Village tattlers — Stanford’s quirky authors titillate with books steeped in small-town life

A humungous frog hopping to heights that would make an Olympic pole-vaulter envious, a body hidden behind the shelves of an old-world bookstore and a dung beetle shovelling you-know-what backwards – sound intriguing?

These are the topics being discussed in the small Cape village of Stanford where three authors living within spitting distance of each other have had their books published within six weeks of one another. They are: The World According to Merle by Merle Levin (Melinda Ferguson Publishers), The Village Indian by Vanessa Govender (Jacana) and Making a Killing by Bonnie Espie (Kwela/NB Publishers).

During a leisurely stroll along a tree-lined country road the three authors gave quirky insights into their writing journeys and the inevitable question of what’s so special about Stanford and where-to-now.

First, it was Levin’s turn to talk about her book, which she admits has shocked her husband, Jeff, and has puzzled many in the village who can’t believe that a dignified, quietly spoken, 75-year-old grandmother could have got up to, well, so much!

“I’ve been lucky enough to have had other work published in other genres,” says Levin. “But I have never been brave enough to write my own story, until now, that is. The devastating floods two years ago that made us homeless made me realise that if you have a dream, then get on with it.

“Mine has been a crazy, topsy-turvy life, but when you learn to laugh at the idiotic stuff that you’ve done and be brutally honest about what’s good and what’s bad, it makes your writing a lot easier.

“I wanted to call it Rolling Shit Backwards, a reference to the amazing dung beetle and a good description of my own life. But I didn’t get my way. I didn’t want my picture on the front either, but you soon learn that the publisher calls the shots, not you. What’s next – that’s a good question. I think I will wait and see.”

Govender’s story is a true-life saga of village life and the extraordinary characters that emerge from a stranger-than-fiction drama. “It’s been a bit like writing a soap opera on steroids,” she says. “Every character in my book is a real person – I’ve just given them funny names.”

Her move from KwaZulu-Natal to a remote Cape village was daunting, especially as she was the only Indian in a mostly English-speaking village – she also had a white husband.

The first delivery of her book to a nearby Hermanus bookstore sold out. “I couldn’t believe it,” she laughs. “Then I realised that people from the village were probably anxious to know what I had written about them. Well, if I have, they will probably recognise themselves!

Espie says she is so happy to be following in her mother’s footsteps. “My mom was a contributor to Fair Lady many moons ago, so for me this is like keeping creativity in the family.” Making a Killing, her first book, is described as a dark, witty and deliciously macabre tale of murder, friendship and small-town secrets.

Two women partner to open a bookshop eatery in a small village. Things are going well until fate serves up an obstacle: a dead customer. The novel has a surprise ending, which leads to a sequel that Espie is busy writing.

“I wanted to write a book about ordinary people who do dark, shadowy things for the right reason.” Espie has been writing for many years, but only now, in her retirement, does she have the luxury of fictionalising and fantasising about committing perfect crimes.

If there is one thing that the three authors have in common, it is that their books have a strong fun factor. All agree that mentorship and honest feedback are essential, and that working alone is, well, lonely!

Writing strategies

Bonnie Espie: “I had no set writing routine. I also didn’t map out my story beforehand. I love the surprises that occur when writing. I don’t believe there are writing blocks. Procrastinating is the enemy – that’s when you clean the fridge for no real reason. Once you get over that, you can move on. Every morning before writing I took my two rescue lurchers for a long walk. That really helps with the motivation. Writing a book is anything but smooth, so be prepared for the bumps.”

Merle Levin: “I tried to stick to a writing schedule. It’s not always easy as there are times when the words flow very easily and other times when you get stuck and start to lose confidence. These are hurdles every writer must deal with. Jeff, my husband, is also an author, so he was my sounding board. Even though he was often a bit shocked at what I had written, he remained nonjudgemental. He has threatened to write a sequel, The World According to Merle’s Husband, but hopefully he is joking.”

Vanessa Govender: “With three lively children, my best time for writing is when they go to school. My years as a broadcast journalist taught me about time management and deadlines, so I can get into a writing rhythm, although I can procrastinate. With my first book, Beaten but Not Broken, it was an emotional roller coaster ride. But now I am having fun writing about people in my village who I have come to know and cherish. Their quirky, sometimes weird stories are better than anything Agatha Christie could have thought up, and so close to home.” DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.