Joanne Hichens – författare

In a poor district on the outskirts of Cape Town, Grace lives with her adoptive mother, Martha. Of mixed race, Grace dreams about what her unknown, natural mother might be like, fantasizes about finding her, and is plagued by an intense sense of dislocation. Rebelling against her adoptive mother''s smothering influence, Grace turns to close friend Shardonnay and her sister, Crystal. In contrast, Crystal is a teenage mum and has had to drop out of school, bitter that her future has been decided by one mistake. Tired of being the responsible example, Grace hits the nightclubs with the younger, mixed-up, pop-idols crazy Shardonnay. All the while, though, she keeps a protective eye on Crystal. Is the baby, Ricardo, the reason Crystal suffers black moods and anger? Or is there a deeper problem?This fast-paced read is dynamic and gripping, perfect for teen readers who want all the characteristics of a long novel, dealing with teenage issues and tough topics, in a strong, condensed book. From a series written by some amazing authors, this book is everything a reluctant reader would want to get them engaged. Note: this book contains some strong language, graphic scenes and/or tough topics, so is only suitable for older YA readers.

The bed, dressed in hand sewn quilt or threadbare blanket, may in and of itself be memorable, but it is what happens in the bed , the sex and lovemaking, the dreams, the reading, the nightmares, the rest, giving birth and dying , which give ,bed, special meaning. Whether a bed is shared with a book, a child, a pet or a partner, whether lovers lie in ecstasy or indifference, whether ,bed, relates to intimacy or betrayal, it is memories and recollections of ,bed,, in whatever form, which have triggered the writing of these thirty stories by women from southern Africa. Well known writers Joanne Fedler, Sarah Lotz, Arja Salafranca, Rosemund Handler and Liesl Jobson will delight, but you will discover here new writers from Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia and Zambia, each with a unique voice as they cast light on the intimate lives of women living in this part of the world and the possibilities that are both available to and denied them. The BED BOOK of short stories , some quirky and tender, others traumatic or macabre , is the perfect companion to take to bed with you, to keep you reading long into the night.