Book Launch: The Reed Dance Stalker by Angela Makholwa

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 I just got home from the launch of Angela Makholwa's latest book, The Reed Dance Stalker. This is a sequel to Red Ink, which I read a few years ago and will be on Showmax later this year. Now this is not just about the book but my experience at the launch. 

Firstly, Karabo Kgoleng. Karabo is an award-winning broadcast and print journalist and was the interviewer on the book launch panel tonight. I absolutely love it when interviewers thoroughly engage with the author's work prior to the interviews because, not only does it show in the quality of the questions asked, but it also makes the entire event a pleasurable experience for all. Karabo steered the boat very well and kept us fully engaged with her interview style. 

Angela prefaced the interview by mentioning that parts of our protagonist (Lucy) are borrowed from her own personality (disclaimer: she emphasised that very, very little parts), which brings up a pattern I have noticed from attending book launches. Authors seem to pour more than just little bits and pieces of themselves into their characters. Even my favourite classic author, Oscar Wilde, claimed that each of the three main characters in The Picture of Dorian Gray represented certain aspects of his individual identity, and clearly Angela is no different here. This poses a scary thought about all my psychological thriller writers, niRight? Are you okay?

Red Ink, and thus its sequel, is a thriller with heavy depictions of violence. It then came as quite a shock to me that when Angela was asked about the parts she struggled with writing the most, she mentioned violence as being the most emotionally challenging. Angela says she is an idealist, so while the violence is prominent in the book, there is just as much hope for redemption. Part of me wants to be this idealistic, but a glimpse outside fuels the cynicism. 

My thoughts are scattered everywhere here but a fellow reader seated right in front of me (who I later learnt was Andile - my extrovertist nature shocks me too sometimes) made a comment to say they first read Angela's books at 13, which was probably a bit too young but heeey, Mohale Mashigo was younger when she read The Colour Purple. Andile is now almost thirty and they still resonate with the books. That speaks volumes to how much of an excellent and timeless author Angela is! I feel so proud like I personally grew up with her. 

From the launch, I can tell Angela has done extensive research and seems to have enjoyed the journey to the sequel (albeit 16 years later, ma'am!) and I cannot wait to get into it! Lastly, I managed to get all my copies of all her books signed and I am still slightly on a high from hearing "Can I call you Lizbetweenthelines? The Legend?" 

I want to hear nothing else for the rest of the year. 


Check out my review of The Blessed Girl by Angela Makholwa here. 

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