Drawing 28

Notas uit die empire - Hans Pienaar

Hans Pienaar, Notas uit die empire, published by Alto-Media, Johannesburg, Price R150

ISBN: 978-06-620-4509-7

A few generations ago a number of empires were to be found. Then two remained, and then only one. Today there are none, just “empire” stretching across the universe, in the virtual spaces inbetween and around it. Its headquarters are everywhere, and nowhere. All are in its service, and all are in revolt against it.

Hans Pienaar’s second collection of Afrikaans poetry tells of this empire, and who the new emperor is, and how we live in it. The poems draw from trips as a foreign correspondent to countries as diverse as Iraq and Norway, Mali and China, the Central African Republic and Italy.

The collection also contains two series of “photopoems”, some of which been exhibited in Oudtshoorn, Stellenbosch and Johannesburg.

Pienaar’s first collection, Die taal van voëls, was shortlisted for the prestigious Ingrid Jonker prize for 2002. He is also known as a playwright, winning awards and nominations for plays such as Three dozen roses and Ching Chong Che.

Email altomedia@mweb.co.za for order details.

Drawing 27

Sunnyside Sal - Anton Krueger

Anton Krueger's debut novel Sunnyside Sal is published by Deep South. It is a tale of the friendship between two boys brought up during the dying years of apartheid and the first years of the new SA. It traces their lives as fortunes and choices change, producing many moments of comedy and sadness along the way.

Some of Krueger's poems have appeared in Green Dragon.

Arja Salafranca with her debut collection of short fiction, The Thin Line

Arja Salafranca with her debut collection of short fiction, The Thin Line, just published by Modjaji Books in Cape Town. Salafranca is also the author of the poetry collection The fire in which we burn, published by Dye Hard Press in 2000 and soon to be released as a free ebook. Salafranca is also a regular contributor to Green Dragon.

You can check out some of her short fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and journalism here.