Some books just get off to a flying start, this has been the case with Anne Schlebusch’s debut novel, Bloomer. We’ve had two enthusiastically received launches in Cape Town, one at Bertha House organised by the Rosebank Writers Group and one at Exclusive Books Cavendish with another coming up in Joburg on the 30th of May at Exclusives in Rosebank. Listen to the conversation between Nancy Richards and Anne at the Bertha House launch here.
Anne’s been invited to the Franschhoek Literary Festival where her session is already sold out!! Bloomer seems to be hitting the sweet spot for lots of readers here. She’s also been invited to the Kingsmead Book Fair on Saturday 27th May. Bieke van Aggelen is taking Bloomer off to the London Book Fair, and we’re holding thumbs for this wonderful engrossing read, filled with great characters, important issues, and lots of action.
Why is Bloomer getting such positive vibes and traction? Shireen Mall puts part of this into context in her review on “The Good Book Appreciation Society”, a Facebook group that has 20000 members. “Written in almost cinematic style it provides a laugh-a-minute humour, without failing at sharp wit in the writing, and insight into the plight, causes, and catalysts for change towards a happier and more fruitful existence for the aged” and ends her piece by noting that Schlebusch “ventures into a realm rarely explored” in this book.
The answer to the Bloomer appeal seems to lie in four aspects: it’s witty and fun; it’s pithy, significant, and uplifting; it’s a less-explored universe i.e. the world of the elderly AND the author, ex-educator Anne Schlebusch, is herself 70 years old.
This serendipitously sets Schlebusch up to be a South African presence in the emerging sought-after contribution of older female authors, as picked up in a recent Guardian article. Their subtitle says it all “Unpublished authors in their 60s, 70s and 80s are now at a premium in the book world – with radical, edgy women in high demand”. Indeed Schlebusch and her edgy protagonist, Maggie, fit into this category smoothly. Maggie unashamedly uses her voice boldly and with radical punches. Time will tell if Maggie de Leeuw will stand next to Bonnie Garmus’ Elizabeth Zott as a resonating bright voice on social issues. And time and circumstance will dictate if a Bloomer movement ensues. For now, though, receptive eyes are on this space.
Read an extract from Bloomer published in The Daily Maverick last week and you can read a review by Nancy Richards for Woman Zone CT. Richards writes, “Bottom line, Bloomer and the adventures therein is/are very, very funny. Not only funny but smart (in a non-clever-dick kind of way) and full of love and learnings, tough and tender – what Maggie refers to as her ‘old bird wisdom’. You can check out the full review here!
