Tiah Beautement's Blog, page 76
June 2, 2014
On jobs vs work
I loved taking off. In my own house, I seemed to be often looking for a place to hide - sometimes from the children but more often from the jobs to be done and the phone ringing and the sociability of the neighborhood. I wanted to hide so that I could get busy at my real work, which was a sort of wooing of distant parts of myself. ― Alice Munro,
June 1, 2014
On The Three
Sarah Lotz, The Three - She doesn't want to die like this - no like this. Not amongst strangers, not looking like this, with her hair greasy - that new perm had been a mistake - her ankles swollen, uh-uh. No way. - - Jim may have taken Jesus into his heart, but he was drinking more than ever. - - If there is a solar flare or a nuclear war, a thousand cans of pickled turnips aren't going to save you. - - The spelling errors have been left uncorrected to illustrate his frame of mind. - - I've...
May 31, 2014
Last day to submit for Twenty in 20
Alert! Books LIVE, in conjunction with the Department of Arts and Culture and Short Story Day Africa, is delighted to announce the Twenty in 20 Project, a Twenty Years of Freedom initiative whose aim is to identify the best South African short stories published in English during the past two decades of democracy. And we need your help! We’re asking the Books LIVE and Short Story Day Africa communities – and all who have an interest in the art of the short story, South Africa-style – to submit your picks for consideration. See below for how to enter the stories...
May 30, 2014
Catch Efemia Chela on SA FM this Sunday
Efemia Chela rockets to fame! Hear her on SA FM Literature show on Sunday 1st of June 14h45 - 15h00. She'll be chatting about the Caine Prize and Short Story Day Africa. Radio Frequency: 104 - 107 FM
May 29, 2014
On being shortlisted
I was ecstatic about the shortlisting. For about two weeks I couldn’t believe it and thought it was some joke or a dream. My literary mentor Rachel Zadok (an incredible writer by the way) has been my rock through this whole writing “career”. She really pushed and told me I had an amazing story. She said some time last year she was submitting it for the Caine Prize but I didn’t think I stood a chance so I largely forgot about it. - Efemia Chela to Caleb Adebayo
May 28, 2014
On Paris and Porn
South Africa is in a great place from a writer’s POV. Fifteen years ago there was no real contemporrary fiction coming out of here. I would give creative writing classes and feel terrible for the students, who really would have very little outlet for their work. NOW, my god, it’s like Paris in the 20s!!! Publishers are LOOKING for writers. I was at the Franschhoek Lit Festival last week and I was tripping over good writers. It has to do with the fact that local readers are open to reading about their country, changes in technology…and the fact that the...
May 27, 2014
May 26, 2014
On The Unsaid
Richard de Nooy, The Unsaid - Obs noticed that the eyes of his fellow observees reflected the soul withi. You had the evaders, absent forever; the starers, always alert; the blinkers, beset by fear; the glisteners, possessed by emotions; the brain-dead, hungry for the living. - - "As a child, I wanted to be a lion tamer." ... "That's a hard business to break into." - "You've got friends here now, remember. People to watch your back." / "Sure, if you define a friend as anyone who doesn't slit your throat and rape your stiffening body." - - Is it...
May 23, 2014
On 5 Tips for running a youth writing workshop
DO have an idea of what you are hoping to achieve when you get there – brainstorming, character building, editing etc. BUT get ready to think off the top of your head. Kid brains can go sideways and you need to be willing to ride that train a bit before curling it back in. Also, that great workshop method that worked brilliantly for your friend? It might completely bomb when you try it. Because? Because. So how about we do. . . - Click to read all of 5 Tips for Writing with Primary School Children
May 21, 2014
On the Writivism & SSDA Franschhoek Literary Festival Event
An event with Zukiswa Wanner (London Cape Town Joburg) cannot fail to be entertaining, and today she speaks on a panel with Tiah Beautement (This Day – due for release in August) and Yewande Omotoso (Bom Boy – which Wanner, to Omotoso’s embarrassment, incites everyone to go and buy. “Don’t ‘oh gosh’,” she scolds, “we’re here to sell books!”). They make an eclectic group, all “activists” for writing in Africa. Aspiring writers, pay attention! Beautement, heads up Short Story Day Africa – held on the shortest day of the year to encourage a new writing culture in Africa – and...
