Hello from South Africa

[La Volpe]

Hi all

As the title suggests, I'm from South Africa. I've been writing for a couple of years now, but I haven't been able to find many (any?) speculative fiction writers down here. I've decided that it's time to meet some like-minded people, so here I am.

I'm a big fan of Brandon Sanderson, as well as the Writing Excuses podcast (still catching up, but it's seriously great). I'm also reading some Dan Wells and Jim Butcher these days, and liking it so far. My other favourite things include (but is not limited to) Star Wars, Fire Emblem, Code Geass, and homemade pizza.

That's it, I think.

 

[CupofJoe]

Hail and well met La Volpe
You had me at homemade pizza... [stops drooling long enough to carry on typing]
I think I'd put homemade pizza on my list of favourite things. Raindrops on Roses can go to hell.... Schnitzel with noodles, maybe... [sorry the PKs aren't working too well today]
Leap on in and enjoy the craic.

 

[La Volpe]

Thanks for the welcome.

I've managed to train myself to make pizza from scratch on a weekly basis, so I'm getting pretty good at it.

Also, while I've had both on separate occasions, I don't think I've ever had Schnitzel with noodles before.

 

[TWErvin2]

Hey, La Volpe, welcome!

Actually, tomorrow on my blog I have a post from a writer of fantasy that lives in South Africa, that discusses the challenges of writing and publishing from there.

Glad you joined us here. Looking forward to crossing paths with you on the boards.

Terry

 

[Russ]

Also, while I've had both on separate occasions, I don't think I've ever had Schnitzel with noodles before.

Then you have not lived my friend.

 

[La Volpe]

Hey, La Volpe, welcome!

Actually, tomorrow on my blog I have a post from a writer of fantasy that lives in South Africa, that discusses the challenges of writing and publishing from there.

Glad you joined us here. Looking forward to crossing paths with you on the boards.

Terry

Thanks Terry. And colour me intrigued. I'll keep an eye on your blog for that post.

See you around the boards.

Then you have not lived my friend.

I'm not going to lie, that looks pretty spectacular. But is that a strawberry back there?

 

[TWErvin2]

La Volpe, here's the link to the blog post I mentioned:

The Challenges of Being an Author Based in South Africa by Misha Gerrick

 

[Russ]

I'm not going to lie, that looks pretty spectacular. But is that a strawberry back there?

Sure looks like one. My family is Austrian, we do schnitzel many, many different ways.

I find South Africa a fascinating country. I have visited the country and loved it. South African history is also fascinating on some many levels. The military unit I served with when I was much younger was created for the purposes of the Boer war.

And your rugby and cricket squads are not half bad either!

Glad to have you aboard.

 

[La Volpe]

La Volpe, here's the link to the blog post I mentioned:

The Challenges of Being an Author Based in South Africa by Misha Gerrick

Thanks. I've actually seen Misha's blog before. It's a small world when you're talking about South African speculative fiction writers.

Sure looks like one. My family is Austrian, we do schnitzel many, many different ways.

I find South Africa a fascinating country. I have visited the country and loved it. South African history is also fascinating on some many levels. The military unit I served with when I was much younger was created for the purposes of the Boer war.

And your rugby and cricket squads are not half bad either!

Glad to have you aboard.

Really? I didn't know Canada was involved in the Boer war. What side were you guys on? I'm going to guess the English. Am I right?

I don't follow sports much, but in terms of cricket, try number 1 test team in the world (well, we were at some stage a couple of years back, I think). Don't know about rugby, since I don't watch that at all, much to the chagrin of my countrymen.

 

[Russ]

Thanks. I've actually seen Misha's blog before. It's a small world when you're talking about South African speculative fiction writers.


Really? I didn't know Canada was involved in the Boer war. What side were you guys on? I'm going to guess the English. Am I right?

I don't follow sports much, but in terms of cricket, try number 1 test team in the world (well, we were at some stage a couple of years back, I think). Don't know about rugby, since I don't watch that at all, much to the chagrin of my countrymen.

Yup, we were on the side of the Brits. My unit was Lord Strathcona Horse.

I am a big cricket fan, and in my neighbourhood when I grew up many of our neighbours were ex-pat South Africans and Zimbabweans (Rhodesians) so I learned my cricket from those guys. I am a huge fan of the Proteas. And last year, for the first time in history, one nation was #1 in all three forms of cricket, and that of course was SA.

 

[La Volpe]

Yup, we were on the side of the Brits. My unit was Lord Strathcona Horse.

That's really interesting. I just read up a bit on the Strathcona unit and Canada's involvement with in the Anglo-Boere war. I always assumed that it was just the English we were fighting against, since I never heard any other countries mentioned.

As a side note, some of the older Afrikaans folks, including my own grandmother, often referred to English as "die taal van die vyand", i.e. the language of the enemy (mostly in jest... I think). So maybe they just lumped all the people speaking English under the one name.

I am a big cricket fan, and in my neighbourhood when I grew up many of our neighbours were ex-pat South Africans and Zimbabweans (Rhodesians) so I learned my cricket from those guys. I am a huge fan of the Proteas. And last year, for the first time in history, one nation was #1 in all three forms of cricket, and that of course was SA.

Ah, good memories. Cricket was the only sport I really got into as a kid, and I remember hours playing cricket in the backyard/street with my brother and the neighbours' kids, and accidentally hitting the tennis ball over the wall into the one yard that was so thickly overgrown that we wouldn't even bother looking for it.

 

[TWErvin2]

Thanks. I've actually seen Misha's blog before. It's a small world when you're talking about South African speculative fiction writers.

I understand what you're saying. Big country, but small spec fiction community within it.

 

[Byron]

Hi there! I'm also from South Africa! Where in SA are you? I'm in Cape Town (but not for long I'm afraid, moving to Canada in a months time).