Today I went to the Pan Macmillan Adult Presentation having no idea what to expect, and not really sure if I’d even be able to find my way there, but after traversing the Gautrain and a bus I made it to their offices unscathed and in quite a pleasant mood.
The presentation consisted of two parts, their South African books and their international list so without further ado I present some of the titles you can look forward to from Pan Macmillan in 2012:
South African Non-fiction
Two of the series stood out for me here:
Reverend Frank Chikane’s new book Seven Days in September (March 2012) will give the reader a front row seat to removal of Thabo Mbeki as South African president; it will shed light on what happened during those seven days in September 2008, the build-up to it and Mbeki’s legacy.
Chikane has been signed on for three titles with Pan and the book following Seven Days in September will be Things I Could Not Say to be released in September 2012. His other book No Life of My Own will be rereleased to coincide with Seven Days in September.
The other series I am really looking forward to is The Youngsters Series which will consist of a number of smaller, shorter format books focusing of topical issues for young people in South Africa, all the authors are under 35. The series’ editor is Mandy Weiner who wrote the runaway success Killing Kebble. Pan hopes to attract the youth market with these titles, and I think it looks like a fantastic series. Three titles from the series are set to be released in June 2012.
South African Fiction
Three titles from their RSA fiction presentation stood out for me, namely Entanglement, Sarah House and Redemption Song.
Entanglement (March 2012) by Steven Boykey Sidley is set in the USA, and looks at very sweeping themes in a dark, humourous way. I don’t have that many details but by the presentation I can tell the publishers are passionate about this one and I really look forward to it.
Sarah House (March 2012) is a title found in the ‘slush pile’ which looks to be as though it will be the literary highlight for South African fiction next year. It is written by Ifeanyi Ajaegbo, who is a man who works at an NGO in Nigeria helping victims of human trafficking and providing them with safe houses. The novel tells the story of Nita, ‘a young woman who is kidnapped and sold into a terrifying world of prostitution and human trafficking’. I think this is going to be an emotional but important read, especially considering what a huge problem human trafficking is in the world.
And finally for the South African list we have Redemption Song by Amanda Coetzee which follows Badger, from her first book Bad Blood, to Albania and explores traveller communities even further. This book can be read as a standalone, but it will surely win some new fans for Coetzee.
International Fiction
The Trylle Trilogy is coming to a bookstore near you, Amanda Hocking self-published and self-made millionaire has joined St. Martin’s Press and her Trylle Trilogy is set for release in 2012. And I can tell you the covers look absolutely beautiful, no more depressing black and red, or black and blue covers, these full colour covers come to life and I’m sure will bring a whole new following to Hocking’s story. I have already read Switched, but I am really looking forward to the edited, beautiful version. Also I look forward to her untitled Watersong series coming in September 2012.
Easy Money by Jens Lapidus is the other title coming in 2012, he is said to be the next big Scandinavian -English translation hit and US film rights have already been purchased. The first in a trilogy, this book takes the usual Scandinavian crime and throws it over and has sold more than 1 million copies in Sweden alone. Pan Macmillan gave me a proof copy to read, so I will post my review in the near future.
Sins of the Father by Jeffrey Archer (Book II in the Clifton Chronicles) is set for release in March 2012, the bigger new than this is that Mr. Archer MIGHT be coming on a South African tour to coincide with the release of this title.
Picador will be celebrating their 40th birthday and are rejacketing some of their titles. I can tell you they look absolutely stunning and I can’t wait to get by book-nerd hands on them.
The Last Rhino by Lawrence Anthony, author of Elephant Whisperer, is releasing this new title in April 2012 which judging by Elephant Whisperer’s success will follow in its footsteps.
Tigers in Red Weather was described as ‘cocktails, jazz, and suppressed violence’. The book is something for fans of books like The Talented Mr. Ripley.
Carol Shaben’s Into the Abyss (August 2012) sounded like a bad joke when presented to us, a criminal hand-cuffed to a policeman, a politician and a pilot survive a plane crash. It’s a true-life adventure written by the politician’s daughter and I am really looking forward to it.
And lastly Peter F. Hamilton’s A Great North Road (October 2012) is being published and Pan have also signed him up for another three titles.
There were many more titles to look forward to but unfortunately you’d be reading forever if I wrote about them all.
Svagare 