KREST PUBLISHERS BLOG PAGE

  Dear Aria By Farah Amod 19/11/2022 Dear Aria, I find myself hesitant, writing this well deserved and long-awaited letter. My therapist suggested writing to my younger self in our last session and I told her it was a useless activity that would only waste my time. I guess that’s always been the problem with us, we’ve lived in fear of confronting our past. I don’t know where to start or what age I should write to you at. Now that I think about it, I’m sure you would have liked to hear from me at any age, I’m sure you would have liked to be heard and I’m sure that you would have really liked for someone to tell you ‘You’re not alone’. It's 1998 and you’re six years old. Your country is four years into democracy after having Apartheid abolished but at this age you’re only mildly familiar with the term. That’s the beauty of children, innocence. It’s not that you don’t see the different colours of skin around you, but it simply doesn’t make a difference to your friend, your neighbour.

    Fait Accompli By Reece Piper   There are many mysteries in this world, none quite so confounding, vexingly tangled and truly unfathomable as the enigma of Carter Samson, a self-proclaimed sensible man, who only drank coffee on Wednesdays. If Carter were anywhere other than a lonely cafe in the dirty browns of a French fall, then things would be broken indeed, but as it stood, he was exactly where he was supposed to be; in a chair gazing at the scurrying newspaper hatted, blue swearing, wet Parisians. This city was always a projection, a vague chaos to anyone other than a romantic, and to Carter it had become a bleak backdrop for his misery. He finally understood why the people who called Paris home, acted as they did. “Martin, I don't know what to tell you, I’m coming home. My plane lands in JFK, around 9.” “Yes, pm. And forget the lift, I’m going to use a taxi. I know you’ve got things to do.” “Well, she just left me, standing there drowning in faceless

  Ignite - Naadiya Ismail (cover) The KREST House was founded under rebellious circumstances - that the world insisted artistic pursuits were not 'real careers', that they were just hobbies, and that we wanted to prove them wrong. Much of our team unshackled themselves from very traditional careers (everything from real estate, to financial planning) to join this mission and prove it true. It was only natural, then, that we should be drawn to Naadiya Ismail's work.  Naadiya Ismail's poetry is laced with the same kind of brazen spirit, the energy of someone who is ready to unabashedly reveal themselves for the artist that they are - without all the embarrassment that previously surrounded creative careers. As she says in the preface of her new book, "I finally confess it, then. I am accountant and wordsmith, scientist and romantic. I am unreason and optimism, and logical entanglement. And in both worlds – all worlds – I am conservative and modern, old-fashioned and

KREST ANNUAL SHORT STORY COMPETITION RUNNING FROM 1 NOVEMBER 2022 - 21 NOVEMBER 2022 KREST Publishers  is excited to announce the annual short story competition in which a talented South African can win the grand prize of R12500, and have their story published on our blog. This year, thanks to our sponsor Newtown Express, there will also be a second prize of R750. It’s simple: 1.       Pick a topic from the list below 2.       Write a short story in less than 2000 words. 3.       Submit your story to  submissions@krestpublishers.co.za  between 1 November 2022 and 21 November 2022, telling us a little about yourself and your topic choice (include contact details). Only one entry per person. READ ON FOR MORE DETAILS WHO CAN ENTER ·         South African residents of any age and from any province. ·         Anyone with a good story, even if you aren’t a professional writer! WHAT TO WRITE You can write in any genre you feel like, using the below topics. Your short story should be <2000

KREST Publishers CEO, Keli Hariparsad   It was an iconic moment for a local publisher this Saturday the 15 th of October, when they scooped 3 trophies at the 2022 Book Behind Awards. Earlier this year Umhlanga-based company KREST Publishers was informed that they had been nominated in 6 categories at the book award event of the year, which takes place annually in Durban, a UNESCO city of literature. The categories of nomination were: Best Biography, Best Educational Book, Best Fiction, Best Poetry, Best Upcoming Female Author, and Best Publishing Company in SA. The CEO of the publishing company, Keli Hariparsad, noted that it was a surreal surprise as KREST is one of the youngest publishers in the industry. At just two years old, the publisher found themselves competing against heavyweights in each category – veteran names like Penguin Random House, Jonathan Ball, and NB Publishers. Months of campaigning culminated in the formal awards ceremony this past weekend. KREST was pleas