Meyersdal mom contributes to the literary landscape
Months after bagging the silver Pendoring award, Sewela Langeni has been announced as a judge for the prestigious Sunday Times Literary Award.
Sewela Langeni, together with the illustrator of her book, Subi Bosa, won a silver Pendoring trophy and certificate in the design category of her children’s book, Making Friends With Feelings, last year.
This year, the author and owner of Book Circle Capital, an independent bookshop focusing on African literature, has seen a bounty of achievements.
She has had the honour of facilitating book discussions at two big book festivals in May – The Franschhoek Literary Fair and the Kingsmead Book Fair. And recently, the mother of two was announced as a judge for the prestigious Sunday Times Literary Award for the non-fiction panel.
“The shortlist will be announced in August, so I currently have to read more than 30 books, an arduous but very pleasurable experience. I can only thank God for consistently opening doors for me. One of the biggest highlights this year is that my second children’s book is out – Luba Goes To The Zoo,” Langeni said.
The book lover impacts readers through regularly hosting events at her shop, which serves as a guide for readers and book clubs.
According to Langeni, part of the reason for doing what she does is to make reading for leisure fashionable and mainstream.
“I would like people to see reading as part of entertainment; to keep them entertained and informed. Together with book bloggers or vloggers like Lorraine Sithole, Omphile Raile, Vuvu Vena and many others, we drive the book value chain in our own small ways which ultimately impacts the bigger industry,” she explained.
Current and past projects
Her newly published book, Luba Goes To The Zoo, is more targeted at younger readers (toddlers), younger than her first book, Making Friends With Feelings.
Langeni said it is meant to help younger readers get into the joy of reading while learning basic words for things in their everyday lives.
“It is also available in all 11 South African languages which is wonderful for parents and guardians to pass on indigenous languages to the children in their lives through books.
“The book is a celebration of family, doing things together as a family and spending time in nature. I am grateful to my publisher New Africa Books for this opportunity,” she said.
Langeni is also part of a television breakfast show, through which she had the pleasure of talking to authors about things that are deeply personal to them.
In June 2022 she was approached by TV producer Sihle Mthembu, also an author, about the possibility of hosting a weekly feature on books on the Morning Show. This is a breakfast show on DSTV channel 194.
“That is how this part of my life began. It came organically based on the nature of the work I do at Book Circle Capital.
“All the interviews I do are memorable. Though I prepare based on the book and what I find about them online, we are always guaranteed to talk about deep life lessons which inspire me and hopefully also the viewers,” she explained.
She aims to continue to work on her commitment to celebrate and curate African literature.
For enquiries, email Langeni at bookcirclecapital@gmail.com
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