When you write the kind of stuff I write, super commercial and not at all literary (hell without Helen Moffett, Megan Clausen and Beth Lindop, it probably wouldn’t even be properly punctuated half the time), you follow literary awards and get excited for the authors nominated. But it’s not something I’ve ever shot for or considered.
So this shortlisting came as a real surprise. Especially since it’s straight from the trenches, the people out there every day selling our books as hard as they can under difficult circumstances.
I’m a massive fan of the authors on this shortlist, inspirational Deon Meyer, wonderful Zakes Mda, my friend Sally Andrew, the incredible Panashe Chigumadzi, and Irma Joubert, who has sold a staggering 83 000 copies of her books.
