Almost Human by Lee Berger and John Hawks

I will admit straight-up that I'm terrified of caves, so there were parts of this book that had me kinda claustrophobic in a big way. But oh, what a wonderful read. I've been fascinated by the work done by archaeologists, anthropolgists, and palaeontologists since I was a wee lass, so Lee Berger's story in Almost Human (narrated by Donald Corren) about how he pulled together the team that discovered and described an early hominid and one of our ancestors – Homo naledi – was absolutely riveting.

What many of us often don't realise when we're watching a nature documentary is how much behind-the-scenes effort goes into these expeditions of literal blood, sweat, and tears at times. Lee Berger is a paleoanthropologist who has spent many years here in South Africa studying the ancient remains of our ancestors and near cousins, and he really digs deep into how he pulled his team together and how they faced and overcame the many challenges they encountered in their work.

What I love about his writing is that he not only comes across as a scientist who knows his stuff, but he tells a darned fine story, too – a rare combination. So his writing is very much accessible to those of us who may not be conversant in all the scientific terms. His approach of sharing his findings with the scientific world at large also goes contrary to the methods of many researchers who are not so forthcoming with their research – his attitude geared towards getting as much input as possible from those in the know.

The basic story of the H. naledi discovery is particularly fascinating because not only is the species a crucial, missing link in our understanding of human evolution, but also the the remains themselves were discovered in a practically inaccessible cave, making it an incredible challenge to not only analyse the site but to retrieve the remains for further study using a scientific method.

And for once this was an opportunity for women to shine – with young women researchers being the ones who had the physical characteristics that made them best suited to squeeze through the tight spots guys would struggle with and then still spend hours at a time at their work carefully retrieving the remains.

This was a thrilling account that turned, ahem, dry bones, into something exciting. 

The Week in Review – March 22, 2025

The big news this week has, of course, been the whole shitshow with Meta having been caught out for training its AI on a database of pirated books. The Atlantic made a link available where authors can search to see whether their books have been used... And lo and behold, six of my novels and one short story anthology that contains one of my stories appears there. I'm unsurprised. I'm not even angry anymore. Just sad and resigned that creatives' work has been reduced to mere 'content' to feed the capitalism machine. 

That won't stop me from continuing to write, however. But it does serve as a wakeup call that writing fiction will be relegated to a hobby, going forward, much like you still get some people who weave, crochet, or make crafts despite the availability of inexpensive, imported mass-produced goods. I know what I prefer in my home, and it isn't made in China.

THE BIG NEWS, OF COURSE...

Some of you may already have seen the Very Big Announcement on social media, but in case you haven't, I've just been contracted for a five-book fantasy series called Fate's Scatterlings with Mirari Press. You can read more about it here. But the short of it is that a few years ago, I wrote a book called Call the Fire, which was always intended as book one of an ambitious four- or five-book series. Life got in the way, as it invariably does, and quite by chance I figured out that Marius from Mirari might just love this story, which is a queer, adventure-packed fantasy. Turns out I was right. And now I've got a sufficient carrot to set aside the time to write the rest of the epic saga, which, my dearly beloveds, is going to be wonderful. 

Moving on from Amazon

I'm a little over Amazon, and am starting to see the need to diversify where my books are available. I'll still be using Amazon for my international print fulfilment because a) their quality is excellent and b) they know how to get stuff from A to B. But for ebooks, I'm getting seriously tired of handing over such a large piece of the pie every time I sell a book. Hence, I'm slowly going to be taking my works off KU and going wide. My shop of choice, however, will now be Ko-fi for my ebooks, and I've already put my very early Books of Khepera there. Go check out my shop, and if you're looking for a starting point for my weird and wonderful fiction, Khepera Rising and Khepera Redeemed will be a fun, and rather dark pair of reads. I'll let everyone know as the other titles come available there.

Witchmark (Kingston Cycle 1) by CL Polk

This one's been on my radar for quite some time, and turned out to be every bit as enjoyable as I'd hoped it would be. Witchmark by CL Polk brings us a recognisably modern fantasy setting reminiscent of early 20th century London, where the elites control magic and use it to manipulate the world (and by default others). This is very much a story that engages with the ideas of class consciousness while also unpacking the issues surrounding countries with jingoistic, colonial aspirations who seek to wage foreign wars. I'd say this was very much a parallel with Britain's actions in India, instead it's Aeland vs. Laneer.

Our magically gifted main character Miles Singer would have spent his days in a gilded cage, enslaved to do his family's bidding. Instead, he sought to flee, by going to fight in the war. While there, he had the opportunity to reinvent himself and start fresh with a new identity back home, working as a doctor, where his skills as a healer can go some way to repairing the incalculable damage that has been done to others. 

Yet he gets dragged into conflict nonetheless, torn between his desire for freedom and navigating the Machiavellian power plays of the nobles who are always hungry for more power. Added to this, he crosses paths with a man who's dangerous to know and love. 

With themes centred on the class struggle and freedom from oppression, this little book packs a powerful message. I am definitely going to hunt down the sequel.

The Week in Review – March 15, 2025

This week's very much been a case of 'butt on chair, fingers on the keyboard', and to an extent, I've been able to block out the awfulness of the world at large by focusing on work. It's not always easy, but rather concerning myself with the aspects of my life I have direct control over is better for my long-term mental health. I admit that I'm very lucky to be in the position that I am – working from home, doing work that I'm passionate about – whether it's designing printed assets for a large, multinational pet food company or editing a Daddy Dom book. My life is a far cry from what it was in the run-up to 2015, where I was depressed as all heck and stuck in a career in newspaper publishing that was fast going down the tubes. Life isn't boring. Also, I don't have a toxic work environment.

ABOUT LAST WEEK...

So, I was super anxious about my book launch at the V&A Waterfront Exclusive Books last week. As it turns out, I had nothing to worry about. It was AWESOME. Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to making the event successful. And there were OREO CUPCAKES. 

But seriously, if you're yet to pick up a copy, hie yourself down to your nearest branch of Exclusive Books or Wordsworth, and if they don't have a copy of The Company of Birds, order it. For too many years my South African readers have complained that it's been so difficult to get my books in print in South Africa, and that's all set to change as I'm now focusing rather on my local readers. 

With the world socio-economic situation being well [gestures vaguely around her] and with paper and fuel prices being horrific, it makes sense to focus on being sustainable and keeping it local. Late-stage capitalism has basically broken this planet. But anyhoo, let this not turn into a frothing rant.

As an author, I'm in a really happy place right now. I've got the long-term ghost-writing project that is helping to keep the lights on, and I've got multiple other projects on the boil. My editing income is steady, and I've enjoyable QA and alt-text writing work from a big publisher in the UK. Nerine in 2015 could only dream of what Nerine in 2025 is doing.

And on to Egyptian stuff...

So, The Egyptian Society of South Africa has its next meeting happening at the end of the month. 

In 1798 Napoleon launched a military expedition to Egypt, leaving France with 335 ships, the French army and 167 scholars that included many engineers, writers, artists, linguists, scientists and mathematicians. Although the expedition was a military disaster, with Nelson having destroyed the fleet, it revealed the splendour of a forgotten civilisation and gave birth to Egyptology.

This is just a taster of the lecture "Napoleon and Ancient Egypt" offered by Peter Loyson on March 25, at 7.30pm at the St George's Grammar School, Richmond Road, Mowbray. Parking is available on the premises. Free for members of TESSA, Visitors pay R30. Refreshments R10.

I've really enjoyed being an active member of TESSA again because oh my goodness, the library is just brimming with books that are giving me all the joy. Plus I get to hang out with people who are just as passionate about ancient Near Eastern history as I am.

How do I become a better writer?

The other day on Threads I encountered a heartbreaking post from a writer who'd had a bad review. They'd been told that the idea behind the story was great but that the writing could have been better. They were at a loss at where to start. Now, the advice I give to anyone who wants to take their craft seriously, is that all good writers are, first and foremost, rabid readers.

And I don't just mean reading in the genre that you want to write – I mean reading all sorts of books, be they the most recent TikTok sensation, a classic, a crime novel, something non-fiction ... A good author is conversant with more than their chosen genre. They have a good sense of style. They choose words not only for meaning but also for how they'll sound. And to this, I also advise you to read and listen to poetry, and to listen to audiobooks narrated by gifted human voice artists.

And then the hardest part: put what inspires you in others writing into practice. Be kind to yourself if you feel that you fall short. Get to understand what areas of your writing need improvement and be aware of them when you write new pieces so that you don't keep breathing life into the same gremlins over and over again. 

A good writer is someone who is constantly evolving and reinventing themselves. I look back at my earlier writing and I often wonder what on earth I was thinking when I did certain things – things I'd certainly never do now. And I'd like to think that I am a better writer for having made all those happy accidents.

If you're looking to embark on a career as a writer and don't know where to start, I do offer affordable, one-on-one coaching. Drop me an email at nerinedorman@gmail.com, and let's chat.

 

The Week in Review – March 8, 2025

At the time of writing, it's a few hours away from my big book launch at the V&A Waterfront branch of Exclusive Books. To put it rather indelicately, I'm kakking bricks. The last time I had a launch at an EB it was the larney one up in Joburg at the fancy mall where they have those hair salons where you have to take a second mortgage to have your highlights done. And that was back in 2019 when I won gold in the Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature. So if you're reading this now, a few days later, I hope I acquitted myself well and that things weren't a complete clusterfuck. This being a Cycle Tour weekend and all, which means I somehow have to negotiate Cape Town's foreshore to reach the Waterfront.

ANYHOO...

So, other than the obvious, I am finally able to share the following:

Sauúti Terrors: The Dark Side, co-edited by Eugen Bacon, Stephen Embleton, and Cheryl S. Ntumy, has been acquired by Flame Tree Publishing, distributed by Simon and Schuster. This acquisition was facilitated by Bieke van Aggelen of the African Literary Agency, who came on last year to represent this collection.

“We were confident from the onset in the capabilities of Bieke and her team, comprising Martijn Lindeboom and Debbie van de Zande, on this second major Sauútiverse project!” said co-editors Eugen, Cheryl and Stephen jointly.

Read the full story here at Brittle Paper.

I have a short story included here called "Endling" which draws on all my terrors of deep space and to a large degree inspired by the Alien franchise and the horrors of The Event Horizon. To say that I'm frabjous about this tale being included is an understatement. I love working with Eugen, Stephen, and Cheryl – so thank you for inviting me on board. And a HUGE thank you to my delightful agent Bieke for securing this deal.

But wait... There's more...

This week I received most tantalising news, but of course I'm going to have to leave you in a state of antici....

BUT OKAY, IMMA GONNA TALK ABOUT DRAGON AGE NOW OKAY

Those of you who follow my various accounts across FB, Threads and Bluesky are probably sick unto death about me blathering about Dragon Age but I make no apologies. Back in 2014 when my husband shoved Inquisition in my hands and said, "Hey, you're probably going to enjoy this game" little did he know what demon he was unleashing. 

Ten years down, it's right up there alongside the works of Tolkien for me in terms of world building. It came on the heels of me recovering from years of substance abuse, suicide attempts, and depression, and along with music and art, has been part of me regaining my joy.

Last night I finished my second run through Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and I loved it as much and had as many feels as I did after the first run. I got the ending I wanted, that tied up so many loose ends from Inquisition and its DLC Trespasser, and my headcanon is now in a happy place.

Was it a perfect game? No game is perfect. But this is the first Dragon Age game where I felt equally attached to all the companions. Each had a story that I felt was beautifully expressed, and the game in total foregrounded empathy, teamwork, reconciliation, diversity, and fighting against authoritarian fascist dictators. I can see why certain people embarked on a campaign to ruin this game for others.

This is not their game. And if anyone else hears that you're thinking of playing Dragon Age and tells you to 'play better games' tell them to go back to playing Call of Duty or Fortnite or whatever and to let you figure out for yourself if this game works for you.

Anyhow, this round, I did the Emmlich run, and it pleased my sense of taphophiliac macabre. I could have spent more time in the Nevarran Necropolis. I will say this much for all the other unrepentant Solavellans out there – if you get certain choices just right, you will have the closure you need. And it was lovely. I am pleased.

I'm going to take a short break to play Baldur's Gate 3 because it's healthy for me to play other games. And I will likely return to Veilguard in a year or so to do my Veil Jumper run.

OTHER STUFF    

I am now on book six for my ghostwriting client, and am also at the 30k-word mark of my children's fantasy story that I'll be translating into Afrikaans. And there's a short story I want to write, too, so I've got over enough to keep me out of mischief. I am in a really happy place with my writing, and I can honestly tell you, that if you're reading this and you're a pre-published author wondering what you should write – write the stories that spark joy for you. Don't try to ride on the coattails of all the authors who are currently being lauded for their romantasy and whatnot. By the time you've got your dragonrider book out the market will be oversaturated in dragons and the Next Big Thing will be selling piles of copies. 

But I'll give you a little trade secret – if you want to see what sorts of stories are perennial favourites, look no further than the fanfiction stories that are the most popular. But then find a story that makes your heart sing and run with it.

....pation

The Week in Review – March 1, 2025

Possibly the most telling bit of social media I've seen this week was a meme saying something along the lines of anyone merely posting "He's an idiot" will have like 90% of people knowing exactly who you're talking about. That's all I'll say. At any rate, it's somewhat staggering for me how prescient some of my older writing is when it comes to saying fuck you to the patriarchy. On Friday this past week, The Company of Birds saw its official release here in Cape Town and I've been absolutely overwhelmed by all the people letting me know that they'd bought their copies.

Here I am, living the author life by signing copies at my local Wordsworth, where I'm told they sold out within a matter of hours.

Anyhoo, while I'm not going to be buying that second property in the Klein Karoo anytime soon for that eco-retreat for artists that's my pipe dream, it's still lank cool to be able to have my book on shelves. But it's been a busy week, as you'll well see.

WRITING WORKSHOPS FOR TEENS

Something I've been passionate about for ages is the fact that there's so few resources available to encourage young people to write and to furnish them with the very important skills and knowledge to embark upon a career as a writer. The industry itself is either heavily curated by gatekeepers or is rife with predatory companies and individuals out to make a quick buck. And self-publishing itself is a veritable minefield of misinformation. I'm very pleased to be partnering with Fish Hoek Library to provide free monthly workshops for teens who wish to learn more about writing better stories, and am also available to advise and assist with any questions about the industry. We had our first meeting this past Thursday, and I'm once again blown away by the enthusiasm and brightness of the young minds I encountered. This is my way of paying it forward. Spaces are limited, so please get in touch with the library to book your spot.

RSVP 021 400 7101 or email fishhoek.library@capetown.gov.za

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BIRDS

I'm tickled pink to say that I'm not having one but TWO launch events for The Company of Birds. On Tuesday, March 4, I'll be participating at the amazeballs Helen Moffett's Salon Hecate event at the Noordhoek Artpoint Gallery at 5.30pm. Rumour has it that local authors Sam Wilson, Diane Awerbuck, and Alex Latimer will be there, too, and they're some of my favourite people. So, join us for an evening of SFF bookish things, snacks, wine, and great company. My publisher, Marius, will be there with copies of The Company of Birds that you can pick up. What could be better than books in an arty environment? If the launch event at the V&A Waterfront Exclusive Books is a bit too much for you, then I recommend swinging past Noordhoek instead. 

Then, of course, this is your reminder that the official launch event will take place on March 8, at the wonderful big V&A Waterfront Exclusive Books branch. This is honestly a dream come true for me to have my first solo launch event at an EB. In hindsight, I've always been part of some bigger event in the past. Please RSVP and join us on the day. I have it on good authority that there will allegedly be chocolate cupcakes. 

MORE BIRDS

It's my birthday month. I forget how old I'm turning. I've been 46 for the past two years, LOL. Anyhoo, in lieu of gifts, I'm encouraging my friends to adopt a penguin on my behalf. Why am I so passionate about penguins? Well, back in 2000 there was a moerse big oil spill when the Treasure oil tanker ran aground off our coast. It got ugly. I wasn't working at the time, so I got roped into volunteering for a week at SANCCOB treating, feeding, and cleaning penguins. Needless to say, it's a quarter of a century later and I'm sure I can still wrangle penguins in my sleep. You spend a week covered in guano in a porta-pool with 100 angry African penguins... I had fish scales in my ears, up my nose, in my bra... hells, I even found fish scales in my knickers. No idea how they got there. It took me at least half a decade before I could ever eat pilchards again.

But anyhoo, thing is, the African Penguin needs our help. According to IFAW fewer than 19,800 mature birds remain. These happy little chaps live on my doorstep, and I would love to see them delight future generations with their antics. Adopt a bird today!

Where the Dark Stands Still by AB Poranek

If you're a fan of Slavic-style myths and legends flavouring your YA fantasy fiction, then Where the Dark Stands Still by AB Poranek is a book that I'll wholeheartedly recommend. In terms of themes, it recalls quite strongly Noami Novik's Uprooted, which I adored. I've seen folks compare it to Howl's Moving Castle, so yeah, I'll agree with that, but add that I got some serious Beauty and the Beast vibes, too.

We follow the story of Liska, who for reasons, finds herself in the service of the mysterious Leszy of the forest – a magical being who lives in his somewhat sentient mansion in the heart of the forest. This is a world that is vastly different from the village where she grew up, and I love stories like this where someone who, up until this point, had a *relatively* normal existence has their entire world view upended with magic and mystery. She might not be one of those kicka** heroines that we often encounter in fantasy, but her goodness of spirit and bravery make her relatable. Added to that are the support characters, who are all wonderful. I don't want to spoil – go meet them within the pages. And yes, I must warn you there is some tragedy and heartache, but it is oh so sweet. 

The story itself unspools slowly, with well-realised tension between Liska and the Leszy as they gain each other's measure. I know this might frustrate readers who prefer a much more fast-paced novel, but honestly, this was exactly what I needed at the time. Poranek effortlessly sculpts a highly detailed world, that feels tangible and engages the senses – and I really do love books that make me feel as if I'm present in the space. Authors who have this skill of description are treasures.

This is one of those books that when I do see it on a shelf at a bookstore, I point it out to friends and tell them they *need* to pick it up – so yeah, it's one of those. And I suspect it's one I'll enjoy revisiting again in the future.