Almost December! :)

Hello :) I always feel the need to apologize for not blogging more often...
The last few months have been totally consumed with writing (and teaching). To be honest, in between writing (and doing the first major round of edits with my literary agent and first readers) for my third book, For All the Men (and Some of the Women) I've Known, and teahing full time, I've had very little free time to do anything,including this. But I have wanted to for ages, and now, finally, I'm doing it...
I am really excited with my third book. Though much of it is fiction, and other people's stories that I have reimagined and rearranged, some of it is loosely based on my own experiences. In many ways, it's the most personal project I have written so far, and while I am proud of, and excited about everything I've done- I am most excited to share this. I really hope you like it. A lot of my heart and thoughts and energy went into it.
I've also had a chance to do some readings, and will be doing a lot more in the next few months. I had the incredible pleasure of reading with authors Dawn Promislow and Lisa de Nikolits at the Toronto Women's Bookstore this month. What an amazing experience. Our audience was fantastic (the place was full- thank you so much for coming) and Victoria was an amazing host. :) The Q &A was wonderful too- people asked such great questions, and it was wonderful to get to share our thoughts.
For me personally, it was fantastic in part because I've been a frequent customer for years- since I was an undergraduate at York University in the early 2000's. It was one of my favorite readings to date- and Dawn and Lisa, who are exceptional writers and friends, were amazing to share the stage with.
A lovely girl who was in the audience that day was kind enough to mention us on her blog: http://egoburn.blogspot.com/2011/11/stuff-i-like-right-this-second.html
I am also really excited to be reading in Montreal this coming January with fabulous non fiction author and poet Liz Worth. I am a huge fan of her work, and am excited to announce here first that we'll be doing a series of readings together next year. :) Check her out: www.lizworth.com
I recently had the pleasure of seeing my friend Ashley Little launch her book, Prick on Tightrope Books in Toronto. Set in BC, it's bitingly honest and sharply funny story of a tattoo artist called Ant. I read it in one night and loved it. Check it out here: http://tightropebooks.com/prick-confessions-of-a-tattoo-artist-ashley-little/
Ashley and I are also planning to do some west coast readings together. All my future tour dates will be announced here first, so keep an eye on this page (I promise to update it and blog more often:) Also check out or "like" my Facebook author page for more frequent updates (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Danila-Botha/163914183632325?sk=wall)
I have as always, been reading a lot. There is SO much that I've read that I've loved lately. Haley Taner's Vaclav and Lena is so beautiful- magic realist and urban, lovely and descriptive and so precise in it's dialogue. I love its ability to transport me completely. Bill Clegg's Portrait of An Addict as a Young Man is so well written, well organized (I love the time sequences, the switch from third person childhood to present, painful adulthood) and incredibly, beautifully brave. His work is so moving and fearless. Check him out: http://arts.nationalpost.com/2010/07/09/portrait-of-an-addict-as-a-young-man-a-qa-with-bill-clegg/
I love Richard Milward's first book, Apples. His dialogue is snappy and witty, his male and female voices equally authentic and gritty. I loved how incredibly descriptive, poetic and original Alison Pick's Far to Go Was. It moved me deeply. I also love Zsuszi Gartner's Better Living Through Plastic Explosives, especially her story Float Like A Goat, which references a Chagall painting and is brilliant (and for anyone in Toronto, you can actually see this very painting and other amazing Chagall works at the AGO) I am also loving Rebecca Curtis' amazingly sharp and witty Twenty Grand (a collection of short stories) Melanie Little's Confidence (amazing collection of stories) and the Lynn Coady edited Anansi Reader, which celebrates more than forty years of amazing work that they've published. That, and Lynn Crosbie's Queen Rat, which I'm rereading for the 10th time, and Liz Worth's incredible Amphetamine Heart. What are you reading? I'd love to hear.
As far as music, I'm listening to the new Florence and the Machine (I'm addicted to it, she has such a powerful, operatic voice) the new St Vincent, the most recent Ohbijou album, Lindy Ortega's recent album (beautiful) and Lights. Yes, I love Lights. What a fun album.
Oh, also: look out for a book review and an interview with me on the really awesome American website Caught in the Carousel on Dec 5th (http://www.caughtinthecarousel.com/)
Let me know what you're reading, listening to, and up to these days :)
xoxoxo

August!

Thanks so much for stopping by :) I apologize for not updating for so long-I've been really busy writing.
I recently finished my third book, a collection of short stories with some poetry included, called For All the Men (and Some of the Women I've Known)
The very kind author and editor of Numero Cinq Magazine, Douglas Glover, recently featured two brand new stories from the collection on his website. Please check them out here, and let me know what you think: http://dgvcfaspring10.wordpress.com/2011/08/22/two-stories-not-exactly-about-love-by-danila-botha/#more-20305
and thanks :) xo
I will hopefully be able to give you publication information soon. What I can tell you for now is that it will contain about 16 stories (possibly more :)) with a few short poems mixed in. The title story and its plot were in my head for a long time, but it was actually one of the last stories that I wrote. I'm excited about this collection- some stories are autobiographical, some aren't, but it was really interesting to consider and explore relationships- romantic, platonic, consider our ties and our connections to the people we love the most.
The very talented poet Nyla Matuk is one of the authors who very kindly agreed to blurb this book. I wanted to share her blurb, because I was so touched by it: "Botha’s stories are a shot of adrenaline for those of usscarred by the impossible ideals of love and sex.They startle us with the weight of painful truthsabout intimacy; the vulnerabilities we suffer in sexual relationships." (check her out, her writing is wonderful: www.nylamatuk.ca) I also wanted to share the lovely words of amazing author Lisa de Nikolits, who launches her new novel, West of Wawa with Inana Press next month: "A searing and beautifully forthright collection about the angst, tradedy and hope in the quest for love. A series of unique, riveting and perfect portrayals that pulls no punches. Reading these stories and poems made me smile, and made me want to smash things" (please check out her wonderful work at www.lisadenikolitswriter.com)
I am so grateful to the writing community for their immense support. I had a wonderful time reading at Joel Hyne's book launch for God Help Thee :) what a great event. I will be reading alongside the wonderful Dawn Promislow, as well as Lisa de Nikolits this October, across Ontario. I will post all of our tour dates soon.
I am also working on a book trailer, for my novel Too Much on the Inside, which will be published Sept 2012 ( we will have all kinds of publication information to share soon :) Huge thanks to my great agent, Meghan Macdonald, of TLA.
The book trailer contains beautiful photos by photographer Vanya du Toit, who also did the cover shot for Got No Secrets. I should be able to post it here soon.
I also have an official Facebook page for my writing: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Danila-Botha/163914183632325?notif_t=page_new_likes
Please feel free to check it out for updates, and to like it.
I have been reading a lot too :) I love the book Wasted by British author Krissy Kays. It's dark but full of humour, sarcasm and a surprising amount of heart and insightful observations. I love it. She writes like a female Irvine Welsh. I also love Russell Smith's collection of short stories Young Men- it's fantastic. I especially love the story Dreams. Teri Vlasopoulous's book of stories is wonderful. Check her out. Jami Attenberg's Instant Love is fantastic. I reread it three times. It really inspired my latest book of short stories. I also loved Boys and Girls Like You and Me by Aryn Kyle, and I highly recommend it.
I want to start work on my graphic novel soon, so if anyone wants to recommend any graphic novels, or anything they're reading or listening to, I'd love it.
Right now I love a lot of British women- Florence and the Machine, Ellie Goulding, Marina and the Diamonds, Adele... tell me what you're listening to or reading :) xoxo

Spring! :)

Hey! My apologies for spending the last three months (or more) not blogging regularly. I've actually been writing a lot. I'm currently working on a new collection of short stories (with some poetry mixed in) It's called For All The Men (and some of the Women)I've Known. It's about relationships- both romantic and otherwise. I'm about halfway through, and really excited about it. I'm hoping to be done by this summer (and hoping it will be out and in stores by 2012 or 13. but I won't get too ahead of myself yet :))
My new novel, Too Much on the Inside, will be out on Tightrope Books in Canada in September 2012. Stay tuned for international news (we are hoping for it to be out in translation, and in English in a few other countries.) I should know in the next few months, and I will post it here first.
I am going to start work on the graphic novel as soon as I'm finished the collection of stories. I am very excited about that too. More news to come soon :)
I'm also excited to do more readings this summer. Dawn Promislow and I are going to some readings together in Ontario. If you don't know her work, Dawn is a fellow South African, whose excellent book of short stories, Jewels and Other Stories, is impossible to put down. She's incredibly precise and succinct with language, but also, full of heart. Check her out:http://www.amazon.ca/Jewels-Other-Stories-Dawn-Promislow/dp/189477065X
We are in the process of securing dates and venues right now- but, I do know that we are both reading at the Niagara Literary Arts Festival in St Catherines on June 27th which I'm very excited about. More dates and info to come.
I'm also reading at a festival in Halifax, NS, on May 22nd, along with Chris Benjamin, Laura Penney, and Ryan Turner, called Long live the Queen. (www.longlivethequeen.ca) Please come if you're around, we'd love to see you there!
My latest feature in the National Post was also published last weekend- on the incredible east coast writing scene. I had the chance to interview many of my fellow writers whose work I really admire from these parts- from Amy Jones, Chad Pelley, Kerri Cull, Kathleen Winter, Johanna Skibsrud, Alexander Macleod, and more- to publishers like Robbie Macgregor of Invisible Publishing, to Writers Federation of New Brunswick director Lee Thompson. You can check out the article here:
http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/04/29/down-east-they%E2%80%99re-uniquely-hard-to-discourage/
and, watch this blog space- I'm going to post other parts of the interview that I unfortunately couldn't fit into the piece here too.
Also, my short story Jesus Was A Punk Rocker, from Got No Secrets, was featured in this month's issue of Numero Cinq magazine. :) Check it out here (and huge thanks again) http://dgvcfaspring10.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/jesus-was-a-punk-rocker-a-short-story-by-danila-botha/
I also have two upcoming non-fiction features coming up in Numero Cinq. I'll link to them here as soon as they're up. :) I'd love your thoughts.
Also, look out for upcoming features coming up in Book Fridge, What writers are reading, and more. Hope you're having a lovely spring. Currently reading Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall,and it's great. Would love some recommendations if you have any. :) Also just read 'The Heroin Diaries' by Nikki Sixx, and found myself jogging to (and loving) Motley Crue the other day :) Also loving Florence and the Machine. Her voice is spectacular. and rediscovering my love of AFI :) listening to anything good? reading anything good? I love reccomendations :) xoxoxo

New Year :)

I can't believe how quickly January went by. I was lucky to get to spend a lot of December on vacation, with my family- and boy, it flew by. I got to read a lot, I wanted to try to get caught up on the incredible literature of the east coast. I'm sure I will be the thousandth or millionth person to rave about it, but if you haven't read Alexander Macleod's Light Lifting yet, you must. He is such a skillfull writer- his attention to detail, and his ability to elevate the mundane beyond, so that it seems beautiful, truthful and deeply relatable, is amazing. I loved all the stories, but I think my favorite was 'Wonder About Parents' a story about parents who discover that their children have lice. The stories follows them from when they met when they were young "A pretty girl in a bar. I notice her Clash t shirt. Combat rock. Probably second hand. Thin and worn out. Probably see through. The way it follows her body... we are hooking up, that is what it's called" to marriage and parenthood. I dare your heart not to melt as you read it.
My other favorite was Miracle Mile, a story about two runners, about ambition that defines you, the moment of knowing that you don't want to do it anymore. Get the book if you haven't read it yet.
I also finally read Johanna Skibsrud's the Sentimentalists (it's great, btw) Lisa Moore (her writing is every bit as fantastic as everyone has told me it would be)
and for research for my next book (after the book of short stories/poetry and graphic novel- for my next novel- read Susan Hunter's
I am very excited to let you know that I interviewed some great east coast writers for a piece on the Maritimes writing scene for the National Post (out Sat March 12th, if you want to check it out) I interviewed the wonderful Stephanie Domet, author of the original, and great book, Homing, Robbie Macgregor of Invisible Publishing, and Chad Pelley (you must read Away From Everywhere- it's deeply moving, brave and beautiful) They were all really great to speak to- check out the piece next month, and let me know what you think. :)
I'm also excited to go see Laurence Hill, author of Book of Negroes speak about his work at Dalhousie University in Halifax this Friday. :) The literary scene in this city is fantastic. :) Let me know what you're reading or writing these days, I'd love to hear... :) xoxoxo

December! Happy Holidays!

Hi Everyone, thanks so much for stopping by. This has been such a crazy year- so much to reflect on, and appreciate. I just finished my last semester of teacher's college(surreal how fast the time has gone) finally finished my novel, and am at work on the poetry collection, and graphic novel as we speak. This year has been absolutely amazing- thank you so much for paying attention to Got No Secrets- I appreciate every review, reading, and interview- and every person who's read it :) . It means so much to me. Thanks for allowing me to do what I love most.
Most recently, my story 'Paradox' from Got No Secrets was edited and reworked by the awesome editor Dave McGimpsey and published on www.joyland.ca. I was thrilled because I'm a huge fan of the site, and am delighted to be in such amazing company.
If you'd like to check it out (and it is a vastly different version from what's in the book- I really like the editing a lot, check out: http://www.joylandmagazine.com/stories/montreal_atlantic/paradox
Thanks :) Let me know what you think :)
Also, Got No Secrets was recently reviewed by Lydia of the The Literary Lollipop- thank you so much. Check it out here: http://theliterarylollipop.wordpress.com/2010/12/08/got-no-secrets-by-danila-botha/
I hope you have wonderful holidays. I've been reading Dorothy Parker (man, she was funny, witty, and sharp) Dora Borealis by Daccia Bloomfield (wonderful and unusual and beautiful) and Burnt Orange Lipstick by Lydia Eugene, an amazing collection of short stories with stark, beautiful imagery, and cutting emotional honesty. I highly reccomend it. Also, listening to Bat For Lashes, and lots of hip hop, especially Talib Kweli. I find him genuinely uplifting. What are you reading, writing, looking at, or listening to? I'd love to hear :) xoxoxoxoxo

November!

Hi :) Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I've been meaning to update for the last couple of weeks. It's been a little bit busy, with travels to Toronto, writing, working on upcoming projects, being a student and teaching. :)
I have a lot that I'm excited about at the moment: I (think) that I'm officially done with my first novel, called Too Much On The Inside. Which is not to say that I might not be editing, or adding more here or there(do you ever feel like you're finished with a project? It's so strange to finish something you've worked on for so long. I think I worked it on solidly for a year. So I'm very excited, nervous, thrilled, terrified... it's a flurry of emotion.) But I hope you like it when it's out. I should hopefully in the next couple of months (fingers crossed) have an update about publication info.
In the meantime, huge thanks to the awesome folks at Trailer Park Quarterly, who ran my story "Lucky" from Got No Secrets this month. (www.sundresspublications.com/tpq/botha.htm, if you'd like to check it out. thanks :))
Also, huge thanks to my friend Kayla Short who did a piece on Got No Secrets for Profile Halifax Magazine, :) Check out the article on her own personal blog, here:
http://shortpresents.blogspot.com/2010/12/danila-brotha.html#more
and to my friends at Broken Pencil, who reviewed Got No Secrets for the upcoming issue, and did an online interview that I think will be up soon. :) Thanks so, so much. I really appreciate it.
I'm very excited to be reading as part of Mount St Vincent University's Writing Week next week (thanks so much for asking me!)and to read as part of the Tightrope Author's Reading Dec 11th in Toronto. Please come if you can :) I'd love to see you :)
I am reading a lot of poetry these days (I'm attempting to work on a poetry collection) and Pasha Malla's the Withdrawal Method, which is great.
Also listening to a lot of Joanna Newsom- she's a goddess :)
Tell me what you're listening to, reading, or up to :)
xoxoxoxo

This Month

Hey, :) How's it going? First of all- I just wanted to say a huge thanks to everyone at Word on the Street for having me. It was such an incredible experience- the Halifax/Maritimes/Canadian writing scene is amazing, and it's a huge honour to be a part of it. I had the chance to read with Ryan Turner, to catch Russell Smith and Chris Benjamin read, to catch Chad Pelley and Robbie Macgregor's panel, and to see Kathleen Winter read, and they were all fantastic. I was so honored to be in such incredible company. (Thank you so much again, btw, to the people who came to see us read)
As a side note: Annabel (which was, btw, shortlisted for the Giller this year!) by Kathleen Winter is fantastic. You must go out and get it. Also, Chad Pelley's Away From Everywhere iswonderful. Dark and funny and insightful and absolutely beautiful. You have to put it on your list of books to read soon. :)
I also had the chance to read again with Ryan Turner at the Spring Garden Road Library in Halifax. It's always great to share a stage with such a talented writer. And the most wonderful part? That so many people I'd never met in my life came to see us read. :) Thank you so much for coming. It was so much fun to read to a brand new audience. :) I had such a great time. Thank you for having me.
I am scrambling at the moment to finish my poetry collection (you can check out a little bit in the coming weeks on the kagablog... :) see the links list below, if you want to check it out)
I'm chewing on ideas for the graphic novel, and a future novel too... hopefully I'll get started soon.
I'm also loving Santigold's album, I can't stop listening to it, and Emiliana Torrini's Me and Armini. I love this video (and this song)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CF7sER73TY
Let me know what you're listening to, reading, writing, etc, I would love to hear :)
xoxoxox