It feels surreal. Writing is so time and effort consuming that, once you are finished, it is unsettling to suddenly pause and wait indefinitely for any results. Eventually, you're waiting so long you almost forget the excitement of writing a book. I knew I had a good novel but I was losing faith in my writing with all the waiting and wondering. The day before I got the call, I convinced myself I was not on the shortlist. My mother had to put up with my whining, speculations and constant runs to the phone in those last few days. So, as an author, this whole process up until I received the call made me realise that if you believe in your work, if you have worked hard, then eventually (however painfully slow) it will be acknowledged.
When did you write Onion Tears?
I began it in my honours creative writing class in 2007 when I was 22. I continued it into my masters level. The novel took just over a year to write and another year to edit. It could not have been done without my supervisor, Kobus Moolman, who was of invaluable help.
What's the book about?
The lives of a strange grandmother, a rebellious daughter and her own angry daughter. It is primarily about a young girl's search for her supposedly dead father but it also entwines other stories of love, loss and hope. Each character is searching for something- peace, a father, lost love, and forgotten memories but ultimately it comes down to that elusive search for one's identity.
Full interview here Times Live
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