The Penguin Post Volume 32 - FlowPaper FlipBook

Made with FlowPaper - Flipbook Maker

< PreviousTHE PENGUIN POST VOLUME 32 8 or me, the perfect Braai Day celebration is when all South Africans gather with family and friends around a ﬁ re, sharing our heritage and waving our ﬂ ag. It’s about unity and celebrating our shared culture. Reﬂ ecting on past Braai Days, each one is diﬀ erent, and involves braaiing a variety of dishes. From breakfast options like Shakshuka and chicken livers to hand-chopped burgers, peri-peri chicken, and even pizza, each year’s National Braai Day adds to the repertoire. Th ese experiences are distilled into the recipes in my new cookbook, Atmosﬁ re, highlighting the diversity and creativity of braai. Balancing innovation with tradition in my recipes is a delicate art. Having played a signiﬁ cant role in National Braai Day and built a career around braaiing, I’ve gathered extensive knowledge over time. I’ve authored books, ﬁ lmed a cooking show, promoted Braai Day, and developed various braai products. My approach to braai involves constant improvement, never settling for conventional wisdom alone. Th is means integrating new ideas and techniques while respecting the traditional roots of braai. In Atmosﬁ re, I aimed to blend traditional and unconventional recipes. Each recipe reﬂ ects the inﬂ uences of South Africa’s diverse culinary landscape and my personal journey. I allow myself the freedom to make radical changes when needed, such as braaiing snoek with foil or adding soy sauce to a classic basting recipe. Th is blend of innovation and tradition creates a unique culinary experience. One recipe that might surprise readers is my preparation of sirloin steak. At ﬁ rst glance, it might seem unconventional, but once you understand the reasoning, it makes perfect sense and could become a standard practice in the braai world. Th e title Atmosﬁ re is a play on words, capturing the essence of the atmosphere around a ﬁ re – a fundamental part of South African culture. A ﬁ re is a place of warmth, light, food, conversation, and safety. It’s central to Braai Day and embodies the South African spirit. Over the past 20 years of leading the National Braai Day initiative, I’ve been lucky enough to build ﬁ res in some of the most breathtaking spots imaginable. From the highest point in South Africa at Mafadi Peak in the Drakensberg, to the northern- most tip at Mapungubwe, all the way to Isimangaliso in the east, Agulhas in the south, and Alexander Bay in the west, I’ve enjoyed stunning locations. I’ve braaied in the Pinnacle Point Caves, South Africa’s newest World Heritage Site, and at various other world heritage sites globally. From the red dunes of Namibia and Botswana’s Okavango Delta, to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, and tropical beaches in Mozambique and Madagascar, back to SA, and it’s lush forests in Knysna, the Drakensberg, and the Lowveld. Yet, the most spectacular spot remains the one on the cover of Atmosﬁ re – at home on my Klein Karoo farm. Braai Day has signiﬁ cantly contributed to national unity and identity in South Africa, and over the past two decades, has conﬁ rmed its importance in our national fabric. Looking ahead, my hope is that Braai Day will evolve into a global celebration, akin to Saint Patrick’s Day, where people around the world gather around a ﬁ re every year on 24 September to celebrate South Africa’s heritage.” Atmosﬁ re is in stores now. Ook beskikbaar in Afrikaans.COVER “Overcooking is your greatest risk when braaiing a ﬁllet. Some people like to braai ﬁllet steaks whole and only slice them afterwards, but I prefer to cut the ﬁllet beforehand and braai single medallion portions. This exposes a greater surface area of the meat to the searing heat of the ﬁre, which adds more flavour, something ﬁllet steak needs. The steaks should be cut fairly thick in order to have a nice and juicy medium-rare inside while being completely seared and sealed on the outside. To achieve this, ﬁllet steaks naturally need to be braaied on extremely high heat. Eating ﬁllet steak is not a challenging or complex matter as it’s so tender and has no sinew, skin or bones. It is a very comfortable and familiar meal that I like to pair with mushroom sauce. With mushroom sauce you can go to town, but I like an honest, dependable, classic, no-nonsense mushroom sauce with ﬁllet steak. It is as easy to make as it is to braai ﬁllet medallions and it’s as familiar and comfortable to eat as the steak we’re serving it with.” WHAT YOU NEED 1 kg piece of ﬁllet steak salt and pepper FOR THE SAUCE 1 onion 1 punnet mushrooms (250 g) 1 tot butter 1 tsp salt 1 tub cream cheese 1 cup fresh cream 1 tot soy sauce 1 tsp black pepper 2 sprigs fresh thyme Fillet Steak with Mushroom Sauce Make a very big ﬁre. Bigger is in fact better. Take the steak out of the fridge 30 minutes before the braai so that it can come to room temp. Remove the steak from its packaging, wash it under cold running water and pat dry with kitchen paper. Now use a sharp knife and cut the ﬁllet into four equal portions, which on a 1 kg steak should mean ﬁllet medallions of around 5 cm thick. A ﬁllet medallion works well in the region of 200–300 g, so if the whole piece of ﬁllet you’ve bought is much bigger than 1 kg, make more medallions. Add salt and pepper onto all sides of each steak. Make the sauce: Chop the onion and mushrooms. Add the butter, onion, mushrooms and salt to a pan and fry until the onions are golden. If the mushrooms release their water during this time, let it cook oﬀ, and if they don’t, then don’t worry, this will happen later. Add the cream cheese, cream, soy sauce, pepper and sprigs of thyme. Mix well and let this simmer until the sauce is thickened to your liking. Taste and add extra salt and pepper if needed. Set aside, and reheat the sauce just before serving. Braai the steaks over extremely hot coals for 8–10 minutes, making sure that all sides of each steak face the coals for at least 1 minute at a time. A 5-cm-thick ﬁllet steak will have at least four but possibly six sides. Remove from the ﬁre and serve with the mushroom sauce. This can be done in a number of ways, but for me a quite sensible direction to take is to pack the medallions into the pan with the mushroom sauce as it looks good and saves on washing another platter. FEEDS 4THE PENGUIN POST VOLUME 32 10 FICTION Richard Osman’s We Solve Murders introduces a trio of detectives: glamorous bodyguard Amy, ex-cop Steve, and bestselling author Rosie. Expect laughter, engaging characters, and a cleverly crafted mystery in this thrilling new adventure. AT MY DESK ABOUT THE BOOK Combining the heart and humour of The Thursday Murder Club with an international mystery, Richard Osman’s new blockbuster series begins. Retired Steve Wheeler enjoys a quiet life with familiar routines, while his daughter-in-law Amy thrives on adrenaline as a private security oﬃ cer. Tasked with protecting a famous author on a remote island, Amy’s easy job turns perilous with a dead body, money, and a deadly enemy. She calls for Steve’s help, sparking a global chase. A puzzling international mystery, welcome to the blockbusting new series from the biggest new ﬁ ction author of the decade. “H ello there! I’m Richard Osman, and I’m absolutely delighted – thrilled, even – to introduce you to my latest book, We Solve Murders. If you enjoyed Th e Th ursday Murder Club, I think you’re going to ﬁ nd this new adventure just as captivating. Of course, no guarantees; let’s just ease into it and see how it goes. In this latest tale, we have a dynamic trio of detectives, each distinct and equipped with their own unique abilities. First, meet Amy Wheeler, a bodyguard to billionaires whose life is as glamorous as it sounds, revolving around private jets and luxurious islands. Amy brings a sharp eye and a no- nonsense attitude to the team. Th en there’s Steve Wheeler, Amy’s father-in-law. An ex-cop, Steve is trading his small-town private investigator role for a high-stakes global tour of murder-solving. Th e catch? He’s going to miss his beloved pub quiz, which he’s not exactly thrilled about, but he’s ready to dive into this new challenge with gusto. Lastly, we have Rosie D’Antonio, Amy’s current client and one of the world’s bestselling crime authors – though, admittedly, she’s in a tight competition with Lee Child. Rosie is a delightful mix of sophistication and mischief, with a penchant for Martinis and manicures that match her larger-than-life personality. As you delve into this book, I hope you’ll ﬁ nd plenty of laughs, come across characters that warm your heart, and enjoy the process of unravelling a cleverly devised mystery. And while you’re enjoying the story, I’ll be oﬀ doing a bit of research myself – speciﬁ cally, how many private jets Lee Child might have.” We Solve Murders is out now. If you enjoyed The Thursday Murder Club, I think you’re going to ﬁ nd this new adventure just as captivatingVOLUME 32 THE PENGUIN POST 11 FICTION Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson Welcome to Rook Hall. Ex-detective Jackson Brodie, staving oﬀ midlife malaise, is called to a sleepy Yorkshire town for a stolen painting case. This leads to the disappearance of a Turner from Burton Makepeace, now a hotel hosting Murder Mystery weekends. With guests including a vicar and ex-army oﬃ cer, a clever mystery unfolds, paying homage to Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. Atkinson’s wit and narrative brio shine in Death at the Sign of the Rook. Precipice by Robert Harris From the bestselling comes a thrilling novel set in Summer 1914. Venetia Stanley, 26, has a love aﬀ air with Prime Minister H. H. Asquith. Asquith leads Britain into war, while a young intelligence oﬃ cer investigates a leak of top secret documents, turning their intrigue into a national security crisis that will alter political history. A novel that seamlessly weaves fact and ﬁ ction in a way that no writer does better. You won’t be able to put this one down. Safe Enough by Lee Child The world’s top thriller writer presents twenty pulse-pounding standalone short stories in one collection, each featuring unforgettable characters like assassins, CIA agents, and gangsters. From a drug-dealing hit man to an overlooked rookie cop, these meticulously plotted tales showcase humanity at its best and worst. Complete with an introduction from the author, this collection promises economical prose and unexpected twists only Jack Reacher’s creator could deliver. Lies He Told Me by James Patterson & David Ellis When her husband saves a drowning stranger, Marcie Bowers discovers his secret life, putting their family in danger. Celebrated as a hero, David’s newfound fame threatens to unravel his mysterious past. As a former big-city lawyer, Marcie must uncover the truth to protect their lives. In the small town of Hemingway Grove, everyone knows the Bowers, but Marcie faces the ultimate test of trust and survival. This is a thriller you won’t want to miss. Gabriel’s Moon by William Boyd In his most exhilarating novel yet, Britain’s greatest storyteller takes you from sixties London to the shadows of espionage. Gabriel Dax, haunted by a childhood tragedy, travels as a writer during the Cold War. Oﬀ ered an interview with a political ﬁ gure, he’s drawn into a web of duplicity. Under the influence of MI6 handler Faith Green, he becomes ‘her spy,’ facing peril, paranoia, and life- changing revelations. An adventure story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. TOP FICTION SeptemberTHE PENGUIN POST VOLUME 32 12 FICTION Blood Ties by Jo Nesbo From the bestselling author comes an explosive thriller about family, loyalty, and power. Brothers Carl and Roy Opgard have risen to the top in their small town, managing a spa hotel and planning an amusement park. But Sheriﬀ Kurt Olsen has new evidence linking them to past murders. As he seeks justice, the brothers will stop at nothing to protect their secrets. A gripping tale of ambition and betrayal. The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave On a beautiful Californian evening, a wealthy businessman falls to his death from his cliﬀ -top house. Nora and her half-brother Sam suspect foul play and team up to uncover the truth. Their strained relationship is tested as they delve into their elusive father’s mysterious past, uncovering tangled love aﬀ airs and dark family secrets. A gripping mystery ﬁ lled with passion, intrigue, and deception. Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty All strangers, each with a life heading in a particular direction, encounter an elderly woman who makes a prediction that ties their fates together. They face similar existential dilemmas, questioning if she is a genuine clairvoyant, a charlatan, an answer to prayers, or a harbinger of nightmares. She becomes an agent of chaos, fraying relationships and unraveling the most ordered lives in unexpected ways. Odyssey by Stephen Fry The epic ﬁ nal chapter in Fry’s retelling of the Greek myths. Troy has fallen, and the Greeks return home. Agamemnon faces his vengeful wife, Clytemnestra, who rages over their daughter’s sacriﬁ ce. Meanwhile, Odysseus, cursed by Poseidon, endures monsters and gods as he struggles to return to Ithaca and his wife, Penelope. A tale of love and longing, return and redemption, home and hope. The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins From the bestselling author of The Girl on the Train comes her most gripping thriller yet. Eris, a remote island with only one house and inhabitant, is isolated from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours daily. Formerly home to the artist Vanessa and her missing husband, Eris is now inhabited by Grace, who enjoys her solitude. But when a startling discovery is made in London, dark secrets of Eris begin to surface. TOP FICTION OctoberVOLUME 32 THE PENGUIN POST 13 BOOK CLUB Read an extract from Jodi Picoult’s new novel, By Any Other Name, the story of two women, centuries apart, who defy societal limitations to have their voices heard. Picoult is the acclaimed author of 29 novels with over 40 million copies sold. Melina, May 2013 “Many years after Melina graduated from Bard College, the course she remembered the most was not a playwriting seminar or a theater intensive but an anthropology class. One day, the professor had ﬂ ashed a slide of a bone with twenty-nine tiny incisions on one long side. ‘Th e Lebombo bone was found in a cave in Swaziland in the 1970s and is about forty-three thousand years old,’ she had said. ‘It’s made of a baboon ﬁ bula. For years, it’s been the ﬁ rst calendar attributed to man. But I ask you: what man uses a twenty-nine-day calendar?’ Th e professor seemed to stare directly at Melina. ‘History,’ she said, ‘is written by those in power.’ Th e spring of her senior year, Melina headed to her mentor’s oﬃ ce hours, as she did every week. Professor Bufort had, in the eighties, written a play called Wanderlust that won a Drama Desk Award, transferred to Broadway, and was nominated for a Tony. He claimed that he’d always wanted to teach, and that when Bard College made him head of the theater program it was a dream come true, but Melina thought it hadn’t hurt that none of his other plays had had the same critical success. He was standing with his back to her when she knocked and entered. His silver hair fell over his eyes, boyish. ‘My favorite thesis student,’ he greeted. ‘I’m your only thesis student.’ Melina pulled an elastic from her wrist and balled her black hair on top of her head in a loose knot before rummaging in her backpack for two small glass bottles of chocolate milk from a local dairy. Th ey cost a fortune, but she brought Professor Bufort one each week. High blood pressure medication had robbed him of his previous vices – alcohol and cigarettes – and he joked that this was the only fun he got to have anymore. Melina handed him a bottle and clinked hers against it. ‘My savior,’ he said, taking a long drink. Like most high school kids who had notched productions of Th e Crucible and A Midsummer Night’sDream on their belts, Melina had come to Bard assuming that she would study acting. It wasn’t until she took a playwriting course that she realized the only thing mightier than giving a stellar performance was being the person who crafted the words an actor spoke. She started writing one-acts that were performed by student groups. She studied Molière and Mamet, Marlowe and Miller. She took apart the language and the structure of their plays with the intensity of a grandmaster chess champion whose understanding of the game determined success. She wrote a modern Pygmalion, where the sculptor was a pageant mom and the statue was JonBenét Ramsey, but it was her version of Waiting for Godot, set at a political convention where all the characters were awaiting a savior- like presidential candidate who never arrived, that caught the attention of Professor Bufort. He encouraged her to send her play to various open submission festivals, and although she never was selected, it was clear to Melina and everyone else in the department that she was going to be one of the few to make it as a produced playwright.” By Any Other Name is out now. She was going to be one of the few to make it as a produced playwright. PHOTOGRAPH: Rainer HoschTHE PENGUIN POST VOLUME 32 14 OUR RICH HERITAGE OF STORYTELLING Set somewhere in South Africa (or very close by), there is a story for every one of our country’s children. You just have to read. WORLD-WEAVING POET Siphokazi Jonas is a weaver of seemingly discordant worlds. Growing up in an Afrikaans dorpie during the transitional years of a newly democratic South Africa and going on annual holidays to a village made this a necessity. Her work as a spoken word poet often fuses poetry, theatre and ﬁ lm, and she brings this genre-mixing to the pages of Weeping Becomes a River by using the intsomi form to weave the narrative of her poems together. INSIDE DOBSONVILLE With Junx, Tshidiso Moletsane delved deep into his own psyche to oﬀ er a glimpse into a world many of us are completely ignorant of. If you’ve never been young and anxious in Dobsonville, how are you to know what it is like? Especially on the eve of one of the greatest parties Joburg has ever seen, while you are navigating between places, people and narcotics. The party has only just begun. NAVIGATING DUAL WORLDS With a home life that’s culturally very diﬀ erent from his school life, and a disrupted adolescence, thanks to divorce, ﬁ nances and mental health issues, author Onke Mazibuko’s protagonist in The Second Verse is only too recognisable. Part of South Africa’s “missing middle”, Bokang Damane VOLUME 32 THE PENGUIN POST 15 SPECIAL is not rich enough to enjoy the same luxuries as his peers, yet not poor enough for state interventions. But life goes on and Bokang has no choice but to make the best of life in the East London of 1998. THE POWER IN A NAME In Sven Axelrad’s debut novel Buried Treasure, Mateus, the elderly cemetery keeper, buries bodies in the wrong graves due to poor eyesight. When he stumbles upon Novo, a young homeless girl, he makes her his apprentice, and Novo aims to organise the disoriented ghosts stuck between life and death, all while facing a mysterious threat. With its unique setting, and a town you’ll never ﬁ nd on any map of South Africa, Axelrad’s novel explores identity in a magical and quirky adventure. RINGING REMEMBRANCE A Sin of Omission is Marguerite Poland’s elegy for a life promised and lost amidst the ringing of bells – those of the Native College in Grahamstown, the Missionary College in Canterbury, England, and a dilapidated mission near Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape. In the second half of the nineteenth century, Stephen Mzamane, a young Anglican priest, must journey to his mother’s rural home to inform her of his elder brother’s death. But it is his own life that is caught in the brass echoes. TOWNSHIP GIRLHOOD In Fred Khumalo’s vibrant coming-of-age tale, Two Tons o’ Fun, 14-year-old Lerato Morolong gives the reader a glimpse into what it’s like to be a young girl growing up in a township. Lerato’s mother is not the best maternal ﬁ gure, but that’s ok, as our heroine ﬁ nds sanctuary at the house of her best friend, Janine, one half of the dancing duo Two Tons o’ Fun. As Lerato grows, she uncovers family secrets, her writing talent, and explores her sexuality, all while understanding her mother’s tough love. RECIPE FOR FICTION A recipe puts together distinct ingredients to create something completely new – but still recognisable for its parts. When she created the series, Sally Andrew mixed together a place (Ladismith) with a language (English, but spoken the Afrikaans way), a type (a widow whose late husband had a terrible temper), an institution (a small-town newspaper) and a way of coping (sharing recipes). And she has created one of the most instantly recognisable ﬁ gures in recent South African ﬁ ction: Tannie Maria. LANDSCAPES OF LITERATURE As the pages of Justin Fox’s Place attest, a story is often bound to a place. In the same way, an author is often bound to a place as well. Fox identiﬁ ed nine seminal South Africa authors and visited their landscapes – and their books. By connecting person and place to a life and stories, many more stories come to the fore, often to shed new light on a book and a place you thought you knew well. HISTORIC CONNECTIONS South Africa’s past struggles are vast, complex and not limited to geographic borders. In our own struggles, we have learnt from others; maligned people around the world, ﬁ ghting for their freedom. In How to Be a Revolutionary, author CA Davids plays with the way in which like-minded people ﬁ nd each other – despite time or border. Because the story is so deeply rooted in South Africa, Davids has the freedom and courage to transcend both space and time, incorporating China and the United States of America in this bold exploration. THE PENGUIN POST VOLUME 32 16 BOOK CLUB Ons het die skrywers van vier splinternuwe Afrikaanse boeke ’n paar vrae gevra. VIER MAAL SO LEKKER! Wat is die saadjie wat aanleiding tot Swyg gegee het? Feite word dikwels ingesamel en geskiedenis saamgestel oor dié dinge waaroor gepraat word, maar die eintlike waarheid, die goed wat regtig gebeur het en so verskriklik was – word dikwels vir eeue oor geswyg. Dit waaroor geswyg word, die stiltes tussen die lyne, fassineer my. Praat bietjie oor die titel – swyg, stilbly, nie iets sê nie? Die boek gaan oor mense wat een aand iets beleef het en mekaar tot stilswye gesweer het – met verreikende gevolge jare later. Daar is ook die bekende Donkermann-familie wat swyg oor al hul donker geheime en ’n vrou wat sit in ’n inrigting en nie die waarheid kan vertel oor wat daardie aand gebeur het nie weens geheueverlies. Maar wat as haar geheue terugkom – en hoe lank kan mens geheime bewaar...? Waar in die menslike psige het jou navorsing vir hierdie boek jou geneem? Die mens se donker kant fassineer my altyd. Hierdie boek fokus op selfdood, die sondes ‘Die stiltes tussen die lyne fassineer my’ Erla-Mari Diedericks is al meer as 30 jaar ’n verslaggewer en het talle titels op haar kerfstok, insluitend die spanningsverhale, Dominique, Die bewonderaar en Salemstraat. Wat was die saadjie wat tot Troep aanleiding gegee het? Die dienspliggenerasie het intense dinge beleef. Die jare stap aan en dit is belangrik om nou so veel as moontlik van hierdie ervaringe op te teken. Ek het probeer om daardie dinge wat elke oud-dienspligtige dadelik sal herken, in een boek saam te vat. Die boek bring die stemme van baie voormalige dienspligtiges saam. Hoe het jy te werk gegaan om die boek aanmekaar te sit? Daar is klomp goeie militêre Facebookgroepe en webwerwe en ek het oor die afgelope drie of vier jaar al begin om interessante materiaal eenkant te sit. Verlede jaar het ek mense begin opspoor en op die ou end omtrent 150 mense se stories bymekaargemaak. Party is letterlik net een of twee sinne, ander vyf of ses bladsye lank. Wanneer jy dan ’n paar verhale opgeteken het, begin die boek as’t ware die groter storie self aanmekaarsit. Daar is al baie geskryf oor die skade wat die Grensoorlog en diensplig jong manne aangerig het. Hoe wyd en diep is hierdie probleem? Ek het nie die syfers nie, maar baie mense dra vandag nog geestelike bagasie saam omdat hulle destyds nie behoorlike berading ontvang het nie. Sedertdien het hulle ook nie eintlik die kans gekry om met begrip aangehoor te word nie. Ek hoop familielede van ouddienspligtes lees hierdie boek, want dit is nie bloot ’n klomp “armystories” nie. Ek het probeer om iets oor die realiteit van destyds vas te lê. Hopelik help dit mense om te verstaan hoekom hul huweliksmaats en pa’s is soos hulle is. Dink jy daar is plek vir verpligte diensplig van ’n aard in Suid-Afrika vandag? Dalk eerder ’n jaar van gemeenskapswerk? As almal van ons vir ’n jaar, sê maar, gaan help om die paaie en spoorlyne reg te maak? ‘Baie mense dra vandag nog geestelike bagasie saam’ Bun Booyens was die stigtersredakteur van die reistydskrif Weg! en redakteur van die dagblad Die Burger. Hy was ’n voetsoldaat tydens diensplig en werk tans as ’n vryskutjoernalis. Troep is in Oktober op die rakke.VOLUME 32 THE PENGUIN POST 17 AFRIKAANS Swyg is in Oktober op die rakke. van die voorgeslag, pedoﬁ lie en wat sal gebeur as die regte dwelms op die verkeerde tyd jou geestestoestand vir altyd aantas en psigose veroorsaak. Jy gee die leser ’n kykie in die uitgewersbedryf. Vind jy dat die ego’s inderdaad groter en geheues langer is? Ek bied ook ’n kykie in die akademiese wêreld en die karakters – Didi Donkermann is geinpsireer deur dosente en redakteurs waarmee my pad al gekruis het. Die skrywer Louis Donkermann, is geskoei op ’n Wat is die saadjie wat tot Donker water gelei het? Dit het met Swartval begin. Die oorspronklike weergawe was baie anders en het ook ’n polisieondersoek ingesluit. As deel van die soektog na Claire het ek met ’n polisieduiker gaan praat. Dit was reeds ’n baie interessante onderhoud, maar toe hy vir my die toerusting in die stoor gaan wys, en die ander duikers bykom en begin om hulle stories uit te pak, het ek net geweet ek gaan moet terugkom en ’n boek oor hulle skryf. Is jy ’n duiker? Nee, ek is nie ’n duiker nie. Ek het jare terug ’n paar keer saam met iemand by Pringlebaai gaan duik. Dit was toe kreefseisoen nog lank aangehou het en jy net ’n paar meter moes ingaan voor jy die perlemoen sien. Ons moes beurte maak met sy duikpak en in die praktyk het hy die kreef, perlemoen en alikreukels uitgeduik en ek het op die oppervlak tussen die rotse gesnorkel en net gekyk hoe als lyk, wat ’n ongelooﬂ ike ervaring was. Jy skram nie weg van die swaar in die lewe nie. Maar daar is ook mooi en lig in Alex Steytler en sy kollega Pyper se lewens, of hoe? Ja, daar is baie humor ook. Ek het Steytler en Pyper se interaksie baie geniet om te skryf. Hulle is anders, maar dit het my nogal laat dink aan Mags en Menck in Donker spoor. Party van die ouer duikers kan soms baie droog wees en ek waardeer nogal ’n droë opmerking. Ná die skryf van Donker water, wat kies jy: Spoorwegpolisie of Duikeenheid? Dis moeilik. Ek het ’n spesiale plekkie in my hart vir die duikeenheid. Wat hulle doen, fassineer my, maar ek dink nie dis vir my nie. Ek sien half meer kans vir treinpatrollie, maar dis ook nie iets wat ek wil doen nie. Nee, my plek in die polisie sou eerder by forensies gewees het, toneelontleding, bloedspatsels, ballistiek dalk. Ek het ’n goeie skeut OCD weg, ek is goed met details, noukeurig, meet ’n ding drie keer voordat ek saag of boor ... my persoonlikheid pas baie beter by forensiese werk. Donker water is nou beskikbaar. Ek het net geweet ek gaan moet terugkom en oor hulle skryf. kombinasie van narsistiese karakters wat ek ontmoet het in die joernalistieke wêreld. Lesers het al tevore vir dr Ann Marais ontmoet. Wie is sy en waarom het jy haar terug gebring? Dr Ann Marais is ’n forensiese psigiater wat in my vorige boeke by Molenberg Psigiatriese Staatshospitaal verbonde was en sedertdien bedank het. Ek hou daarvan om ’n pad saam met my lesers te stap en baie lesers was mal oor hierdie uiters eksentrieke karakter, so sy is in al my boeke. ‘Ek sien half meer kans vir treinpatrollie …’ Martin Steyn, skrywer van ondermeer Donker spoor, Skuldig, Swartval en Losprys, het ’n voorliefde vir die makabere, en ’n belangstelling in kriminologie en reeksmoordenaars.Next >