The Hidden Lives of Writers

S05 E05 Morabo Morojele

Morabo Morojele is the award-winning author of the novels How We Buried Puso and Three Egg Dilemma, which won the University of Johannesburg Award in 2024. Morabo joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about the time he forgot that he was a writer, and what made him remember…

21 Apr 53 min

S05 E04 Cliffordene Norton

Cliffordene Norton is the celebrated author of young adult novels and short stories in Afrikaans, and has a new title coming out in 2025. Cliffordene joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about why Afrikaans readers show up so consistently for their writers. She shares the secrets behind writing…

14 Apr 1 hr 22 min

S05 E03 Terry-Ann Adams

Terry-Ann Adams is the award-winning author of the novel THOSE WHO LIVE IN CAGES and the short story collection WHITE CHALK. Terry-Ann joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about what it is like to embark upon an MA in Creative Writing after you have already been published and…

7 Apr 53 min

S05 E02 Penny Haw

Penny Haw is the highly successful author of several works of historical fiction. Her latest novel FOLLOW ME TO AFRICA is hitting bestseller lists all over South Africa right now. Penny joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about her early forays into children's fiction, thrillers, and now historical…

31 Mar 1 hr 12 min

S05 E01 Shameez Patel

Shameez Patel Papathanasiou is taking her writing in a new direction. The author of the Selene Trilogy of fantasy novels, has gone back to her one true love - contemporary romance. Shameez joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about what inspired this pivot and how much fun she…

24 Mar 1 hr 03 min

S04 E11 John van der Ruit

Spud is back! John van der Ruit is the record-smashing, best-selling author of the SPUD series of books, as well as an actor and playwright. John joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about what it was like finding the voice of an older Spud after all these years…

18 Nov 2024 1 hr 03 min

S04 E10 Gareth Crocker

Gareth Crocker is a well known novelist, film maker, and television creator. His latest book NOW YOU SUFFER is garnering great reviews. Gareth joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how he got an international deal for his first novel FINDING JACK, and why major Hollywood stars like…

11 Nov 2024 54 min

S04 E09 Samantha Shannon

Samantha Shannon is the internationally bestselling author of the BONE SEASON series of urban fantasy novels, as well as the epic fantasy novel THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE. Samantha joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about why she is rereleasing the BONE SEASON series as 'the author's…

4 Nov 2024 1 hr 15 min

S04 E08 Louisa Treger

Louisa Treger is the acclaimed author of four historical novels featuring remarkable women whose contributions to society have been overlooked or forgotten. Her most recent novel is THE PARIS MUSE. Louisa joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about why she pivoted from academic research to fiction writing, and…

28 Oct 2024 1 hr 01 min

S04 E07 Vernon Head

Vernon Head is the author of THE SEARCH FOR THE RAREST BIRD IN THE WORLD - a piece of creative non-fiction that has recently been reissued, as well as A TREE FOR THE BIRDS, and the award-winning ON THAT WAVE OF GULLS. Vernon joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to…

21 Oct 2024 1 hr 04 min

S04 E06 Alex Latimer

Alex Latimer is an author and illustrator of children's fiction and an author of books for adults. As Frank Owen, he and Diane Awerbuck wrote the dystopian novels SOUTH and NORTH. Alex also recently released the acclaimed collection of short stories LOVE STORIES FOR GHOSTS. Alex joins Fiona Snyckers and…

14 Oct 2024 1 hr 08 min

S04 E05 Mphuthumi Ntabeni

Mphuthumi Ntabeni won the UJ Debut Novel Prize in 2019 for BROKEN RIVER TENT and is the author of the acclaimed 2021 novel THE WANDERES. He is also a journalist, columnist, reviewer, and cultural commentator. Mphuthumi joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how he draws on the…

7 Oct 2024 1 hr 11 min

S04 E04 Jarred Thompson

Jarred Thompson's stunning debut novel THE INSTITUTE FOR CREATIVE DYING won the UJ Debut Prize and has been shortlisted for the Sunday Times Fiction Prize. Jarred joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how he structured his complex narrative and juggled the voices of his different characters. He…

30 Sep 2024 1 hr 03 min

S04 E03 Nthikeng Mohlele

Nthikeng Mohlele is a prolific and critically acclaimed author of multiple novels and short stories - most recently 'Revolutionaries' House'. His novel 'Breasts' has just been shortlisted for the UJ Prize for Fiction. Nthikeng joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how music informs his fiction and how…

23 Sep 2024 57 min

S04 E02 Shubnum Khan

Shubnum Khan is the author of the novel ONION TEARS which has recently been rereleased in paperback. She also wrote the collection of essays HOW I ACCIDENTALLY BECAME A GLOBAL STOCK PHOTO and the internationally successful novel THE LOST LOVE OF AKBAR MANZIL. Shubnum joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel…

16 Sep 2024 1 hour

S04 E01 Barbara Boswell

Barbara Boswell is a distinguished academic and novelist whose latest work THE COMRADE'S WIFE has taken the literary world by storm. Barbara was a visiting fellow at Oxford University earlier this year where she conducted research in preparation for future life writing. Barbara joined Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to…

9 Sep 2024 1 hr 04 min

S03 E10 Ivan Vladislavic

Ivan Vladislavic is a multi-award winning author, editor, and professor of creative writing. His new memoir The Near North is available now. Ivan joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how not having grown up in Johannesburg has made him more curious about the city and how the…

20 May 2024 1 hr 09 min

S03 E09 Lynn Joffe

Lynn Joffe is a copywriter, a novelist, a short story writer, and an author of children's books. She is the author of the critically acclaimed picaresque novel, The Gospel According to Wanda B. Lazarus, published by Modjaji Books. Lynn joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how she…

13 May 2024 54 min

S03 E08 Margie Orford

Margie Orford is a writer, academic, activist, and award-winning journalist. She is the author of the acclaimed Clare Hart series of crime novels. Her most recent work is a much-anticipated memoir, Love And Fury. Margie joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about the narrative choices one makes for…

6 May 2024 1 hr 17 min

S03 E07 Fiona Snyckers - The Hidden

In this special episode of The Hidden Lives of Writers, Fiona Snyckers sits down with author, reviewer, and journalist Gus Silber to talk about her new novel THE HIDDEN, which is published by Pan Macmillan. Gus grills Fiona about her secret past as a child writer and whether her own…

29 Apr 2024 41 min