Pacific Leap

There's been a flurry of publicity for The Housemaid's Daughter overseas. It started in Canada and then leapt across the Pacific...

The National Post is Canada's biggest daily newspaper. It runs a regular feature in its Arts section called "The Afterword". This consists of a series of articles running Monday to Friday in the paper, written by an individual author as Guest Editor. Following on from the publication of The Housemaid's Daughter in Canada, I was honoured to be asked to guest edit The Afterword for the week of 10th - 14th Dec. My articles consisted of 5 pieces - drawn from this blog - which looked into the background to the novel, and the research I did. So, for example, in 'Recreating the Past' I re-visit the challenge of conjuring up an authentic 1940s version of the town of Cradock for my heroine, Ada, to walk about in. 'Rise and Fall' moves on to the character of Phil in the book, and how he was patterned on a real-life relative who tragically died in North Africa during the 2nd World War. 'The Meaning of Duty' delves into the delicious anecdote of a shipboard romance that threatens to upset the careful plans of Irish Cathleen...

And then, in a leap that spanned the Pacific Ocean, I heard from a journalist in Singapore who had interviewed me a while back. She confirmed that our interview - together with photos - would be appearing in The Straits Times, scheduled for Tuesday 18th Dec. The Straits Times is on sale in Singapore and across the Far East, so if any of my faithful blog readers just happens to be in that part of the world - or knows someone who will be - please be on the lookout! Post a picture?

Next time, I'll be tracking down The Housemaid's Daughter in South Africa. By the way, if you know anyone who might be interested in following my journey on this blog - or who wants to know more about the genesis of the novel - please share the link...

The Housemaid's Daughter in Holland and South Africa

I am continuing to dip into the Dutch translation of The Housemaid's Daughter (see pic above). I wonder if any readers have done the double and read it in both English and Dutch? All credit to you for persistence! As I've mentioned before, I am intrigued to find out whether the story offers different nuances between translations. My Dutch is not good enough to make this assessment, so I hope that someone out there will let me know. In writing Housemaid I often left events and opinions unexplained to allow for the reader's personal interpretation e.g Phil's death, Dawn's life in Johannesburg. We all carry our own versions of a story in our heads - isn't that the essence, and pleasure, of reading? So the choice of a word or the use of a particular phrase in translation could conceivably alter the outcome in the reader's mind...

This blog will soon be on the move to sunnier climes!
Yes, it's time to head south and see how The Housemaid's Daughter is doing in South Africa, where it has been on the shelves for the past month or two. I am hoping to meet with readers to hear their impressions. Just as it was with the earlier version, there is a definite sense of the novel "coming home". This will be the first of two visits to SA over the coming year. In August 2013, I have been invited to speak at the Schreiner Festival in Cradock, where I will be presenting the book to its most discerning audience! I look forward to hearing from local Karoo residents how they interpret my descriptions of their world as it was some thirty to fifty years ago. Not unlike what I am hoping to hear one day from intrepid readers who have read more than one translation of the book...