My fourth volume of poetry will be published by Modjaji Books

Forthcoming attractions from Modjaji Books for 2009

Eleven books wait in the wings to be published this year by Modjaji Books. First up is Invisible Earthquake by Malika Ndlovu, due out towards the end of March 2009. A powerful, moving journal about a mother’s journey through and with the experience of stillbirth. Malika allows us into her secret, dark place of grief and coming to terms with the terrible loss of her third child. The book speaks into the silence around this issue. Like miscarriage, stillbirth is something women are supposed to get over and move on with. The book is placed in the wider South African context by Prof Sue Fawcus, from Mowbray Maternity in which she writes tenderly and expertly about stillbirth from the point of view of a medical practitioner, and expert obstetrician.

Four books of poems are due out in time for the Cape Town Book Fair, by Joan Metelerkamp, Sindiwe Magona, Helen Moffett and Fiona Zerbst. Watch this space for more information. Modjaji has received a small grant from the Cape 300 Foundation which will go towards the printing costs of the first two books.

Also due out before the Book Fair if the right sponsors come to the table is a wonderful book called Hester se Brood by Hester van der Walt.

Hester se Brood is a charming book: part memoir, part how-to book, part journey of discovery as the writer learns about bread and bread-making and shares her journey with us. The book is illustrated with beautiful drawings done by Lies Hoogendoorn. The illustrations capture something of life in McGregor as well as offer step-by-step instructions on how to knead or fold dough in each recipe. Hester’s bread making activities have already been the subject of a Sunday Times article in 2008.

The Bed short stories by Southern African women writers, will be out towards the end of the year, if all goes well.

Collections of stories by Meg vandermerwe, Arja Salafranca, Lauri Kubuitsile and Wame Molefe are also due out this year towards the end of the year.

And Makhsazana (Khosi) Xaba’s novel - Befallen - is also in the pipeline!