Recent News
Michele Betty’s Dark Horse is the recipient of the 2023 South African Literary Award for Poetry!
The SALA Awards on 7 November 2023 were an absolutely fabulous affair and Dryad Press is delighted to announce that Michele Betty’s Dark Horse was the winner of the 2023 South African Literary Award for Poetry. Thank you to the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, to wRite associates (especially the dynamic Kanya Mbuzane who worked tirelessly all night) and to the North West University, for an eclectic atmospheric evening interspersed with incredible singing talent and spoken word poetry. It was a night to remember…
POETRY LAUNCH IN CAPE TOWN of earth-circuit by iyra e m maharaj
Dryad Press is delighted to announce its forthcoming publication for October 2023, earth-circuit by iyra e m maharaj. In this collection, our debut poet transports us to a dreamscape where surreal imagination gives rise to an abundant range of ideas, experiences and images that prompt a new view on familiar and naturalised norms. These poems are strangely vital encounters of dream life and reconsidered waking that come to life, creating a powerful mythology of woman as energy, embracing an elemental witchy power. iyra will be in conversation with publisher and poet Michèle Betty. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear our poet discuss and read from this innovative and exciting collection!
Date: Wednesday, 4 October
Venue: The Bookshoppe, 3 Arts Village, 260 Main Road, Plumstead, Cape Town
Time: 18: 30 for 19:00
RSVP: ray@thebookshoppe.co.za
Contact: Ray van Wyk
FORTHCOMING IN OCTOBER 2023
“….what you never knew you knew.” – Phillippa Yaa de Villiers
Dryad Press is delighted to announce its, forthcoming publication for October 2023, earth-circuit by iyra e m maharaj. In this collection, our debut poet transports us to a dreamscape where surreal imagination gives rise to an abundant range of ideas, experiences and images that prompts a new view on familiar and naturalised norms. The poems are strangely vital encounters of dream life and reconsidered waking that come to life, creating a powerful mythology of woman as energy, embracing an elemental witchy power.
Look out for our announcement of the launch dates which will be in October in Cape Town, and take advantage of our pre-launch special offer: purchase any two Dryad Press collections one of which is earth-circuit and receive 40% discount on your order.
Shop Pre-Launch SpecialDRYAD PRESS IS COMING TO JOBURG
Dryad Press is delighted to announce that we are finally coming to Johannesburg. We invite you to join us at Love Books for an evening of poetry, snacks and wine as we celebrate the combined launch of P. R. Anderson’s, Night Transit and Michèle Betty’s Dark Horse. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear these poets read from their new collections.
RSVP to Kate Rogan at Love Books on kate@lovebooks.co.za, as this event will fill up quickly! We encourage you to continue to support small independent press publishing in South Africa by purchasing our books. Take advantage of our Pre-Order Special Offer (only available online at the Dryad website): purchase Night Transit and Dark Horse, and receive a 40% discount on your purchase.
P R ANDERSON IS IN STELLENBOSCH
To all our Stellenbosch based readers, don’t miss this opportunity to catch P R Anderson in discussion with Michèle Betty and hear a reading by this poet from his talked about collection, Night Transit, released earlier this year.
“Saying the Unsaid and Unsayable”
Venue: Yellow Molteno room at the English Department, Stellenbosch University
Date: 3 August, 12:00-13:00
DRYAD APPOINTS ASHLEY ALLARD AS INTERN FOR 2023
It is that time of year again and Dryad Press and Stellenbosch University are delighted to announce that Ashley Allard has been selected to intern with Dryad Press for 6 months for the period July-Dec 2023. Ashley is currently completing her honours degree in English at Stellenbosch University. Her honours research topic explores the contemporary vision of the ‘ideal feminine’ through an analysis of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s critically acclaimed show ‘Fleabag’.
Ashley is the co-editor of a youth magazine named Moyé, which focusses on uplifting young South African creatives and their work. She is also a journalist writing for the Stellenbosch News and was the first runner-up for the Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award in 2022. She plans on completing a master’s degree and continuing her writing and professional endeavours in the years to come. We take this opportunity to thank everyone who submitted their CV’s for this programme. We congratulate Ashley on her appointment and look forward to working with her at Dryad
SOLD OUT LAUNCH OF P. R ANDERSON’S NIGHT TRANSIT
Last night saw a packed turnout for the launch of P. R. Anderson’s, Night Transit. We were delighted to sell out of books and extend our thanks to Exclusive Books for facilitating the evening and to Simon Van Schalkwyk who provided a platform for a compelling and engaging discussion and reading. Look out for our announcement about forthcoming readings by P. R. Anderson, which will be hosted at UCT and in Johannesburg at venues to be announced.
The launch of P. R. Anderson’s Night Transit:
We are excited to announce the details regarding the launch of P. R. Anderson’s Night Transit. This is a rare opportunity to hear Anderson in conversation with poet, academic and literary critic Simon van Schalkwyk (Senior Lecturer Wits University). RSVP quickly to secure you seat. Take advantage of our Pre-Order Special Offer: purchase any two Dryad Press titles, one of which is Night Transit, and receive an amazing 40% discount on your purchase! This offer available online only and is for a limited period so grab your books in the next 2 weeks.
Launch details:
Date: Thursday, 20 April 2023
Venue: Exclusive Books, Cavendish Square, Cape Town
Time: 17:30 for 18:00
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za
We can’t wait to see you there!
VIDEO TRAILER RELEASE: NIGHT TRANSIT, BY P. R. ANDERSON:
Enjoy our video trailer for the new collection forthcoming from Dryad Press, Night Transit, by P. R. Anderson. We extend our thanks to the talented Jade Morgan of Jade Designs who curated and designed this stunning trailer. Look out next week for the announcement of our launch date in April, and don’t miss the opportunity to hear a renowned South African poet read from his new collection.
COVER REVEAL, NIGHT TRANSIT, P. R. ANDERSON
We are excited to share the cover of Dryad Press’s first publication for 2023, Night Transit, by P. R. Anderson. Anderson experiences the world with clear and original eyes and this new collection is not be missed! A huge shout out to the talented architect and artist Hanien Conradie, whose gorgeous ecological artworks, Die Hart van Dagbreek and Tankwa Dawn (both ochre on canvas 115cm x 85cm), grace the front and back covers. Hanien’s art explores the human relationship with the land through painting, performance and poetry and as such, has a unique ability to reflect Anderson’s thematic content. Be surprised by Conradie’s additional artwork, which appears in interleaves throughout the new collection and contact us if you would like to be in touch with this gifted artist to view her new work. Thanks also to cover designer Stephen Symons, who never fails to produce compelling cover design work for Dryad Press and to Nandipha Mntambo for her meaningful endorsement.
Look out for our video trailer to be launched next Thursday followed by details of the Night Transit book launch. Jump onto our social media sites to take part in our celebratory GIVEAWAY! The person with the most shares of our cover between today and our post next Thursday, will receive a free copy of Night Transit! We will announce the winner with the release of the video trailer next Thursday 9 March 2023.
Cape Talk interview with Pippa Hudson – Book Club: Dark Horse by Michèle Betty
Thanks to Cape Talk and especially Pippa Hudson for the opportunity to discuss Dark Horse and all things poetry in todays Book Club slot.
Poetry Reading by Kobus Moolman in Riebeeck Kasteel
Join us for a reading by Kobus Moolman from his recent volume of poetry “The Mountain Behind the House”. He will be joined by David Wickham with percussion and sound effects.
Date: 18 February 2023
Venue: Hoofstraat Conceptual, 52 Hoofstraat, Riebeeck Kasteel
Time: 19:00
CAPE TOWN BOOK LAUNCH OF DARK HORSE
The Cape Town launch of Michèle Betty’s book was held at Exclusive Books, Cavendish Square. Loadshedding meant we started in atmospheric light. But our friends at EB, were unphased and innovative and we thank Linda McCullough and her team for their generous drinks and snacks and for access to this beautiful venue for reading poetry.
New Book Release: Dark Horse, by Michèle Betty
Join us on 20 October for the launch of Michéle Betty’s second volume of poetry, Dark Horse. Michéle will be in conversation with academic, literary critic and poet, Joan Hambidge.
Cape Town:
Date: Thursday, October 2022
Venue: Exclusive Books, Cavendish Square
Time: 17: 30 for 18:00
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za
Take advantage of our Pre-Launch Special Offer. If you order two Dryad poetry books, one of which is Dark Horse, you will receive a 25% discount on your order. Make use of this limited special offer by clicking here:
Dark Horse Cover Announcement and book trailer:
Dryad Press is excited to reveal the cover for Michèle Betty’s new collection Dark Horse. The striking image used on the cover is “Mondays” and we acknowledge and thank artist Elize de Beer for allowing us to use the image on the cover. We invite you to enjoy the video trailer artfully curated by Luca Hart of Valk Studios.
The poems in Dark Horse are disruptive, even disturbing. The collection engages with myths and taboos surrounding self-harm, consequent journeys to unfamiliar, sometimes foreign places, and tackles aspects of spiritual awareness and loss. Dark Horse offers a powerful distillation of experience and imagination that will be invaluable reading for any person who knows someone who has taken their own life.
Watch the Dark Horse Video Trailer below:
Dryad appoints Cleo Biscombe as Intern for 2022
Dryad Press and Stellenbosch University (SU) are delighted to announce that Cleo Biscombe has been selected to intern with Dryad Press for 6 months for the period Jun-Nov 2022. Cleo is a postgraduate student from Stellenbosch University who has recently completed her MA through the SU department of English Studies. Cleo’s MA submission consists of original short stories that engage existing, as well as alternative approaches to articulating so-called “coloured” experiences in contemporary English literature. She will commence her PhD at SU in 2022/2023 academic year and will focus her writing and research on interrogating shame as a form of residual colonial violence experienced by “coloured female” figures in contemporary South African texts. We take this opportunity to thank everyone who submitted their CV’s for this programme and we congratulate Cleo on her appointment and look forward to working with her at Dryad.
The Dryad Press/Stellenbosch University Publishing Internship programme is running for 2022
We are excited to announce that the Dryad Press/Stellenbosch Publishing Internship Programme is running again for 2022. Dryad is in the process of interviewing candidates from Stellenbosch University to fulfil the position of intern. This opportunity to intern at Dryad will run for the six month period commencing June – November 2022. Watch out for our announcement of the candidate to be appointed.
Star Reverse: Cover Reveal and Video Trailer!
Dryad Press is excited to reveal the cover for Linda Ann Strang’s new collection Star Reverse, designed by the talented Stephen Symons. In this compelling and daunting collection, Strang applies a wry humour coupled with fine technical skill to debunk commonly held perceptions on an array of topics including gender based violence and physical and mental illness. Sally Ann Murray says that “Strang brings us the strange in poems that venture across mythic, mysterious and material repertoires”. We can’t wait for the launch of this collection in April 2022. Take advantage of our pre-launch special offer and get 25% off your purchase valid until the end of March 2022.
BUY PRE-LAUNCH OFFER NOW
Click here to watch the book trailer for Star Reverse:
Watch Star Reverse TrailerAnnouncing Star Reverse, a new collection by Linda Ann Strang
We are proud to announce the publication in April 2022 of Star Reverse, a collection by poet Linda Ann Strang. Our first of two releases in 2022, is a compelling and daunting collection where poetry and all the known demands of writing it are constantly deconstructed. Using a no-nonsense approach devoid of self-pity, Strang applies wry acerbic humour coupled with a fine technical skill to debunk commonly held perceptions on an array of topics including femicide and gender-based violence, physical and mental illness, death, childhood and ageing, sex and sexuality, armed conflict and political violence. It is a complex, brilliant volume of poetry, blending the intellectual with the intuitive and featuring an array of intertexts including fairy tales, the tarot, the Bible, and art in various forms, interwoven with primordial wisdoms and mythology. Watch out for our cover reveal on Tuesday 1 March 2022, followed by the announcement of the launch dates, our video trailer and a Pre-Launch Special Offer!
Linda Ann Strang has a Master’s degree in English Literature and a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education from Nelson Mandela University where she works in the field of Learning and Teaching Development. She is also the editor-in-chief of Hotazel Review.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR BOOK BUNDLES SPECIAL
If you have been waiting for the right time to purchase books by our award winning authors Beverly Rycroft and Tony Ullyatt, now is the time to take advantage of our book bundles offering: Purchase Beverly Rycroft’s two collections, missing and A Private Audience and/or Tony Ullyatt’s An Unobtrusive Vice and River Willows: Senryū from Lockdown, and save up to 40% discount on your order. Offer valid for one month only.
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