Two young aspiring authors have been honoured for their contribution to the literary world at the inaugural ‘The Book Behind Awards’ ceremony.
Sarvdasha Sewlal and Nobukhosi Buthelezi were among dozens of South African writers and poets who were nominated in different categories.
Sarvdasha was nominated for ‘Best Female English Poet’ for her anthology entitled ‘Yellow Roses’, which is a collection of poetry that is peppered with motivation.
Treverton learner Nobukhosi was nominated for ‘Best Teenage Author’ for her book called ‘Royal Scar’, which tells of a young girl’s life after her mother’s brutal death and her relationship with a prince who has a secret.
Online voting meant that the public could decide the winners. The awards ceremony was held on October 2 at The Royal Hotel in Durban.
For Sarvdasha, the hours before the ceremony were tense with nervous anticipation, which was somewhat soothed when she met and socialised with the other nominees at the glittering function.
“Moments before they announced the winner of my category, the room fell silent and I bowed my head in anticipation. My mom and sister were on the edge of their seats and I could feel their excitement, as well as their nerves for me. The air grew tense and as they called my name, I felt the air lighten and could hear the applause and cheers from the audience, especially my family, who cheered the loudest,” she smiled.
Sarvdasha dedicated her win to her father, Sunjai, who passed away months before.
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“It is every author’s dream to be recognised and what better way than by winning a local award. Achieving this award has opened my way in the world of writing, which is a hard industry to break into. So many opportunities, for me to grow as an author, as well as for ‘Yellow Roses’ to reach greater audiences, have come my way as a result of ‘The Book Behind Awards’,” she added.
While Nobukhosi was unavailable for an interview, Treverton celebrated her win on October 6, calling it an “incredible achievement”.
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