Southern African Months & their Caterpillars

If were also one of those kids who collected caterpillars and fed them until they formed a chrysalis, purely for the joy of seeing them emerge as butterflies ... or kept silkworms ... or both ... then this is likely the book for you. Southern African Moths & their Caterpillars, by Hermann Staude, Mike Picker and Charles Griffiths is one of the more useful guides for any lover of creepy-crawlies or those irritating flutterers who end up in your wine glass on the stoep at night (true story).

While a bunch of the previous field guides I've reviewed have been somewhat on the small side, this one's got it just right. Surely, unless you're hiking in the bundus specifically to go moth-hunting, you're going to go to the trouble of carting this along and deal with the weight. It's a big book. But for your reference library, it's perfect.

Nice, clear images of the moths appear on the right-hand pages, numbered so that they correspond with the text information on the left-hand pages where we've got distribution maps, Latin and English names, a brief description, biology, habitat and description. It's just enough to get by so you can tell your mates you fished the feather elegant out of your vino the night before. Where possible, images of caterpillars have been included, and dog knows I've seen enough questions on my community WhatsApp group about the same weird-looking fuzzy caterpillars. This book will help you ID them with relative ease, without having to rush off and have fights with "experts" on the iNaturalist app.

Something else I learned, which I hadn't realised, is the incredible diversity and beauty of moths in this region. Yes, many are rather brown and drab but there are some real standout species, with special mention of the emperor moths. Also, I'd had no idea that we found the death's head hawkmoth (I first learnt about this watching The Silence of the Lambs) here in South Africa. A particularly awesome discovery for me was the Bietou Tip Concealer. Who comes up with these names? (That one ended up in my bath.)

This hefty tome also includes a helpful introduction that will help you figure out how to go about identification and also give an idea of regional distribution patterns, while also underscoring the important ecological niche these amazing little critters inhabit. I whole-heartedly recommend this one to all armchair conservationists.

Stein on Writing by Sol Stein

It's not often a book on writing that I jam into my head sticks, but Stein on Writing by Sol Stein is one of those that was so packed with *actual* useful advice that this is one of those almost biblical tomes on the craft that I keep recommending. Interestingly enough, I find my own method of approaching layered writing already is pretty much in line with how Stein teaches, so it wasn't as if I got something completely new. More like a refresher, really, and a reminder that I'm on the right path. (Which means I in all likelihood won't be the next BookTok sensation.)

Stein peppers his advice with anecdotes and tongue-in-cheek humour, and though he's clearly a beast from another era, much of what he says is still relevant today – except for the last chapter where he's busy plugging his writing software. I don't hear people talking about that anymore. Therein lies a cautionary tale for anyone pinning their hopes on big tech. Things are changing so fast that any book on the craft of writing is going to have to tread carefully to remain relevant.

Ah, heck, who'm I kidding? I don't use ChatGPT so I'm already irrelevant.

There's a part of me that feels that by and large the industry has shifted quite far from where Stein was at as editor, and it's also quite clear judging by his tone that he was... and I'll say it quite gently... full of himself. I don't think I would have enjoyed having him as my editor. Then again, I don't think he would have touched my writing with the soggy end of a barge pole considering what I write.

But that's not to say I can't learn from him – and he does offer up some nuggets if you can put up with the dross. And even reading the dross is entertaining. As a cultural object, this book definitely offers an interesting time capsule, and the one method that he did give in this book that I thought was worth its weight in rhodium was what he terms his 'triage' method of revising – something I've taken on board and teach to all my padawans. (You can ask me about it the next time I do a writers' workshop.)

Anyhow, this book is solid. It's an entertaining 'how to' that has some good points to make. If you can put up with Mr Stein himself. I suspect in real life his must have been insufferable. But he's quite dead, so I can say this without fear of reprisal. 

The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston

Look, Cameron Johnston is on my insta-buy list, but he already had me with "a gender-flipped Die Hard set in a mysterious castle". So, The Last Shield pretty much checked all my boxes as I read it. First off, our main character, Briar, is not some young slip of a thing who's going to save the world while making goo-goo eyes at some shadow daddy. She's an older, stubborn-as-heck warrior – a commander of the elite Shields whose task it is to protect the lord of Sunweald and guard the stronghold – a structure that's rather ancient and may well have a secret or three buried deep. Secrets that are, in my opinion, better left undisturbed.

But here's the rub. Briar's not young. She's got a gamey knee, and she's no longer at the peak of her physical fitness. In fact, she's pretty darned close to retirement. And while she's had a pretty good track record keeping her charges safe, she's well aware of her own shortcomings. Even if she will do her utmost not to admit this to anyone – which at the start of where we meet her in the story, we see is to her detriment.

I don't want to hie off into spoiler territory, and the tagline of this book pretty much already tells you that shiz will be sailing south in a big way, what I can tell you is that *any* of Cameron's novels will have a) plenty of humour, b) oodles of ultra violence, c) a cracking pace, and d) meticulous research. 

It's the latter that I really do appreciate – he knows his weapons and tactics. He creates a believable world that feels plausible, even if we're dealing with the supernatural. As a woman fantasy reader of A Certain Age, I appreciated reading a strong female lead who works around her physical handicaps and relies on her experience, her sheer determination and stubborn will, and her wits. Briar is up against what appears to be an insurmountable obstacle, with multiple foes who are stronger and better armed than her, and yet she doesn't let that stop her. Yes, her knee is killing her, she's uncomfortable most of the time, but she's also gosh-darned unstoppable. She's also a frigging good role-model for a young king-in-waiting who doesn't end up going full Joffrey. (And thank goodness for that.)

Anyhow, this was a cracking good read, with action, mystery, and magic aplenty, in a setting that recalls themes of the European Bronze Age. 100% recommended for lovers of sword-and-sorcery fantasy with a side order of dark humour.

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

I will admit straight out that it's the cover of Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia that had me pick up the book. That. Art. Though I'm somewhat fatigued by vampires in standard urban fantasy settings, what had me keen to dip into Moreno-Garcia's writing was the setting, as well as a dip into a culture vastly different from my own. I will also admit that I played an inordinate amount of Vampire: The Masquerade as a young adult, so everything about the book's premise tickled me.

The story itself isn't all that complex – a vampire on the run, Atl, meets up with an unhoused young man, Domingo, and together the two of them form an unlikely alliance as she does her best to get out of Mexico City. For Reasons. I'm not going to get spoilery.

The two couldn't be more different from each other, and yet somehow Domingo in his naïveté creeps past Atl's defences. With them, we explore a dark, gritty urban setting that feels almost dystopian, drawing on Mexico's complicated history and social discourses. I like also that Moreno-Garcia has given a fresh spin to the vampire mythos, drawing on deeply rooted Meso-American mythology but blending in transplanted European notes to create a heady mix of cultures.

The pacing balances moments of quieter introspection with bursts of action, so I'd probably put this novel in the category of supernatural thriller. Overall, a wonderful read that has placed Moreno-Garcia firmly on a "yes, I'll pick up her other books when I see them in the wild" list.

Inkommers deur Hans du Plessis

Ek het geweet van die begin af dat ek vir Inkommers deur Hans du Plessis sou geniet, en al is dit 'n storie van 'n plek, is dit ook meestal 'n storie van die mense wie daar woon. Van die wat behoort, of sou ek liewers sê voel dit is hulle geboortereg teenoor die wat wat buite die kring is, so te sê. Daar is nogtans baie karakters, en partykeer het ek hulle 'n bietjie verwar. Die konkels in al die kleiner stories raak nogtans gekompliseerd.

Maar Du Plessis se taalgebruik is uitstekend. Kyk, ek is 'n Kaapenaar, en was maar baie selde annerkant die Vaalrivier, so ek ken nie hierdie wêreld nie. Dat ek so mooi 'n prentjie in my geheue kon kry sê maar baie van hoe goed hierdie man kan skrywe. En dis amper asof ek sit en luister op die stoep terwyl hy so gesels oor 'n koppie moerkoffie en beskuit – sulke lekker skinnerstories. En ek hoor sommer die tortelduiwe in die doringboom...

Die hart van die roman is sy mense – hoe dinge in 'n gemeenskap verander ... en maar partykeer ook net dieselfde bly. Mense is maar, mense, en hulle is dikwels vol draadwerk. Identiteit, eienaarskap... Waar 'n mens sy hart tuismaak. Dis moeilik om hierdie boek te klassifiseer, maar hy was definitief 'n lekker leesboek.

PS, verskoon asseblief my Afrikaans – ek probeer om 'n bietjie meer my taal te beoefen, en ek is maar baie verengels en sukkel met my woordeskat.

Cassiel's Servant by Jacqueline Carey

I've been a huge fan of Jacqueline Carey's writing since basically forever, and fell irrevocably in love with courtesan and spy Phèdre nó Delaunay the instant I read Kushiel's Dart. These days I suspect the books will likely fall under the banner of romantasy, but this was fantasy romance way before that term was every coined. I've been wanting to return to this alternative historical fantasy setting for years, so when Carey announced that she was writing the story from Joscelin's point of view, I was all over it.

Oh, Joscelin. [swoons]

If you know, you know.

Joscelin is a warrior-monk sworn to celibacy, so it's easy to imagine that he's less than thrilled when he's tasked with minding a courtesan, of all people. And Phèdre has a habit of finding herself in the midst of all manner of intrigue. As if her sensuality wasn't enough to drive the poor dear man to distraction.

I still intend to read the first three books back to back again. What I love about Carey's writing is that it's lush, filled with twisty intrigue, and plenty of sensuality that doesn't override the plot. She's built a fascinating alternative to Europe here that strikes me as having an almost gothic-baroque feel to it, for lack of better description.

Alexandre Dumas might be frowning at me right now. I don't care. This has the flavour of one of his stories, but with a bit more spice and less waffling.

At any rate, I remain forever one of Carey's minions, and the world of Terre' d'Ange will never lose its glamour for me. Horribly biased, I know, but I will always recommend these books.

The Pagan World by Hans-Friedrich Mueller

I'm a huge fan of The Great Courses series of lectures that are available on Audible – they most certainly tickle my need for tertiary education while also providing me with a valuable source of research for my own world building as a fantasy author. The Pagan World – Ancient Religions Before Christianity by Hans-Friedrich Mueller is a hefty offering of lectures that covers a range of ancient civilisations, including ancient Egypt, India, Mesopotamia, Greece, and of course, Rome.

Perhaps the most important part of this lecture, I feel, goes to show how embedded the ancient religious practises were in the state. Having been raised in a primarily Christian community as the default setting, it was good for me to gain an appreciation of the structure of non-Christian religions within a functioning society – especially in terms of the law and morality. It's also fascinating to see how modern religions have been shaped by those that have gone before, and how even if the religions change, there's much that stays the same. Funny that...

Mueller structures his lectures with impeccable detail, including speculation about the various mystery cults, divination (I found the discussion on augury fascinating). Some might find him a bit long-winded, but I stepped away from this feeling highly enriched. I recommend this to anyone who wants a slightly deeper dive that will help understand the mind of ancient humans while offering a broader historical context for Indo-European culture.

Siren's Call (the Doomsday Cycle Book 1) by TJJ Klamvik

I find these days that not much in terms of the premises for science fiction will draw me in – possibly because in real time, things are speeding up so fast with current affairs that I'm often cognisant of the fact that SF can easily become dated. As an author myself, I know this all too well. But TJJ Klamvik caught my attention with Siren's Call, and held it, which despite it being a rather long work, is something. 

This is a book that has somewhat of an identity crisis, which – hear me out – is likely its strength. The big takeaway that I had reading the thing from cover to cover is that it's really three, loosely interlinked, standalone novels rolled up in one, with chapters alternating between the three point-of-view characters – hardbitten police detective Adelia Duarte, special ops soldier Sergeant Marshal Jones, and somewhat jaded politician Justynia Freid.

As the three narratives unfold, readers are given a Bladerunner-esque noir detective story, a top-secret military recon mission on a deserted planet, and a gradually unfolding diplomatic disaster – all while wondering how the heck this all ties in together. Which made for some interesting reading. And I quite loved the contrasts, trying to figure out what exactly Klamvik had in mind.

Of course, I'm not going to spoil. What I will say is that Klamvik tells a darned fine story, delivering plenty of social commentary that is relevant for all the nonsense currently going on in the world. Yes, this is a long work. It may possibly have benefited from a little more snip-snippety-snip during edits, but even the length of the novel didn't put me off, as there was always something of interest (I'm a veteran of greats like CJ Cherryh, Mary Gentle, Kate Elliott, et al, so word counts don't scare me.) And, while none of the characters were particularly likeable to me, they held my interest because they're relatable. I respect an author who can manage that.

The narrative is simultaneously deeply personal while dealing with earth-shattering events, in terms of what's going on in the wider world, so there's quite a bit of depth and breadth, which I appreciate. Also, I dig that Klamvik doesn't do any hand-holding. You're in the deep end with this one, baby, and without floaty armbands. I like SF that does that.

The Collapsing Empire (The Interdependency #1) by John Scalzi

This is my introduction to John Scalzi's writing. I've been following him awhile now on social media, and I gel with his vibe, so it was good to get to see what he's writing is all about. The Collapsing Empire is a fine case of space opera, if this is something that you're in the mood for, and it it's fast-paced and absurdly funny. Of course this does mean that the characterisation falls a little by the wayside, but it's more the biting social commentary that kept me going.

The premise is simple – in a hyper-capitalistic society that is spread out across the stars, it stands to reason that being able to reach the most far-flung parts of the empire and communicate is rather important. It would be a pity if the method of transport through a figurative hyper-space were to fail...

But this is exactly what is happening, and those who control the information have a leg up on those who don't, and how they choose to deploy any advantage they have in the matter will of course send the story spiralling into all manner of directions.

Scalzi is witty, a keen observer of society and human nature, and for those reasons alone he's a treat to read. There's a kind of wry, acerbic wit imbued in some of the situations that had me smirking to myself while I read. 

We see this story from the point of view of three characters – a reluctant absolute ruler, a scientist who says it like it is, and a scion of a powerful trading family. All will be affected once the Flow implodes, and the society that everyone has, up until now, taken for granted and milked for riches without much though to the consequences, is coming to an end. Which is kinda prescient for what we're facing at present.

Alta (Dragon Jousters #2) by Mercedes Lackey

Look, complex litfantasy this is not, but as always, what I am appreciating about Mercedes Lackey's writing is that sometimes you just need straight-up, uncomplicated escapism. And her love for animals – and the care of her made-up dragons – shines through in the writing. Yes, there are some absolute coincidences that drive the plot forward, with Vetch/Kiron being in the right place at the right time, but honestly, I'm here for the dragons and the nod at ancient Egyptian themes that run throughout the world building.

Book two sees Kiron establish himself in Alta after fleeing from enslavement in Tia with his dragon Avatre. But all is not well in his homeland, as he discovers, and despite the prestige he has managed to garner, thanks to his relationship with Avatre – a tame dragon as opposed to the ones that artificially subdued so that they can bear riders – he needs to overthrow an insidious horror threatening the very fabric of his home before they can deal with the threat posed by the belligerent Tians.

Yeah, some of the world building is a little on the nose, as if Lackey has only slightly polished off the names and gods of ancient Egypt, and yeah, the characterisation and plotting is somewhat on the surface, but I'm still sufficiently engaged with the story. It's fun. It's light. And it has dragon-flavoured adventure. Bite me.

The Week in Review – May 31, 2025

It's finally cold enough that I'm sitting here in a hoodie and bundled up in a blanket. I'm trying to avoid turning on the heater quite yet because electricity is expensive, and I try to save the heater for once the sun goes down.

Yesterday was kinda awesome in that I trusted my gut and got out of my comfort zone. I had somewhat of a torrid week with deadlines from my UK-based publisher I'm a mouse-monkey for. I suspect many of the production controllers all want to go on summer vacation, so they've been hitting me with a pile of work with tight deadlines. Which I did get finished, but man oh man, I was pretty crispy afterwards, and it was straight to Club Duvet and a spin with DJ Pillow for me Friday night. 

I had a friend visiting from the UK, whom I've not seen in two years, and I was so tempted to cancel – primarily because seeing him would involve driving 'over the mountain' as we here in the far south peninsula call the trek to get anywhere near the city proper. Which I wasn't certain I could bear.

But I'm glad I went – because honestly, we don't know when we'll see people we connect with again. Our generation is reaching that age where people are starting to shuffle off this mortal coil. And even if we met at The Forrester's Arms in Newlands, which is totally *not* my scene, it ended up really quite pleasant even if the place was somewhat noisy and crowded. The last time I was there was more than a decade ago. So, yesterday, I had two zero beers, and additionally reconnected with another very distant connection I hadn't seen since my late teens/early twenties.

I often reflect on the meaning hiraeth in a broader context outside of Wales, and the location in question is a property in Rosebank that was for two years of my life a hub around which I orbited. Some good memories in that old Victorian home. Some sad ones, too. But I prefer to cling to the memories of the library, the lovely garden with its chameleons, the old magnolia tree. And of course the tragedy of an ill-starred young adult romance which I try to put behind me because honestly, some of the shit I pulled was so fucking cringe I'm cringing writing this. 

I'm a very different person from the person I was back then, and I suspect if present Nerine could meet past-Nerine she'd give her a rather stern talking-to that past-Nerine would promptly ignore and do all those stupid things anyway. Because I was an idiot. I probably still am an idiot, but in different ways. At least I've stopped drinking a hundred years ago, so there's that. I'm a much better person to be around now than I was back then.

The scary-cool thing was realising that my gut feeling to go out yesterday had been right all along, because that connection with past friends was really awesome – meeting with people who might be on a very similar wavelength even if they come from a vastly different background. And of course realising that my long-term, long-distance friendship with my friend from the UK means so much to both of us. Especially in a world gone crazy. Who knows when we'll see each other again. What matters is that deep-rooted affection that is still present.

Cherish the people you love. Don't be afraid to push outside of your usual comfort zone even if you are feeling a bit crispy. These moments matter.

Bloody Parchment update

So, things are moving along with Bloody Parchment's next anthology. I've just paid a deposit for the amazing Mike Tenebrae, a wonderful South African illustrator with a love for horror and fantasy art, to have carte blanche when it comes to what we'll see on our wraparound cover. I'm very excited to see what he will come up. This is the part of making books that I love – collaborating with and supporting other artists, thereby giving them a platform for their work. This year we're also partnering with a local publisher to do a small local print run that will hopefully see the book available in store, too. So more on that later.

ZamaShort "Summer"

It's been a while since I've had a short story out, and I am so pleased to have worked with editor and publisher Ivor Hartmann on "Summer" a story that is quite dear to my heart as it's inspired by an actual event (not the hanging, that is, but the chance meeting of an old friend after she'd left school). I still wonder what happened to her.

From ZamaShort:

In the far future on the outer reaches of the great space diaspora Hannali toils daily under alien skies on their farm. On a break into town she spots Summer, a childhood friend, on a scaffold waiting to be hanged...

What ensues is a touching tale of choices made, different paths taken, bonds formed and broken, what makes us who we are, and how we travel through life.

The ZamaShort imprint series is solely focused on the amazing powerhouse that is the short story. We give each short story its own publication so that it may be read and enjoyed fully as a stand-alone publication. As per the StoryTime Publishing mandate initialised in 2007, ZamaShort continues to champion and add to the ever-growing canon of African literature excellence and diversity. 

Get it here: Amazon US (Also: UK, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, JP, BR, CA, MX, AU, IN); Libby; Apple;  Barnes & Noble; Kobo; Smashwords; Fable; Thalia; Vivlio; Angus and Robertson.

Review copies available on request, or if you have any questions, please contact: zama1short@gmail.com

Mini Review – Cast Long Shadows by Cat Hellisen

Okay, so just a disclaimer – Cat has for many years been one of my closest writing friends. They were incredibly formative for me, having taught me much in terms of the art and craft of storytelling and style right at the beginning when I had absolutely no frigging idea what I was doing. I remain forever indebted to their guidance (and patience). And every time I read one of their books, I reman in awe (and some small part of me despairs for I shall never measure up to their incredible talent).

That Cast Long Shadows is not spoken about more often is an absolute travesty.

Although I own a signed copy, I opted to access this story via my Audible subscription, which was fan-fucking-tastic. The voice artist, Cathleen McCarron, is phenomenal in terms of the immense dynamic range of the characterisation she delivers that drives the narration, and combined with the lush, image-laden prose, is an absolute cherry on the entire deal. I could listen to her read Wikipedia entries about particle physics and probably be enthralled.

Cat's gonna murgle me for saying this, but if I had to describe this story in a nutshell, it's basically Game of Thrones mashed with Downton Abbey, by way of Snow White. (Sorry, Cat!) But it's so much more than that. The imagery, the prose, the slow-moving drama that culminates with incredible beauty and cruelty – and mercy – means that this book is going to stay with me for a very long time.

Honestly, I'm totally reccing this book to absolutely EVERYONE. It's about women's power and magic within a patriarchal world, and of course mysteries and secrets.

Where I'm at write now... 

I'm at that weird stage where I'm waiting for my publisher to greenlight the outline for my Scatterlings of Fate series. I must've spent about two months writing an outline of more than 7,000 words and creating its accompanying two-page tabled outline detailing the chronology of events so that I know where all the characters are at all times.

I know this sounds a little excessive, but when there's money involved, and an entire five-book series was sold based on the strength of book one, it's my responsibility as an author to make fucking certain that this story is functional and that my publisher knows exactly what I'll be delivering. And when, of course. I have five years to write this. So I got this.

Then, other than that, I've got two short stories to write – one due at the end of June, the other halfway through July. The second is really exciting – I'm collaborating with a scientist to write speculative fiction around the ethics of de-extinction and the impact of fortressing in conservation on the communities affected by land usage. The first is already plotted out – and it's a kinda dystopian eco-punk story inspired by a folk tale about a woman who puts on her husband's clothing and goes to rescue him.

And then, of course, I'm nearly done writing book five of a nine- or ten-book series for my ghost-writing client. It's been wild, I tell you. Wild. Don't ask me where I find the time for all this. I honestly couldn't tell you. 

The Week in Review, May 25, 2025

It's very much been a butt on seat, fingers on keyboard kinda week, but I can honestly say that I love what I do for a living, be it editing, layout, writing, quality assurance, or coaching. My day is never dull. I have seen a shift in my general income sources over the past two years where I'm getting more work that's not graphics-related. Which was always one of my goals, since I've maintained I'm not a natural when it comes to graphic design. I far prefer layout, in any case. There're some pretty exciting projects on the boil, one of which is related to Bloody Parchment, in which we'll be partnering with a local publisher and another bit of traction with a long-term ghost-writing project I've been on about, where I'm also starting to reach a point with a project where we need a publisher on board to handle all the back-end stuff I don't want to handle on behalf of my client.

I'm a weird one in that I exist at an intersection of not one but three skills sets – graphics, writing, and editing – and I don't think there are many folks who present, as one of my mentors said to me, a triple threat. Gosh. I like that. I'll have that, thanks. I blame the decade I spent in newspaper publishing, where we sub-editors had to develop those skills in our department. Or, rather, I was one of the subs who had the opportunity to do so, because for many years I was doing page layouts, writing editorial, and editing/proofreading the other subs' work.

Things look very different today. As a freelancer, I do graphics and marketing communications for a big pet food brand; quality assurance, alt text writing, and audiobook PDFs for a multinational publisher; ghostwriting; editing for independent publishers and authors; and coaching for writers. And of course, my own writing, which unfortunately does tend to take a back seat. My days are never dull, and while things do occasionally get a bit hairy when I need to meet deadlines, I wouldn't trade in career path for anything. I am constantly stimulated, and my work is often very different. One moment I'm editing a dark, gothic romance; the next I'm working on a product catalogue for pet food.

Moon Knight – a mini review

This week, I heard that Amazon canned The Wheel of Time, yet another series that has bitten the dust. I admit that I hadn't gotten around to watching it, but from what I heard, folks were enjoying it. Another series that got canned that I am sorry won't see another season is Marvel's Moon Knight starring Oscar Isaac, May Calamawy, and Ethan Hawke. I finished watching it last night, and despite the butchering of ancient Egyptian mythology, I did rather enjoy it.

There was certainly enough humour and plenty of mind-bending magical weirdness to keep me happy. Honestly, it felt like the kind of unhinged world building that had me writing my Those Who Return duology, Inkarna and Thanatos back in the day. It did get me thinking on what a fertile, underutilised mythology we have in ancient Egypt – however I suppose it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Moon Knight predictably plays loose and fast with ancient Egypt. It grated a little seeing Khonsu depicted rather as a raven instead of hawk-headed entity. Tawaret was a delight, and I was kinda missing Anubis or even Thoth. Hells, it would have been great to see Bast and Sekhmet, too, but I guess they might've made an appearance later, had the bean-counters not decided the series was not popular enough. The overall production design was lovely – and for once they seemed to have set decoration that wasn't too far off from what would come across as authentic. And yeah, it would have been great to see more of an Egyptian superhero for a change. May Calamawy was a delight as Layla, and I think given more screen time, could really have come into her own. Oscar playing opposite himself to depict the characters Stephen and Marc was nothing short of brilliant, and Ethan Hawke as the rather creepy Arthur Harrow did good, too.

Community

Honesty, I've been operating in a state of poorly contained rage and helplessness the past two weeks. I see what's happening in Gaza or listen to the absolute garbage the Tangerine Palpatine is spouting about South Africa... Or then speak to friends in the creative industry who've seen a significant downturn in work as more and more companies and clients resort to using generative AI for their needs. 

My only thought at present is that we need to stand together as communities. Whether it's sponsoring the educational needs of a child in the townships or donating to Gift of the Givers ... or simply paying your workers better wages. The point is that we do something that will benefit communities rather than enriching a few tech billionaires who already have more fancy yacht money than they know what to do with in a hundred lifetimes. Dog knows waiting for government to pull their thumbs out of their fat fannies is an exercise in futility. 

I guess this is why I'm so passionate about sticking it to the establishment in my industry (media, publishing). This week I saw that a major South African publisher is now releasing all its romance titles with generative AI images on the covers. It makes me wonder how soon they'll be releasing books under author name brands that have been wholly written by ChatGPT. Because if they don't have to pay those pesky creatives for their time, then hey, let's cut corners. I'm certainly not ever going to consider them as a potential publisher now. 

As creatives, we were only useful so long as they could scrape our work to train the machine. Now they don't need us anymore.

So, once nearly all the jobs out there are automated, where does that leave the majority of the humans on this planet? Who's going to buy all these products that the capitalists are trying to sell if most of us don't even have two rands to rub together to pay for a roof over our heads? With students using ChatGPT to write their assignments, and teachers using ChatGPT to grade assignments and create lesson plans, is this all just going to become a case of machines talking to machines while humans do WHAT exactly? 

Anyhow, this is my call for you to look around you, see where you can affect positive change in a world. Don't let the bastards lie to you and tell you this is all inevitable. It's only inevitable if you lie down and accept it.

Ancient Egyptian Magic by Bob Brier

As part of my ongoing research for my intentions to eventually write something with fantasy elements set in actual ancient Egypt I reckoned this would be a good jumping off point. Granted, I did read the well-known EA Wallis Budge book eons ago, so I thought I'd mix it up and give Bob Brier's Ancient Egyptian Magic a spin. I certainly found Brier more friendly than Wallis Budge, and if anyone has an academic interest in how the ancient Egyptians viewed magic, then Brier's book is great place to start.

Something that can be said for the Brier is that his writing is accessible, and he gives a broad overview of not only the different methods but also gives a basic crash course on ancient Egyptian culture while he's at it – you can't really dig into the magical practices at least without some idea of the history behind it.

If something needs to be understood about ancient Egypt is that magic – and the practising thereof – was intrinsically embedded in the day to day. Doctors, priests, and magicians used amulets, spells, wax figures. Perhaps the most well known were the shabti figures that represented a pharaoh's servants in the afterlife – little statues that would come to life in the afterlife and serve the dead pharaoh so that he would not have to lift a finger after death. The gods themselves, practised magic in the stories – it was as natural as breathing. Great store was put in dreams, too, with some days considered more portentous than others.

Of course, there is also the famous Egyptian Book of the Dead which was not one book, as one might expect of say, the Christian bible, but rather a varying collection of spells to protect the deceased created specifically for individual folks – so the spells collated in each 'book' would vary from deceased to deceased. Brier also looks at how these books started as texts found in burial places – the Pyramid Texts – and eventually became inscribed on coffins and then scrolls.

This is a vast subject, and while this book does not represent a deep dive, it is still a useful jumping-off point that gives essential points that can be used for further study. In terms of the amount of study and research I've done over the decades, I didn't cover any new ground here, but what I read here put much into order, which I appreciated – so this is an excellent refresher. While the copy I read I accessed through a library, I've put the book on order for my permanent collection.

The Week in Review – May 17, 2025

Buckle up, babes, it's going to be a long one. I didn't post last week because I went to the Overberg to visit my mum in Swellendam for Mother's Day. She's pretty much the only family I have left that I'm related to by blood that I still see or speak to, so it's kinda important for me to get out to see her. I love that stretch of road driving up – the Overberg is incredibly pretty, no matter the time of year. One of our favourite stops is at the Ou Meul bakery in Riviersonderend. We usually buy some of their famous pies en route home so that we can have extra gastric upsets after a day of eating stuff we oughtn't at our age.

Locus finalist, my dearests

So, last week I discovered that the very awesomesauce academic book in which I contributed a chapter has been made a finalist in the non-fiction category in this year's Locus Awards. Afro-Centered Futurisms in Our Speculative Fiction, Eugen Bacon, ed. (Bloomsbury Academic) is a fascinating deep dive into identity and the role speculative fiction plays in expressions of African culture. I'm absolutely thrilled, of course. The African speculative community is one that I'm championing, as I believe that we offer important insights to counter the traditional West-centric narrative that dominates much of the publishing industry.

South African Horrorfest Bloody Parchment Short Story Competition winners

And the, staying with speculative fiction, quite recently I decided to limit the South African Horrorfest Bloody Parchment Short Story Competition to African writers only, which does mean that we receive fewer entries. However I am adamant that we need to grow our offering as African writers. There is enough happening in the world at large for Western writers. So, I am pleased to announce the results for the 2024 competition: Xan van Rooyen for their winning story "Splinters of the Schism". Runners-up are Brett Rex Bruton for "The Hand on the Door" and Dera Udochukwu for "Alkaline Water". Do go check out more at the Bloody Parchment blog.

On Voetsekkers, and why their attitude sucks balls

By now, most folks watching the news will have heard about what we here in South Africa are now calling The Great Tsek (IYKYK). Forty-nine Afrikaners took the Naartjie Emperor up on his offer to claim refugee status in the US, on the pretext that there's allegedly a 'white genocide' happening in South Africa and that white people's land is being taken away from them.

This is all while an actual genocide is happening in Gaza, and millions of brown people who are actual refugees are being deported or refused aid, so that 49 smug, privileged and somewhat well-fed white South Africans can get a fresh start. This makes me incandescent, in addition to the blatant lies the Tangerine Palpatine has been spouting to mainstream media. Stuff that is patently untrue.

Here are the facts. There is NO WHITE GENOCIDE in South Africa. White people's land is not being taken away from them en masse. The problems we are facing affect ALL South Africans, regardless of colour or creed.

“Whites are far less likely to be murdered than their black or coloured counterparts,” Lizette Lancaster, who manages the Institute for Security Studies crime and justice hub, told Africa Check. This is supported by an analysis of a national sample of 1,378 murder dockets conducted by police in 2009.  In 86.9% of the cases, the victims were Africans. Whites accounted for 1.8% of the cases (although whites make up 8.85% of the population). (Are SA whites really being killed 'like flies'? Why Steve Hofmeyr is wrong, Africa Check 2013)

It's a grim picture, and in a decade, not much has changed in South Africa. In fact, according to data.worldbank.org the murder rate has spiked in rent years to 42 per 100,000 people in recent years. Which fucking sucks, to put it mildly. 

So, what to do about it? Firstly, instead of pandering to the politicians over the pond and our home-grown idiots, who seek to divide and destabilise us with their racist, bigoted ideas, we need to stand together. We are, first and foremost, South Africans, regardless of colour or creed. While I acknowledge that I, as a white South African, benefited from apartheid and continue to do so courtesy of the head start I had in life, I can also aim to do better than my ancestors who supported racist institutions that assisted in the wholesale systemic oppression and dehumanisation of the majority of dark-skinned Africans.

Which means that when I do see people pulling any BS strategies, I can use my position of privilege to call out their nonsense. I can pay my workers a better wage than most. I can sponsor their children's educational needs. I can assist with large expenses when I have the spare resources. These are small things, but they make a huge difference in the lives assisted.

South Africa is not all wine and roses. There's a lot that is wrong here. We have unacceptably high rates of unemployment and violence. Even though we transitioned to a true and robust democracy in 1994 without the benefit of a civil war (and that's a fucking miracle in and of itself) our politicians are... to put it mildly, either grossly incompetent or disgustingly self-serving and corrupt. There are certainly a few good ones in among the lot, but I can imagine that their work is often hampered by the numpties. We need to hold those numpties accountable for their actions (or inaction), and we need to work harder to foster a country where education, housing, healthcare, and job creation number among priorities where taxpayers' money is spent wisely.

I spoke to an elder in my community this week, and she said something that was profound. And I'm going to paraphrase here. She said, there are two types of South Africans, those who live in fear and those who live in love. Which South African are you?

So, instead of fear, where I allow myself to be manipulated by the likes of Afriforum and Magat frothings, I give myself over to love – love for the land, its people, and a future here. It's not easy. I admit that I am, as always, hyper vigilant. Violence and crime are a reality here that I will not sweep under the rug. I am privileged to live in a small, peaceful but tight-knit community far south on the urban fringe. More often than not, it feels like a small rural dorpie rather than a community encapsulated within the embrace of one of South Africa's major cities.

I do what I can, with the resources that are available to me and with the skills I can donate, to build rather than tear down. And wherever you are, I challenge you to do the same. If you can't change the awfulness of the big picture, then work where you can. Because dog knows we're going to need our neighbours in the years ahead.

Mini Review – The African Baobab by Rupert Watson

I love baobabs. I grew a few from seed when I was younger, and a few years ago, when I was on a media visit to Zambia (a beautiful country which I totally recommend you go visit if you're planning a trip) I got to see that typical view of Africa with its red earth, big trees, and small round huts clustered in tiny villages in rural areas. This beautiful book is a must-have for anyone who loves these majestic trees. Watson not only gives an overview of the tree's iconic status in history, but also discusses its importance within the landscape – the tree itself providing food and shelter to many species. He also looks at the importance of the tree on a cultural level and touches on its future (which is, predictably, vulnerable if not threatened). Although it's a concise book, it offers a wonderful, thought-provoking dive into the life and magic of this amazing denizen of our natural world, with lovey photos accompanying it.

Local is lekker when it comes to stories

With the general enshittification of publishing and the insidious creep of the technocapitalists into the wholesale destruction of All The Nice things, I'd like to remind you that South Africa has some amazing small presses that are doing the Muses' work. This is a shout-out to Karavan Press, Modjaji Books, and Mirari Press. If you're looking for quality, home-grown literature, do visit their sites and support them directly. I do believe that some of them offer loyalty or subscription programmes, which is a way that you can directly become a patron of the arts and help platform voices we need to hear.

De Zoon van Dik Trom door Cornelis Johannes Kieviet

Ik ben bezig met het leren spreken en schrijven van Nederlands, dus vergeef me alstublieft de fouten in mijn spelling en grammatica. Ik heb dit boek op mijn Kindle-app gedownload, en gekozen als het eerste boek dat ik zou proberen te lezen. Dit is het verhalenbundel over het leven in een klein stadje en de energie waarmee een kleine jongen in de problemen komt met zijn vriendin. Dit boek is licht leesbaar en gemakkelijk te gebruiken voor mensen die de taal aan het leren zijn.

The Lakota Way: Stories and Lessons for Living by Joseph M. Marshall III

I've grown quite fond of Joseph M Marshall's voice and writing, and The Lakota Way is one of the titles that I accessed through my Audible subscription that gave me much pleasure – and much to chew on in terms of how to consider life and living. And it's most certainly a book that I need to get a hard copy of in my library at some point.

Perhaps what I appreciate the most of Marshall's writing is his empathy – not only towards other people and the environment, but also empathy and kindness towards self. Yet he also does not shy away from discussing topics that are painful, and he does so within the framework that allows you to pause and reflect. 

Marshall effortlessly blends his people's cultural stories and history with his own experiences in a rich tapestry that is full of wisdom and quiet reflection – something that I feel we need, and that serves as a reason to engage more fully with ourselves, our motivations, and how we can approach navigating a world that is increasingly filled with callousness and cruelty.

I also feel that this book is suited to those who wish to engage with philosophical concepts in a way that is approachable and easy to understand – a good starting point for further reading. The Lakota Way is a book that asks you to sit still by the fire and listen. And after listening, find ways to move forward in the world with a softer touch.

The Week in Review – May 3, 2025

It was Cape Town Comic Con weekend, and as always, it was a bundle of fun. This was my third time speaking on panels, and yesterday (May 2) I was on a panel with Sam Wilson, Masha du Toit, and Shreya la Cock, all talking about the challenges that SFF authors face in South Africa. As someone who's been in the trenches since the mid-2000s, I can honestly say it's wonderful to see that newer authors are making waves despite the lack of will from the large traditional publishers in this country. Opportunities abound that were not available back in the day when I was a relative unknown. Not only can indie authors now get their books into major South Africa retailers but they are being recognised by institutions such as Comic Con. Also, we have robust small publishers like Mirari Press now looking to fill the gap for quality SFF in southern Africa where the big players are relaying on imports instead of developing local voices. Which we have. In abundance. 

Sam Wilson, Nerine Dorman, Shreya la Cock & Masha du Toit

I hope that we, as South African SFF authors, can change this mindset local readers have that all South African fiction is just about a limited set of topics. I recall walking into the main bookselling area of a big literary festival a few years ago, and the books that were promoted front and centre mostly related to politics, sports celebrity, and crime. South Africa is so much more than that.

Likeable or relatable? What's in a character?

So, this is a debate I've seen doing the rounds on social media a bit, and I felt I need to weigh in. I've seen so many readers give novels poor reviews because the characters are unlikeable. I get it that we often read because we'd like to project ourselves into a world, to escape aspects of our own that we don't like, so if a character doesn't match our own preferences, it's easy to not like them. I can think of a bunch of characters I don't like. Off the top of my head, there's Anakin Skywalker. He's an entitled little prat for quite a few of the movies, and then he becomes the dark lord himself. He kills countless people. He's cruel. He's petty. And yet, right at the end, he has that glimmer of goodness that redeems him and tips the balance of an entire saga. I find him fascinating. I don't want to be Anakin, but I do love watching character arcs like this. If I take an example from literary fiction, Holden Caulfield annoys the ever-loving crap out of me, and I'll likely not reread The Catcher in the Rye again unless it's for any tertiary studies I might do. But Holden still makes for an interesting character worth discussing.

The crux of the matter is that characters have quirks. I consider how my views on Cathy and Heathcliff and their support cast have changed since the first time I read Wuthering Heights at age 14. As a teen, I felt they were wonderfully tragic. As a middle-aged adult I want to slap some sense into them. When you write characters, write to provoke. To make memorable characters. In a world of Bella Swans rather write a Circe Lannister.

Reviews to make authors purr

I had such a wonderful batch of reviews for The Company of Birds this week after the Instagram readalong. 

Mr Pink Ink writes, The pacing of the novel does require patience, especially in the first half, where much of the world-building takes place. However, once the story gains momentum, the payoff is immense. The depth of the world, combined with Dorman’s lyrical prose, makes for a read that lingers in the mind long after the final page.

Riley Herbert-Henry writes over at Goodreads, Nerine Dorman’s prose is elegant and lyrical. She conjures worlds that are rich and vivid and otherworldly. Her characters are flawed and deeply human. You feel with them, ache with them, route for them. Dorman manages to find the perfect balance between working with introspective character monologues and high-stakes conflict, all while asking difficult moral questions.

Do go pick up your copy direct from the Mirari Press website.

Mini Review: Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

I purchased a copy of this book a hundred gazillion years ago when the publisher was having a massive sale, and it's been languishing far too long on my Kindle. I'm so glad that I gave it a spin, because it turns out that Eames' writing is exactly what I needed this past while. The premise of the novel is simple – in a world where monster-hunting mercenary bands are treated with the same awe as rockstars, a band has a reunion and goes on a not-so-merry adventure to rescue the daughter of one of the members.

At times absurd, playing with all the well-worn fantasy tropes and at times having quite serious social commentary to make (I'll give a hint, the bad guys are not simply the bad guys for the reason of being bad), this epic saga is at times funny in an almost Pratchettesque way but also goes to some dark places. It's a perfect blend of action adventure and humour in a fantasy setting, and I'm immediately jumping into book two. I've heard through the grapevine that book three is in the works.

You're not pizza – a healthy attitude to bleh reviews

One of the things I've learnt over the years is that I'm not pizza. Not everyone's going to enjoy my writing. It might be a pacing issue. It might be an unlikeable character. Hell, it might even be the subject matter. Whatever it is, I'm not going to please everyone, and I'm okay with that. That doesn't mean that those bleh reviews don't sting. But here's my advice to any author who's received that first lukewarm-yet-stinging two- or three-star review. Or heaven forbid, a genuine one-star DNF stinker. 

Here's what you do: I want you to think of the most recent novel you read that you absolutely adored, that felt as if it was written just for you. Go to Goodreads or Amazon, and go look at all the reviews for that novel that are three stars or less. There. Do you feel so bad about your own writing?

This is a subjective business. That is one truth I've seen again and again in the decades that I've been seeing my stories wander off into the wide world.

Unconquerable Sun (The Sun Chronicles #1) by Kate Elliott

We need to pause a moment to talk about Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott. We also need to talk about why we don't get more readers of SFF dropping her name. I've been meaning to return to Kate's writing for years now and had dipped into her Crown of Stars series half a million years ago. So it's been high time for me to return to her writing – especially since I appreciate what she has to share on social media. 

I must also add that I'm vastly fascinated by the story of Alexander the Great, so when Kate first started mentioning that she was writing a gender-bent Alexander the Great space opera, I perked up my ears. And while I did pick this title up as an ebook, I ended up listening to the audiobook via my Audible subscription rather. And wow, what a ride.

First off – Kate does world building that's second to none. And at the start it might be a little overwhelming to figure out who's who and what's what, but I can promise you, she rewards patient readers. 

We follow the doings of Princess Sun, who's a promising military commander, save that she has a temper and she's chafing at being held back by her mother, the great Queen-Marshal Eirene. And though Sun might be the heir to her mother's power, things are not all plain sailing. Not only is the republic facing a threat from the outside, there are machiavellian political manoeuvrings from within, too – perhaps even from Sun's closest and most trusted companions. 

In an action-packed caper that never allows the characters (or readers) to get complacent or comfortable, we follow Sun as she keeps on the go – and there is a lot of action. Enough for me to want to go back to read the actual book instead of listening to the audiobook, as there's quite a lot I suspect I missed the first time around. And there is most certainly A LOT going on in this book. And it's very different from what I experienced with the Crown of Stars which, if I recall, got quite esoteric at times.

As for the Asian elements brought in – as an African, familiar more with Western and African elements in my fiction, I am not going to delivery commentary in that regard. All I'll say is that I enjoyed the non-US/West-centric flavouring and leave it to Asian folks to comment on that side of things.

So, did I enjoy this epic? I will admit it took me about a quarter of the novel to get invested, but once I was, I was fully on board. Yes, the cast is large. Yes, it's likely difficult to give enough of the characters airtime, and there's also no spoon feeding. The pace is relentless, the mood more action-orientated than cerebral. And I immediately got the audiobook for the book two when it came out – so that says something. Now, if I could only make the time to listen to the darned thing.

This one may well appeal to Trekkies who want a world that's broad in scope, with plenty of action to keep them turning the pages. 

The Week in Review – April 27, 2025

Yesterday ended up being far too weird and exhaustapating, so I simply didn't have the spoons for blogging. As I'm writing today, it once again feels somewhat like a warzone. The mountain is burning over at the Silvermine/Tokai side, so we have choppers and spotter planes, and emergency notifications about staying off the mountain. For the most, our air has been good but now the wind has shifted, so we're starting to smell smoke. The light outside has taken on a brassy quality that triggers some vague mammalian reflex to panic. But I have faith in our firefighters and disaster management, and the fire is far away enough that I'm not concerned. 

Ghosts from my past

I've been thinking about some of my older books that came out in the 2000s and early 2010s. Particularly Raven Kin and The Guardian's Wyrd, where there is occurrence of slavery in the story. And I describe societies where this is normalised. Raven Kin specifically was set in a faux-Roman Imperial setting, where the main character is the associate of a woman who is the daughter of a slave dealer who liberates a barbarian captive, thereby inadvertently hurrying up the fall of said empire. In The Guardian's Wyrd, the main character, Jaye, does a rescue mission where he meets slaves who aren't fussed with their situation because they'd bee zicked out of worse situations on earth. Now for The Guardian's Wyrd I really feel like I need to rework that book somewhat – so I don't really promote the story much. But I'm not sure if I should take it down quite yet either, since I'm working on the sequel in fits and starts, and am thinking that when I'm ready with part two, to take book one down and smoosh both together. Then take a stronger, less measured stance from the MC's point of view. Especially considering that he's descended from people who were initially brought to the Cape as slaves. 

I need to make it quite clear – I believe slavery is abhorrent. If I write about it in my fiction, it's to highlight the awfulness of these extreme power imbalances as something that needs to be fought against tooth and nail. So when I put these themes in my novels it's to explore ideas of why it's important we should resist authoritarian regimes that disregard people's freedom – the issue of freedom being one of the most important themes in my fiction.

But that hasn't stopped me from thinking about these two books of mine and wondering if I should perhaps take down The Guardian's Wyrd for now. It's not like it's selling enough copies to warrant keeping it available. Heck, it's not even being pirated, so um, yay? I'm not mortified by the book but by the same measure, it's not exactly one that I go out of my way to recommend to others as a read. 

A few years ago when I got the rights back for Camdeboo Nights, I made the decision to not republish it myself. I instead cannibalised it for parts, so we now have Stars Don't Glitter, which is sitting with my lovely agent. I think SDG is a far tighter story that packs even more wonder and will give me far more mileage than TGW. Camdeboo Nights wasn't bad – for a novel written by a relatively inexperienced writer back in the late-2000s. But it also wasn't particularly good, if you ask me. I put too much in there that I felt would add flavour, instead of focusing on good bones. If you know, you know.

Would love to know hear your ideas about what to do with these older books.

Generative AI – it needs to be said. Again.

This week one of my clients came to me wanting to rebrand all her books with AI covers. I respectfully told her that I cannot help her – not with something that I believe is damaging the very creative industry that I rely upon for my income. I get that hiring an illustrator is expensive, but goodness gracious, you can get premade covers for as little as $99. I've seen some advertised for less. And we're talking good, quality covers that will more than sell up your novel to the right audience. Made by human beings.

This notion that we need to cut out the pesky middlemen such as artists, editors, and writers, to get to the juicy product while making huge piles of profit is so damaging to the creative process. And I'm afraid I see a greater divide between those who are chasing those profit margins vs. those of us who believe in the humanity in every step of the path to making beautiful books.

 When I appreciate art – whether it is music, a painting, sculpture, or a book – I want to feel as if I'm connecting in some way with the intentionality of the creator. We don't have that with something that is pooped out by a machine.

The bottom line is a) generative AI is built on stolen datasets, b) it's genuinely bad for the environment, and c) it's making us dumber.

Look, this is a huge discussion, but if I have to lay out the argument in very small, simple words, these are the three points I make. The next person who tells me that generative AI is "democratising art" will get a swift klap upside the head with a pap snoek. (South Africans will get that last statement.)

Robert Mapplethorpe – a mini review

A few years ago, a friend in the US made me a little happy packet with goodies in, and this wonderful large book was tucked in among all the items. At the time, my husband was still busy doing quite a bit of fetish photography, so my friend had thought we'd appreciate the book. And we did, and although I did page through the book, it went to go live on my bookshelf in the study.

Now, to rewind a smidge – I majored in photography at university, so we did at some point touch on Robert Mapplethorpe's work, and I think if we did look at some examples, they were not quite the ones that we see in this volume (!!!).  As they say, IYKYK. My suggestion is to not page through this book with anyone who is a bit sensitive about nudity and sexual imagery. 

A few years down the line, I think I have better cultural context for Mapplethorpe's work. I'm currently on a bit of a deep dive hyperfixating on Patti Smith and the milieu in which she was active, so her profound relationship with Mapplethorpe also needs to be examined. If anything, this has gotten me thinking about visual communication again, especially in terms of black-and-white photography with regards to messaging and composition. 

I started out in the dark room, and while we're spoilt for choice with our digital cameras, I do feel that we've lost something about the art of making beautiful pictures. Even the ones that come out slightly wrong.

At any rate, the essays in this book, while thought-provoking, I feel are also a bit too ... I dunno. I get impatient with folks who get all high falutin' with jargon and esoteric with how they approach descriptions of image-making. I never really was much one who was of an academic bent. But the pictures are pretty, and they are worth a hundred words.

Writing advice...

And for those who're idly curious, here's a link to a writers' workshop I hosted about worldbuilding. Enjoy!

Black Shield Maiden by Willow Smith and Jess Hendel

Look, this has been an extremely difficult review for me to write. It takes A LOT for me to DNF a book. And judging by the premise alone, I thought this book was going to be right up my alley. Which is why I initially picked it up. But I think I managed to get about 30% when I simply couldn't anymore. It was not the writing – the authors start out strong, and thorough structural edits I think this book might even have worked.

But.

It was the lack of even the slightest bit of research into world building that drove me out of my skull. I don't know if the editor was sleeping at the wheel, was simply ignored or what was going on here, but it was the factual inaccuracies that made me give up.

The first was characters travelling through the Saharan desert and picking coconuts from palm trees at oases... While coconuts do occur in Africa, thanks to global trade, they will only thrive in areas with sufficient rainfall. I did much eye-rolling. It didn't end there.

Later, the main character ends up in Scandinavia. And I mean, the premise is awesome – a young black woman, traded as a slave, finds her way to the far north where she becomes the warrior she was always dreaming of being. And that's fine. That's a fantastic story.

Then more world-breaking stuff happened for me.

I always have a quiet chuckle when I read scenes where characters run through a forest at night. Having done wide games during my youth in Girl Guides, I can attest to the fact that running through even a pine forest is not advisable at night when you do not have a flashlight. Yes, there was running through a forest at night. There was also a spot of single-handedly slaying a wolf with a kitchen knife. At which point I sighed mightily and spent much time researching the physics of knife-throwing and the strength of wolfskin. And I could not suspend disbelief.

Then said character single-handedly lugged a large deceased wolf back home. Now, I consider myself to be quite fit and strong for a female person. But there was that time when I had to lug a semi-comatose 54kg boerboel x boxer from the vet and upstairs to my home. It didn't happen. I only got as far as the stairs because the dog could kinda stumble. A friend of mine who has Newfoundlands tells me that back in his younger years carrying an anaesthetised dog of 85kg from the vet's consulting room to the car was "like wrestling a bag of wet cement". 

So, a young woman singlehandedly carrying a large dead wolf (possibly weighing 80kg or more) slung over her shoulders through a forest at night back to home base? And barely breaking a sweat? Sorry, I know fantasy gives us dragons and wizards, but I simply could not suspend disbelief for this. I struggle to lug a 20kg bag of laying pellets from the boot of my car upstairs to my house.

But wait, there's more...

Said character then skins the wolf that very same night and makes her friend a natty wolfskin tunic to wear the next morning. Oh, and she makes a necklace from the teeth, too. Even Ayla (IYKYK) couldn't have this girl beat, I tell you. And hot damn, that's gonna be a super-stinky tunic in a day or so.

This is the point where I gave up. I'm sorry. I tried. The premise was definitely one that I would have loved like crazy, but these are the types of glaring issues that I would not let fly with the authors I edit or beta read for. To see this make it to print with a traditionally published book... I don't care who the author is. 

Other than the factual sinkholes, the writing is all right, if somewhat workmanlike. There were often parts that I felt were rushed, where there was not enough motivation to carry me through to why characters do certain things. But yeah... I think the editor was either inexperienced or ignored when this one went out into the world.

The Week in Review – April 19, 2025

It would appear that this week is one for inviting a bunch of TERFs to my block party. With She Who Will Not Be Named further proving to the world that she's become Voldemort, it's more important than ever for good people to stand up for the smallest of minorities who are being impacted by her actions. So yeah, I'll say it again, because it must be said: trans rights are human rights. You cannot in all good conscience support the Harry Potter franchise while the bitch still lives. Trans lives are more important than Harry Potter. 

Anyhoo, so back onto what's happening in my world. This week was an amazing one for me because I finished two massive editing and/writing projects. The biggest one for me was having to write alt text for over 20 backlist titles for the big publisher I work for in the UK. I pretty much had to do all the work in 10 days as I still had other deadlines that gnawed at me, but the relief at handing over that final file was cathartic to say the least.

Which left me free to finish edits on another rather challenging edit for a local author – challenging because there were so many areas for improvement in the manuscript, and it's very much a case of as editor being able to deconstruct the work that needs to be done, highlight the aspects that need attention, then draw up a list of resources and a battle plan for the writer that a) will give specific feedback and b) not discourage them. A good editor will be able to see to the heart of the story and make the appropriate recommendations. 

In this case, I had five pages of handwritten notes to go through and put into order – which took quite some time. It's also not something I'd do if it weren't for the fact that I believe that this novel can be overhauled. If you ever receive such detailed feedback from an editor, realise that they took the fucking time to put all these thoughts in order and that it's not coming from a place of malice but rather a genuine intention to help you become a better writer. It's a calling I have, to invest in my local writing community when and where I can.

I'm feeling kinda giddy right now because I don't have these arsewhomping deadlines. It also means that my availability is ... well ... available. I do have a few small projects that I'm working on, but nothing that's going to turn me into a semi-masticated pile of goop. So, if you need edits, want to look at a bit of coaching, drop me an email at nerinedorman@gmail.com

Land | Lines by Shari Daya – a mini review

I must draw attention to this slim volume of poems by Shari Daya. A few months ago, I was blessed to attend one of Helen Moffett's Salon Hecate events at the Noodhoek Artpoint Gallery, where she hosted local poet Shari Daya to launch her collection of poems entitled Land | Lines (Karavan Press, 2024). And what a selection of beautiful words it is.

Daya possesses a rare eye (and ear) for evoking space and senses, each poem encapsulating moments of presence in the world and the complex accompanying thoughts and emotions. She has a talent for evoking instances in vivid colour and texture with only a few deft brushstrokes, and for those of you who grew up in Cape Town, this one's a must. Many of those poems linger. For me it was very much "The Work of Dying" with this passage:

My father, when the hours were numbered, knew
to call on muscle memory for each slide,
each breath, each grip-release, as onto ice,
fresh water running strong and clear beneath.

If you're an avid collector of quality words, then reach out to Karavan Press for your copy of this thoroughly profound little book. You will return to the words within, I promise.

Call the Fire – State of the Thing

Some of you might recall this year's big new of my five-book deal with Mirari Press for the Scatterlings of Fate, a rather ambitious project of mine that's been on the backburner primarily because Toby and I were so busy with The Splintered Fool five-book series. (which is still under production, I'll have you know – I'm currently drawing a map.)

The scary thing about picking up the threads around eight years after writing book one for Scatterlings is that I don't have any notes nor any deep familiarity with the characters and their predicaments. In fact, somewhere between moving desks around in the Treehaus and writing a bunch of other novels and stories, I lost whatever notes I had. Were they stashed at the bottom of a tray, saved as Google Docs or a random Word Document stashed on a hard drive somewhere? WE'LL NEVER KNOW.

This is both terrifying and liberating. It also meant I needed to reread the document and make copious new notes, draw maps, and build up a rough wiki with cultures, languages, plants and stuff. A lot happened since I wrote the end on book one, Call the Fire, and me bravely (or foolishly) telling my publisher when he made an offer that there'd be five books. It was always supposed to be five books: four origin stories for four friends dragged into far-flung reaches of a vast world, only to be brought back together by cruel twists of fate that see them possibly at odds with each other. While a world burns and empires clash. 

I finished my read-through of Call the Fire last night at 11.30pm whereupon I immediately wrote my publisher a completely bonkers wall o'text detailing my cunning plans – #sorrynotsorry, Marius. I couldn't put the fucking book down. Who is this past Nerine and how the hell did she manage to write this marvellous book? What drugs was she on? (None, I can assure you. This was pure braingasm.) There's something to be said about loving a relatively old manuscript when I can barely look at some of my older stories that I will honestly admit have problematic elements when viewed in light of today's societal conventions. You don't need to call me out on those. I know. I can do better. Be better.

Anyhow, getting back to Scatterlings – my next step is going to involve very careful management of timelines and story beats. Since for of the books happen along the same timeline I need to know who is where and when. How much of certain events will be foreshadowed earlier. How the four timelines brush up against each other before they eventually converge. I'll be making tables in InDesign. I foresee this in my future. I am the Table Queen. Hear me ROAR.

I already have a number of elements I'll be folding in, which includes a nod to a few historical figures such as Napoleon, Dr James Barry, and the Golden Age of piracy. I'll be cannibalising one of my other WiPs for an undead mummy assassin (a story that was legit based on a dream I had). There will be some fantastical beasties, such as giant eagles and griffins, selkies, and yes, maybe even gnomes. Because people asked, and this epic is also about creating a world that features things you want to read. So, this is the part where I invite you to leave any requests in the comments below. What do you want to see in this absolutely unhinged epic fantasy?

Photographs

I've had a few inquiries about my photos and where prints can be available. And although I'm not reliant on photography for my income, I've decided to make select works available over at my Redbubble store. If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I very much have a vibe that favours things of a taphophile theme. If this is your jam, then do swing past my store and consider supporting my work there. I have a range of different options available.