publisher Karavan Press. Together, we’ll show how you can sell more books without selling your soul.
Click on this link to register for Wednesday, 16th August, 6 – 7pm:
Congratulations to all longlisted authors, but especially Joy Watson and Lester Walbrugh!
Read the Sunday Times announcement: 2023 Sunday Times Literary Awards Longlist
karavanpress.com 