From Colleen’s desk
Launching the movie tie-in edition of Snake by Tracey Farren, was a highlight this year! I was reminded that Tracey’s writing, the manuscript of Whiplash, which became her first book, published by Modjaji in 2008, is what made me decide to become a full-time publisher. I couldn’t put the manuscript down, I felt as though I had tapped into a source of electric energy. I’d never read anything like it. Later Whiplash was made into a movie by Meg Rickards, who also loved it. The movie was called Tess, the main character’s name, as a movie titled Whiplash won Oscars in the year “our” movie was in production. We called re-titled our movie tie-in edition as Tess too.
Meg also made Snake, the movie, released last year. So 18 years after starting Modjaji we celebrated the new edition of Snake, and the partnership between Meg and Tracey and this small press.
Meg Rickards (award-winning director), Tracey Farren (the author), and Colleen Higgs (publisher) at the launch at Cavendish Exclusive Books.
On our horizon
Launch: A Clergyman’s Daughter
New release: 06h00 somewhere, and many hours later somewhere else
Barbara Adair’s new book is an inventive, non-linear journey through Namibia. The story blends memoir, travelogue and fever dream, with Mark Kannemeyer’s illustrations adding playful, provocative visual layers. Keep your eye on our social media for a launch!
There’s still time to submit!
Our submissions window closes on 30 November 2025. If you’ve been polishing your manuscript, now’s the time to send it in! We’re accepting fiction, memoir, creative non-fiction and short stories. If you missed last month’s FAQs about submitting, you can find them here.
To everyone who’s submitted already, we truly appreciate your work! Each manuscript is read carefully and thoughtfully, so the process takes a little time.
Inside the story
It’s been shortlisted for the 2025 South African Literary Awards (SALA) Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award! SALA celebrates South Africa’s finest literary voices across multiple categories and languages, and this year SALA celebrates its 20th anniversary. Winners will be announced on 11 November 2025 at the Roodepoort Theatre. (This is the collection’s second shortlisting! It was the runner up for this year’s NIHSS Awards in the short story category.)
And secondly, Tears of the Weaver has found readers abroad! The Maverick Independent Review called the collection “a colorful tapestry of modern South African Indian life, offering readers a glimpse into intimate cultural details and daily rituals” and “invit[ing] readers to sit with discomfort, while also reminding us that we each carry our own tapestry, woven with the stories that shape us.”
It’s always gratifying to see our authors’ work resonate beyond borders. It’s a reminder of how stories from here can speak to readers everywhere.
Meanwhile, the launch of Snake at Exclusive Books Cavendish brought together old friends, new readers and those who wanted to hear about the translation of the book to script and then movie.
The room was full of the kind of conversations that keep us doing what we do. Because Meg and Tracey have collaborated over such a long time, the discussion was warm, intimate and searching. Thank you to everyone who made it such a special night! Especially to Linda at EB Cavendish, and your staff.
Behind the desk
I’ve been interning with Colleen at Modjaji Books for a little while now, and since these newsletters have been “my baby” in a way, I thought it was time to introduce myself. You might’ve also “e-met” me while submitting your manuscripts (that’s me, peeking through the slush pile and answering all your submission queries!).
What I’ve realised over these months is that interning here is so much more than simply “gaining work experience”. It’s a privilege: I’m learning lessons no lecture hall or textbook could teach. And it’s a responsibility: Colleen basically runs the press single-handedly, and I get to play a small (but real) part in that work. And through that, I’ve come to see how even the seemingly mundane tasks hold weight…
- replying to emails reminds me that publishing is all about relationships (not just transactions)
- drafting newsletters gives me a glimpse into this small press’s (real and overwhelmingly busy) heartbeat
- sifting through the slush pile teaches me to respect the care and craft that each author pours into their manuscript
…every task, big or small, keeps Modjaji running and books reaching readers (you!).
When I’m not WhatsApping Colleen or hopping onto quick Zoom calls to chat about everything Modjaji, I’m juggling my Master’s in Publishing at Wits, updating my Goodreads reviews, and helping Catalyst Press with publicity.
In fact, it was this internship at Modjaji that opened the door for me to join the Catalyst team full-time next year (something I’ll always be grateful to Colleen for). Earlier this year, Modjaji and Catalyst announced their international publishing partnership — a testament to the way stories don’t stay put, they cross oceans and languages and borders. Little did I know that partnership would become part of my own story too!
And I think that’s one of the greatest things about internships: they open unexpected doors, teach lessons you wouldn’t get anywhere else, and connect you with people you’d never meet otherwise.
Which reminds me…there’s something brewing this November, which I’m particularly excited about: #ReadingAfrica Week (7-13 December)!
Started by Catalyst Press in 2017, it’s an annual celebration of African literature that brings together writers, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and literary magazines from around the world. Each year has a theme, and this year it’s Open Horizons: Creating connections across continents, inspired by two main ideas:
- Continuity (how can we keep African literature in conversation all year?)
- Openness (how can we explore access, inclusion and representation across voices and stories?)
And this year’s panels include:
- Life-writing
- Francophone African literature
- The role of booksellers in widening access
- Visual storytelling
- Crime writing
- Queer voices
- and our very first workshop on creating a Mini Graphic Memoir
Colleen will be on the Life-writing panel as one of the panelists, discussing her memoir my mother, my madness. I think it’s especially exciting to see her work in the spotlight since she devotes her days to championing others’ stories!
If you’re reading this newsletter, consider this a personal invitation to join the conversations and celebrate African literature with us during #ReadingAfrica Week!
Keep the conversation going
- Will we see you at A Clergyman’s Daughter’s launch later this month?
- Have you sent in your manuscript yet? Or are you giving it one last polish before the 30th?
- Which Modjaji read is on your list for this month?
- Which #ReadingAfrica panel are you most curious about?
As always, we’d love to hear from you!