The Hindi Bindi Club

“The Hindi Bindi Club” by Monica Pradhan appealed to me on many levels: because I’m a daughter, because I’m a mother, because I’m an emigrant and because I married into a different culture. I also fancied the Indian atmosphere of the book, in particular the recipes (which taught me to appreciate fresh coriander leaves) and the short lecture on where to place your food on the clock-face of the plate.

Many heavy issues are dealt with on its pages, and yet the book is a fast, relaxing read. Some might call it chick-lit in a curry sauce. I just say read it.

Making Money by Terry Pratchett

Perhaps it’s because I’m a sucker for cute guys with an attitude and a bad-bad-bad reputation (my husband and Sawyer from LOST being a case - or is it two cases - in point)... oops ... now where was I....

So I must admit I really like Moist von Lipwig (the confidence artist whom we met in Going Postal). I like the way he gets restless when things are too good, too safe and too easy. I even like his cigarette-reeking girlfriend (and coming from somebody who’s medically allergic to nicotine, that’s saying something).

The main theme of the book (that of how money doesn’t have to be based on gold) and the basic lessons in economics, were also fun. And I really appreciate that Terry is becoming more playful with sexual innuendo again (akin to the first few chapters of “Small Gods”).

Now for the bad news: the book is nowhere near his best. While the pacing was good, I found the plot resolution disappointing and not up to his usual clever tricks. The villain was ridiculous instead of scary, the golem problem was introduced too late and it was sorted out with an “oh?” rather than an “aaaaaaah!”

Still, as I always maintain: give me a mediocre Pratchett any day. It’s better than most writers can achieve.

Murder @ The Bling Bling Xmas Table

The Setting:
Exclusive Game Reserve “Bling-Bling Bush Lodge”, Christmas 2007

The Characters:
- Christine Chamberlain, a mathematician and our amateur detective who will help us solve the puzzle
- Tom Wodehouse, artist and Christine’s husband
- Alta Vermaak”, Christine’s best friend from school, owner of the “Bling-Bling Bush Lodge which, despite its glamorous name, is making a financial loss of bling-bling proportions
- Kenneth Vermaak, Alta’s husband, game ranger at his wife’s game reserve and begrudging the fact that this is the only job he could get in the new South Africa
- Sandra Vermaak, Alta’s twin sister from New Zealand, visiting after a 10-year absence, a stay-at-home mom who says she’s not bored and that she loves her children, but if so, then why did she leave them in New Zealand with the nanny?
- Connor Vermaak, Sandra’s husband and Kenneth’s older brother, self-made millionaire who is reluctant to talk about his money-making ventures

Back Story:
Alta Vermaak organised a xmas reunion for the immediate family. Aware of the undercurrents in the family members’ affairs, however (Kenneth is envious of Connor’s business success, Sandra had a crush on Kenneth but he chose Alta, Connor cannot forgive Kenneth that he was Sandra’s first choice, Alta is irritated by the way Sandra throws money around), she invited Christine and Tom to join them for Christmas.

(Thank you to those of you who attended “Set the Table for Murder” last Saturday. We had lots of fun, lots of praise and lots of sales!)

(In the next blog: review of Pratchett’s “Making Money”… watch this space.)

Set The Table For Murder

When two former war games experts and colleagues decided to realise their dreams, it had nothing to do with computer simulation exercises.

Yvonne Eve Walus started writing novels in which she murdered people she didn’t like (in “Murder @ Work”, for example, she killed her ex-boss).

Meanwhile, Ninell Robinson opened Cama - a gift shop - for people she did like.
This year, the two IT professionals will work together once again to bring you a unique event: “Set The Table For Murder”.

“In essence, it will be an afternoon of murder and mystery,” says Yvonne Eve Walus, “so we’re keeping the details secret. But think treasure hunt mixed with a literary discussion, expect to have fun, and you won’t go wrong.”

“Ok, I’ll give you a hint,” adds Cama’s owner. “There will really be a table set for murder.”

Visit Cama Gift Inspiration in Mooikloof Village, Pretoria, on Saturday 10 November, 12h00-14h00 to drink good wine, discuss good books and perhaps even solve a good mystery in the process.

Kept Woman

My mother’s greatest dream was to be a kept woman. Inherently lazy, she didn’t want to work for a living. Instead, she wanted to stay at home, cook dinner and look after her family (all that work in-between reading books, drinking coffee with her friends and telling the domestic help where else to dust and what to plant around the swimming pool).
Growing up, I considered my mother’s lack of ambition outrageous. It was demeaning to our gender, hollow and short-sighted: in case of a divorce, she would have been left with nothing (that’s the way South African law worked at the time), and with no training or experience to find a job.
Consequently, my greatest dream was to be well educated, creative and financially independent. I have all that today. And I wouldn’t want to change it.
But sometimes, when I look up from my writing at 2 in the morning and see the shelves that need dusting, I do wonder whether being Superwoman is worth the price. I can’t remember the last time I did the good things in life like scuba diving or sleep - ok, at least I had some single malt less than 12 hours ago - and that’s when I realise that career + children + 2nd career + housework = burnout.
So what will my daughter learn from my example? What will her greatest dream be? So far, she says she wants to be just like me: a project manager, a writer, a mummy... and she also wants to be some of the things I’m not: like a singer and a dancer.
And I’m extremely tempted to say to her: “No, darling. What you really, really want to be, is a kept woman.”

Morning Tea with a Kiwi or Three

What: Morning tea with Yvonne Walus, Jane Beckenham and N.D. Hansen-Hill
When: Tue 16 Oct 2007, 10:30am
Where: Glenfield Library

Why:
Join us for morning tea and hear how we balance reality and dreams (the reality of family commitments and the dream of following a passion).

• Yvonne Walus - Murder and mystery


• Jane Beckenham - Steamy romances


• N.D. Hansen-Hill - Science fiction and horror

We would love to see you there.

Wits' End Before Breakfast

I've just finished reading a book that doesn't exist. All right, I suppose it's not such an outrageous statement to make when you're a novelist. What's surprising is that the book is not written by me nor any of my friends.

It has an ISBN number and a publisher (Lothian Books, Australia). But look up Emma Robertson's "Wits' End Before Breakfast (Confessions of a Working Mum)" on Amazon, and you draw a big zero. And if it ain't listed on Amazon.... [see footnote].

Googling the book produces a link to macmillan.co.nz with a note "Out of stock", a link to one bookshop in Australia, a link to ebay and to a single review in an air force magazine. That's all.

(In contrast, if you were to google "Murder @ Work" for example, you'd get pages of relevant hits.)

Anyway, it's a good book and a fun, humorous read. Every mother should read it, if only to feel smug about the fact that others have it worse.

Far - faaaaaaaaaaaar - worse.

[Footnote: Everything you read on Amazon is true, of course. So have a look at my latest poetry collection, Erato, yours for a mere £1,096.99.]