New Generation Events at 2011 FLF

The 5th annual Franschhoek Literary Festival is on from 13 to 15 May this year, and there are various events designed for younger book fans.

In A Real Tweet on Friday 13 May at 11:30, Sam Wilson (Editor-in-Chief of Women's Lifestyle at 24.com) will chair a wide-ranging discussion about cellphone fiction and other new ways to reach out to new and would-be readers. With Steve Vosloo, founder of the Shuttleworth Foundation's m4Lit project, Kontax scriptwriter Sam Wilson and education specialist Michael Rice.

Also at 11:30, two serious women and two very funny men discuss contemporary comic art in Serious vs Hilarious, facilitated by Andy Mason (What’s so Funny?). Starring Marguerite Abouet, author of the award-winning Aya graphic novels set in Côte d’Ivoire; Colin Cotterill, bestselling crime writer and comics blogger based in South East Asia; Jeremy Nell, maverick South African cartoonist; and Leonora van Staden, an Afrikaans graphic novelist with a feminist axe to grind.

At 13:00 Sarah Lotz (Tooth & Nailed), Lauren Beukes (Zoo Story) and science fiction artist Mer Roberts explore dystopian narratives and technological upheavals in Speculative Fiction, chaired by Delphi Carstens who is writing a PhD on the subject.

Also at 13:00, the Stellenbosch rapping professor Leon de Kock will have some of the poets and rappers in the Umuzi book Letters to South Africa performing their SA versions of Allan Ginsberg’s famous Letter to America.

On Saturday 14 May at 10:00 in Blood, Guts, Sweat & Tears, three doctors who also write – Rosamund Kendal (The Angina Monolgues), Dawn Garisch (Trespass) and James Clelland (Deeper Than Colour) – put aside their stethoscopes to talk about their books with crime writer Jassy Mackenzie.

Also at 10:00, SAFM’s Karabo Kgoleng knocks some myths about young reading on the head in Young, Black and Reading as she talks to literary magazine editor Phakama Mbonambi, Marguerite Abouet and romance imprint Nollybooks publisher Moky Makura.

For anyone who is part of – or trying to understand – the subspecies “teenager’, Sally Partridge (Fuse), Edyth Bulbring (Melly, Mrs Ho and Me) and Sarah Lotz (Tooth & Nailed), share their secrets about reaching the plugged-in generation with Fiona Snyckers in What’s Different About Writing for Teens? on Saturday at 11:30.

Colleen Higgs of Modjaji Press talks romance with Fiona Snyckers (Trinity on Air), Nani Mhlanga (Her Forever After), Sapphire Press editor Lindsay van Rensburg and Nollybooks publisher Moky Makura in Love Stories at 14:30.

Other events of special interest include Off the Wall Poetry at BICCCS Café on Friday, an open mic evening with Hugh Hodge, Karin Schimke, local and Cape Town poets and Youth Affair’s Voices From Our Valley poetry-in-motion theatre production at 18:30 on Friday and Saturday evenings.

There are a number of accommodation options available for students who want to spend the weekend in Franschhoek. See www.flf.co.za, join the Franschhoek Literary Festival on Facebook, or follow the FLF on Twitter @FranLitFest.

The FLF is presented in association with Porcupine Ridge Wines and the Sunday Times, and is further made possible through the generosity of Franschhoek guest house owners and voluntary workers who give their time and energy to make it an event to remember. Ticket proceeds and other donations go towards the FLF Library Fund. The full FLF programme is available on www.flf.co.za. Bookings are open and tickets can be booked on www.webtickets.co.za. Ticket prices remain unchanged at R60 per event, unless otherwise indicated.

WWF urges Franschhoek Tatler readers to go beyond the hour

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) today called on the people  of Western Cape to pledge their support for Earth Hour 2011 and to go beyond the hour.

While Earth Hour is the largest mass participation environmental event in the world, it starts with ordinary people. Every year WWF encourages people across the planet to turn off their lights for one hour in a symbolic gesture to pledge their commitment to combating climate change. This year Earth Hour takes place from 8.30 – 9.30pm on Saturday 26 March.

“WWF encourages everyone in South Africa to take a stand against climate change as it affects all of us, our country and our planet. This year, we are calling on everyone in South Africa to turn off their lights on 26 March and then to ‘go beyond the hour’ and commit to environmentally sustainable action on an on-going basis,” says Zubair Sayed, Executive Manager of Communication and Marketing at WWF South Africa.

Such sustainable actions may include anything from carpooling and recycling to installing solar water heaters and planting veggie gardens.

An online platform that captures and allows individuals, organisations, businesses and governments to share their actions, will act as the tool to showcase and inspire commitments to protect the one thing we all have in common – the planet. South Africans can sign up, share their actions, tell everyone about events they are planning and learn more at www.earthhour.org.za. 

Leopard’s Leap sponsors Dorp Van Die Jaar

Rapport officially announced on Sunday the launch of the 2011 Kwêla Rapport Dorp van die Jaar competition. Leopard’s Leap Wines, KykNET and World Luxury Hotel Awards are again the proud sponsors of this popular, truly South African initiative. Rapport readers and KykNET viewers can nominate the town of their choice within the South African and Namibian borders. The first phase of nominations closes on Tuesday, March 22 at 12h00.

It is widely acknowledged that there is a rise in the dynamic role of small town tourism as a strategy for development. As a result of economic, financial and cultural trends, the importance of small towns have now become increasingly critical. Small town tourism is progressively regarded as a visible path for local and national economic development.

“The importance of small towns plays a role not only in our heritage, traditions and culture but contributes greatly to the economic development and sustainability of our country. This competition provides an opportunity for small towns to showcase not only their wares, landscape and lifestyle but also what they add to the national economic development.” says Hein Koegelenberg, CEO of Leopard’s Leap Wines.

As part of the Leopard’s Leap sponsorship, seven Rapport readers will win an 18 litre bottle of Leopards Leap Shiraz Grenaché 2009. Only to be released later this year, this special collector’s bottle will make a great addition to any home cellar. One lucky winner stands a chance of winning an unforgettable all-inclusive week-long trip to the majestic Cape Winelands, including dinner at three of the 2010’s Eat Out Top 10 restaurants. A further R49,750.00 worth of wine training will be awarded to 50 waiters in the winning town. The ‘Introduction to Wine’ course from the Cape Wine Academy will greatly benefit the level of hospitality of the winning town.

“Leopard’s Leap is proud to be a sponsor in an initiative such as this that promotes the development of small towns such as Franschhoek which is where our hearts lie,” adds Koegelenberg.

Kwêla and Rapport will make weekly announcements with up to date nominations. For more information on Dorp van die Jaar visit www.kwela.co.za or www.rapport.co.za