The Hidden Lives of Writers

Mpho Boshego served as a South African diplomat in Belgium from 2007 to 2011. Her novel DIPLOMATIC TIES is inspired by her experiences.

A striking debut, her book has been described as ‘a captivating story' that ‘captures the realness of a South African township life'.

Mpho joins Fiona and Gail to talk about writing the book she would have wanted to read when she started out in the diplomatic service, and how she grew up inspired by the great Heinemann African Writers Series.

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Nadia Cassim is a novelist and short story writer whose most recent book NOT ANOTHER SAMOOSA RUN is currently longlisted for the Sunday Times Fiction Prize.

A brave and ground-breaking novel, her book has been described as 'funny, thought-provoking, and empowering'.

Nadia joins Fiona and Gail to talk about how she trusts her writing process and knows that her next great idea is just around the corner.

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Sarah Lotz is a prolific and hugely popular author who won the British Fantasy Award in 2015. She lived in South Africa for many years before moving back to the United Kingdom.

Sarah is known for her many writing collaborations, as well as her solo work. Her most recent novel HOW TO KILL A CRIME WRITER is out now from Harper Collins

Sarah joins Fiona and Gail to talk about how grieving the sudden loss of her beloved husband became the impetus behind her most recent work.

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Deon Meyer is a multi-award-winning and bestselling author whose books regularly smash sales records. His latest book SKORPIO is available in Afrikaans, while SCORPIO RISING will be released by Pan Macmillan on 1 October.

Deon joins Fiona and Gail to talk about his early days of writing as a single father of young children, and how Benny Griesel forced his way out of minor-character status. Is this the most useful writing advice dropped in a single episode? Quite possibly!

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Catrina Ross is an author and editor with many years of experience in the South African book world. She is the author of THE WHICH WORD, newly released by Mirari Press.

Catriona joins Fiona and Gail to talk about the 6-second rule in publishing and the inspiration behind her magical novel.

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Busisekile Khumalo is the bestselling author of the Harvard Wife series of novels, as well as the standalone book, Nomaswazi, and a new series published by Jonathan Ball Publishers, including Rubies & Rain and Sunshine & Shadows.

Busisekile joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how she walked away from a career in law to pursue her passion for storytelling. She shares her insights into self-publishing vs traditional publishing and tells us how she juggles the demands of her fan base. Listeners can explore Busisekile's website for information about her mentoring programme.

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Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you. Please join the conversation here:

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Zakes Mda is one of South Africa's best known and most awarded writers. He is a novelist, playwright, short story writer, and painter. A Professor Emeritus of English at Ohio University, Zakes now lives and works in Johannesburg.

He joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how his earliest inspirations were Casper the Friendly Ghost and Xhosa mythology.

He explains why he often uses the first person plural as a narrative voice and why he is currently digging into the archives of Durban's iconic rickshaws.

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Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you. Please join the conversation here:

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Nadia Davids is an award-winning playwright, novelist, and short story writer. She won the Caine Prize in 2024 for her short story 'Bridling'. Her latest novel CAPE FEVER has been released to great acclaim, published by Simon & Schuster.

Nadia joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how postcolonial fiction does not have to be bleak or hopeless and why she chose the Gothic form for her most recent novel.

She talks about the special relationship she has always had with Cape Town and why CAPE FEVER could not have been set anywhere else.

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Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you. Please join the conversation here:

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Damon Galgut is one of South Africa's most distinguished writers. He won the Booker Prize in 2021 for The Promise, which was his third novel to be shortlisted for the award.

Damon joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how writing seems to become more difficult as the years go by, and how strenuously he wrestles with a first draft.

He tells us that plot has become increasingly less important to him and that he chooses not to repeat the same themes and techniques in his writing.

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Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you. Please join the conversation here:

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Marguerite Poland is one of South Africa's most decorated authors, having won the Percy Fitzpatrick Award numerous times, as well as the Order of Ikamang for lifetime achievement. Her career spans many decades and includes books for children, works of non-fiction, and several critically acclaimed novels for adults.

Marguerite joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about her earliest love for storytelling and what she would say now to a young mother who wants to write while struggling with the challenges of domestic life.

For more details about the books, movies, series, and podcasts that are discussed on the show, sign up here for our weekly newsletter:

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Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you. Please join the conversation here:

Email: [email protected]

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Facebook discussion group: The Hidden Lives of Writers Follow us on Instagram · Chat with us on Twitter · Join our Facebook group · Subscribe to us on YouTube · Join our newsletter · Ask your writing-related questions here