FROM SHORT STORY ENTRY STRAIGHT TO PUBLISHING DEAL!

 


You never know what the smallest action can ripple out to become!

Earlier this year KREST Publishers held their first annual short story competition. From an entrant pool of both veteran writers and novices from every corner of South Africa, there were two writers whose work caught the attention of the KREST team, resulting in both being offered publishing deals for their work-in-progress books. Here’s how Sarvdasha Sewlal and Laura Tippins went straight from a short story entry to publishing deals, in an industry that is hard to break into!

‘Yellow Roses’ by Sarvdasha Sewlal 

Sarvdasha is a multi-talented 27-year-old who has studied in the innovative field of engineering at UKZN Howard College. More familiar with poetry than prose, Sarvdasha had taken a step out of her comfort zone when, for the competition, she had written a unique piece that was a combination of story and poetry. Despite being a newcomer to the formal publishing world, Dasha’s piece won third place overall in the competition. The story that wooed the publisher’s heart can be read here. Dasha is now publishing her first poetry anthology, and KREST is genuinely happy to be part of this journey.

Sarvdasha's life-long dream has come to reality as she releases her first anthology, "Yellow Roses". The focus is on a yellow rose. Simple from afar, but as you dive deeper and begin to break through each layer, there is a different story waiting to be told. Sarvdasha's first anthology shows the same characteristic when looking at each poem individually. The author speaks of different realities in each new piece. Some speak of love, some of failure, some of poverty, and some of abuse, all of which to are so prominent in our world today.

Sarvdasha’s advice to authors who doubt their work is to always follow your dreams and hope for the best. To never dim your own light and just let your potential shine bright. Believing in yourself is always the first step on your path to success.

‘Yellow Roses’ is on track for an exciting early December release.

‘We Bought a Village’ by Laura Tippins 

Laura Tippins, 26, has studied communications and journalism through the North-West University, where she had also obtained her Honours and Masters in English literature. During the short story competition, Laura had penned a well-worded story about a veterinarian. The story placed in the top 10 entries and immediately caught the publisher’s eye through its perfect ability to pull a plot together. Laura, who is a seasoned published author, has gone further to choose KREST Publishers for her spectacular novel to come.

‘We Bought a Village’ is about a large incompatible family that decides to pack up and move across the world to the tiny village of 'Villa de Serenidad' in Spain. This family is finding out the hard way that it is difficult to keep up polite appearances and live harmoniously near one another at the same time. But it may take a few hard lessons involving embarrassment, broken crockery, and a few visits from the police to make this family realize that sometimes it takes your family to save you from your family, and from yourself.

Laura’s words of advice to everyone who harbours publishing ambitions is simply something she had read a while back: Just start writing! If you do not think you have it in you to draft a novel… just start writing. She had always believed the right avenue for publishing will find the right book, but that book must be a book first. “No publisher can publish the ideas in your head. To reword her favourite quote from my favourite animated fish, Dory: Just keep writing!”

The spectacular 600-page chronicle is going to be a 2021 release.

Submit your Own Manuscript

KREST Publishers is an independent publisher based in Durban, South Africa. If you wish to submit your own manuscript, you can do so via the manuscript submissions page.

Readers can purchase second-hand and brand new books at discounted prices on the online bookstore.

 

Written by Kieyora Francis

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