Madiba and the Child

We were on holiday when the news about Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela broke late Thursday evening. With little to no internet, WordPress was not an option (if you don’t blog it, did it really happen?), but the past few days have been a period of introspection for the whole of South Africa. It has been years

Weekly Photo Challenge: Sea

I grew up by the ocean. Feeling the sand under my nails and scrabbling as the water tried to swallow my sandcastles was second nature to me. In the late summer months, after-school activities meant going to the beach. I am glad I have never had to live inland, but I am convinced that my

Weekly Photo Challenge: Sailing to the Future

This week’s weekly photo challenge with The Daily Post looks to the future. In my immediate future is touching on home base! In fact, right now we are sailing past the East Coast of South Africa, and just a few hours I was giddily staring at the lights of Durban’s coastline. I even have cell

TTT Freebie: Everybody Loves Quotes

Happy Christmas! I have just had a delicious Christmas lunch with the family, and I feel incredibly blessed. Life is good. Today’s Top Ten Tuesday with The Broke and The Bookish is a freebie, so that those who are too busy celebrating aren’t left out. I wouldn’t have posted this if not for the post-lunch

Top Ten Tuesday Freebie: Minor Characters

  This week’s TTT with The Broke and the Bookish is the both dreaded and wonderful REWIND. Click here to see all the past topics used for previous TTTs. I chose Top Ten Minor Characters. It was a bit of a challenge because I hardly remember the names of major characters, never mind minor characters! I love

Book Review: The Karma Suture

Sue Carey is a driven, 20-something doctor struggling to preserve her sanity, sobriety, and humanity in the corridors of one of Cape Town’s biggest public hospitals. Finding imaginative ways of saving patients is her life’s work, though finding a man who wants more than a one-night stand would be nice as well. Guys… This book blew

TTT: Starstruck Author Groupie

Earlier this year, at the Cape Town Book Fair, I met Robin Malan. Malan is a South African author and editor and one of my idols. He edited most of the English Alives in which I have published, and he was co-editor of Yes, I am! Writing by South African Gay Men.  So anways, I admire

Frankenstein’s Life Lessons

I recently read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It is not one of my favourite books, but it definitely is noteworthy to some extent. For one, I think that apart from the Bible, it is the oldest piece of writing I have ever read.

Tips for Freshmen: Have Fun!

One of my first bits of writing for Youth Journalism International back in 2008 was for their annual back-to-school advice feature. Today, they have published a piece of mine for college freshmen. Click the image below to be taken to the article on YJI’s blog.

Raining on your Parade: Little Pinkfoot

I must come across as a real annoying know-it-all. I’m not, sorta. But I do get annoyed with online hoaxes. I don’t really care how cute they are. I don’t have a problem with Photoshop, but trying to sell a Photoshopped image as real constitutes lying in my book. So there. The picture alongside has