Congratulations to Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia! She has been awarded the Best International Fiction Book Award at the Sharjah International Book Fair 2019 for THE SON OF THE HOUSE.
His Excellency, HH Sultan bin Muhammad Al Quasimi presented the award, which includes a prize of 50,000 AED.
THE SON OF THE HOUSE is published by Penguin Random House in South Africa and due for release by Dundurn Press in the USA in October
Read more here
HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Siphiwe Ndlovu on winning the 2019 Sunday Times Barry Ronge Fiction Prize for her debut novel THE THEORY OF FLIGHT!
THE THEORY OF FLIGHT is published by Umuzi, an imprint of Penguin Random House SA.
To coincide with the UK publication of THE BLESSED GIRL by Angela Makholwa, the US audiobook has been released.
Have a listen here: http://bit.ly/BlessGirlAudio.
And have a read here: http://bit.ly/BlessGirlPanMac
When you are accustomed to the finer things in life – designer shoes, champagne, VIP lounges, exotic holidays abroad, a luxury penthouse, expensive wheels – what independent young woman in her right mind would want to let them go?
‘In The Blessed Girl, Angela Makholwa has yet again given us a deceptively simple yet layered narrative, in which the plot is as memorable as the characters are unforgettable. Bravo.’ – ZUKISWA WANNER
THE BLESSED GIRL is published by Picador Africa and by Bloomsbury UK.
The Raft. Fred Strydom
THE RAFT by Fred Strydom
Captivating, compelling, and moving
On Day Zero everyone’s memory is wiped clean. No-one remembers anything, or anyone.
A mysterious and oppressive movement called The Renascence comes to power and forces people to live in isolated communes and to conform to their ideals. As memories of families and past lives start to trickle back, some people begin to question the regime.
Kayle Jenner has questions, and he’s punished just for having them. He escapes from his isolated beach commune when the raft he’s strapped to for punishment breaks free. With help from the enigmatic Gideon, Kayle sets out to find and rescue his son Andy.
Kayle doesn’t find it odd that the people he meets all have memories that help and guide him. Until it becomes clear that some people’s ‘memories’ are not their own.
But Kayle’s are. Kayle definitely remembers Andy. And he’s going to find him.
Published in South Africa by Umuzi, Penguin Random House. Published in the US by Skyhorse Publishing
Lovable characters Muddle and Mo are bound for the US
Rights for MUDDLE & MO picture book have been sold to Clarion in the US, for publication in Spring 2017.
Muddle is a slightly confused yet enthusiastic little duckling who always has lots and lots of questions. Mo is a long-suffering, not very adventurous white goat who has lots of patience. They are best friends, but Muddle is rather confused about what type of animals they both are. Fortunately, during the course of their walk together Mo helps Muddle get his duck identity sorted out.
Nikki Slade Robinson has been an illustrator and author for many years. In between working on her stories, she actually raised a duck and a goat, who both thought they were human and part of the family. In searching for worms for her duck, or the juiciest dandelions for her goat, Nikki got inspiration for this beautiful story of friendship.
The deal was negotiated by Aoife Lennon Ritchie of the Lennon-Ritchie Agency on behalf of Duck Creek Press, New Zealand.
For many people, visiting South African game reserves is all about ticking off the ‘Big Five’. But people rarely think about the other, more enigmatic animals that most of us won’t ever get to see.
In his latest book, THE IMPOSSIBLE FIVE, Justin Fox documents his search for Africa’s five most elusive mammals: the cape mountain leopard, aardvark, pangolin, naturally occurring white lion and riverine rabbit. Each of these creatures are far more spoken about than actually seen, occupying a space somewhere between the physical realm and the stories of public mythology.
In the tale of his humorous and at times frustrating journey, Justin provides compelling insights into wild South Africa and the local game-ranging and natural-science industries.
Buy Justin’s book here.
Carol Campbell’s sumptuous novels ‘n Huis vir Esther and Karretjiemense have been optioned by legendary South African film maker Koos Roets in a co-production arrangement with distinguished theatre director Andre Stolz.
The directors intend to shoot both films back to back. Mr. Roets will direct ‘n Huis vir Esther and act as Director of Photography on Karretjiemense. Mr. Stolz will direct Karretjiemense, and act as production manager on ‘n Huis vir Esther.
Mr. Roets has been a formidable figure in South Africa’s film industry for 51 years, during which he has won an impressive 33 awards, mostly for directing and cinematography. It will be wonderful to see his collaboration with Mr. Stolz, is a well known director, producer and actor. Both men are celebrated for being ‘hands on’ and very passionate about their projects, and have adapted the material themselves.
Author, Carol Campbell is known for crafting heartbreaking stories which are simultaneously poignant and hopeful. She has a masterful ability to inflict and build tension, and to create characters with voices that ‘take hold of you… and never let go.’ Taking her work to screen presents a beautiful challenge for any filmmaker.
The deal for the film rights was negotiated by The Lennon-Ritchie agency on behalf of Penguin Random House South Africa.
Publishing rights for THE RAFT, Fred Strydom’s highly anticipated debut novel, have just been sold to SkyHorse Publishing in North America.
The novel was published by Umuzi in South Africa at the beginning of April, and was the subject of a multi-party auction, with SkyHorse securing the rights just ahead of the London Book Fair. The deal was negotiated by the Lennon-Ritchie Agency on behalf of Umuzi.
THE RAFT is set in a world of civilizational collapse, following a single devastating moment where humankind collectively loses its memory. For the novel’s main character, Kayle Jenner, all that is left of his past are the haunting visions of a boy he believes to be his son. Jenner embarks on a voyage across a broken world to find the boy. What he discovers on his journey is breathtaking.
Editor Cory Allyn of Skyhorse Publishing described the spellbinding novel as: “Lost meets Life of Pi meets The Road.”
Watch the captivating book trailer here
Justin Fox Just Add Dust
Four travel writers provide a compelling look at their road trip together from Cape Town to Cairo in this vivid travelogue. The writers’ love of travel and their native Africa shines through as they relate the story of their transcontinental rite of passage. By presenting each landscape as they experience it, they contrast their journey with the “Cape to Cairo” myth—wide open spaces, plains brimming with game, desert nomads, forest pygmies—and discover that even in the 21st century it’s still an unpredictable, pulse-quickening route. Every chapter is written in a style that evokes the unique flavor of each leg of the trip.
The Lennon-Ritchie Agency 
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