I am a book with a damaged cover, but what is written between the lines could save a country from disaster.
– Rashied Wewers

The Groot Drakenstein prison sees the launch of Fifteen Men this morning - the first event of the Franschhoek Literary Festival. The book contains pieces that emerged during a creative writing workshop I conducted, born out of the inaugural 2007 FLF and run over nine months.

All proceeds from the sale of Fifteen Men go to community projects through the FLF Library Fund. Here’s the book blurb:
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I love my name on this one - Margie Orfordová.

My Russian cover for Like Clockwork… published by Mir Knigi in Moscow.

Very different to the South African one - look closely for the pair of eyes in the red circle that’s dripping blood just above the (slain?) blonde - but there you go. Different looks for different markets.

More exciting news soon, I hope.

Khayelitsha’s streets are not my streets. I am drawn to them because they adrenalin-jump me into the unfamiliar lives of the people who live here. And I am here because I have been following the story of a TAC activist who was gang raped and then murdered for disclosing her HIV-positive status. I’ve taken this particular off-ramp several times.

I have learned where the bass-thumping taxis wait, where groups of men loiter, where the washing hangs. Noise envelops me, pushing through the shatterproof windows of my car, filling the spaces between the houses. The wind whips at women’s skirts as they call out to passers-by, luring them with the offal sizzling above coals. A golden vetkoek is proffered, split to reveal its snowy interior. The small stores along the sides of the road are fringed with onions and oranges. Tomatoes heaped in chipped enamel bowls catch my eye. Table Mountain is very faraway, a pale blue cutout beneath the midday bright sun.

I take a wrong turn.
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Hi Margie

I have just finished reading Blood Rose and all i can say is wow wow wow! Amazing, brilliant, riveting! I simply could not put it down. Cant wait for the next one!

Love Irene

PS. Don’t you think it would be great if Clare and Riedwaan came to life on a SABC TV Mini Series?

Mike van Graan’s new play at the Baxter is Mirror, Mirror. It is a fabulous satirical romp and a great way to start of the Year of the Rat and all the political lunacy, back-stabbing and ratting on your erstwhile friends, that it promises. Do go and see it – it moves full circle from the Old South Africa to the rather grubby new. The humour is biting – the script hilarious. Enjoy…

The following piece of mine ran in the 25 November Sunday Times, under the headline “Why is it so difficult to legislate against the brutality of rape?”. They fiddled with my stats and then published a correction in the 2 Dec Times, on page 2 - but this is apparently not available online.

Nonetheless, I’m re-running the piece here. I’ve recently become a patron of the Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust, and encourage all to visit their website and support their work. Please read on: (more…)

The doyenne of Joburg’s literary scene has picked Margie Orford’s Blood Rose as a contender for her book of the year competition. This is what Jenny had to say… ‘One of the discoveries of the year: the second Clare Hart novel. Set mostly in the desolation that is Walvis Bay and the surrounding desert, Orford’s sense of place and her descriptions of it are extraordinary. Tautly plotted, her characters move seamlessly into place. Her theft of another author’s main character is an act of supreme insouciance and adds to the sheer enjoyment of this immensely skillful novel.

Hi Margie, Just thought I’d drop you a note to say I loved blood rose - a really good read. Kept me going while on a difficult little job on North island, Seychelles. well done again, another really good one for the series of feature films! Charles Champion.

Check out Charlie’s work at www.thebridgesa.co.za. He’s good!

I have exciting news: a French auction for three titles in the Clare Hart series has just been finalised. Payot Rivages is the winner, so Like Clockwork, Blood Rose and Daddy’s Girl will all be out in French, starting 2008. This is the first sale of rights for Daddy’s Girl, a ‘prequel’ which has Clare Hart and Riedwaan Faizal working together - and falling for each other - for the first time. I wish I knew how to say cheers in French!