South Africa

Another Round At The Crow Bar #50 February 2021

Another Round At The Crow Bar #50 February 2021

Hello friends and fans!

In case you’re wondering about the name of my newsletter “Another Round At The Crow Bar“: The name refers to a bar in my Quantum Series – the one at Atro City Spaceport, which is called “The Crow Bar”. Since people like to share anecdotes and funny stories while sitting at the bar, I figured it would make a good name for my newsletter, and imagined myself sitting at the Crow Bar chatting and sharing news with interested readers and fans!

Welcome to Another Round At The Crow Bar – and my 50th newsletter! More →

by ChristinaEngela in News, Newsletter Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Another Round At The Crow Bar #49 January 2021

Another Round At The Crow Bar #49 January 2021

Hello friends and fans!

Christina Engela when answering a question about the name of her newsletter “Another Round At The Crow Bar“: “The name refers to a bar in my Quantum Series – the one at Atro City Spaceport, which is called “The Crow Bar”. Since people like to share anecdotes and funny stories while sitting at the bar, I figured it would make a good name for my newsletter, and imagined myself sitting at the Crow Bar chatting and sharing news with interested readers and fans!”

With that, welcome to Another Round At The Crow Bar – and my 49th newsletter, for January 2021! More →

by ChristinaEngela in News, Newsletter Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New Release: “The Pitfalls of South African Self-publishing”

“The Pitfalls of South African Self-publishing – a guide to becoming an indie author in spite of being South African” by Christina Engela

Buy now as an eBook

So you wrote a book. Be it a novel, a collection of short stories, a how-to-braid-your-own-hair-without-a-mirror-and-a-third-hand guide, or an academic research paper about the fascinating night life of hump-backed snails – whatever it is, you need to get it out there where it will be read, appreciated and praised for the work of genius it really is!

The only trouble is, you don’t know what to do next – and who could blame you? After all, you live in South Africa, where almost everything is stacked against you from the start! Besides, you’ve never done this before! Writing is your game – not cover design, working with images and associated software, marketing – and as for the internet, don’t even go there! It’s way too complicated! Right? More →

by ChristinaEngela in New Releases Tags: , , , , ,

“When Day Is Done” by Yvonne Lorraine Engela

Now available – “When Day Is Done” by Yvonne Lorraine Engela (edited by Christina Engela), a volume containing 81 poems by a previously unknown South African poet.

Christina Engela is proud to present an unknown and talented new South African poet to the world: her mother – Yvonne Lorraine Engela. More →

by ChristinaEngela in Edited by Christina Engela, New Releases Tags: , , , , , ,

New Release: “A Way Of Life” by Theo Engela

As some of you might know, I’ve been keeping a promise I made to my Dad many years ago – that I would one day publish his three novels. I have been working hard to keep that promise, and have taken off the last few months from my own writing to do so – his collection of short stories “African Assignment“, and his third and last novel “Shakandazu Valley” have already been published, and today it’s my privilege to announce the release of his very first novel, “A Way Of Life” by Theo Engela.

Written in 1965, this novel was never published. It was his first novel, and it focuses on alcoholism and the struggle of the main character with it. The story is brilliantly written, and describes this way of life with dramatic and upsetting realism, for the alcoholic and those who love them.

More →

by ChristinaEngela in New Releases Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

New Release: “Shakandazu Valley” by Theo Engela

I finally finished editing and formatting my dad’s last novel! This is the very first time “Shakandazu Valley” has ever been published, so it’s quite a significant day in that respect for me. I truly enjoyed reading and editing this story, and if you’re interested in a little fictional, philosophical look at life in this setting, with oodles of symbolism and hidden meanings, I can happily recommend this book.

“Shakandazu Valley, a typical small rural town in the Ciskei, ruled over by the Inkosi from the grand mansion called The Residence, attention is diverted from the boredom of daily life and the pressure of the severe drought by various pursuits: movies, parties, socializing, drinking – and speculating about one of the Valley’s newest and most mysterious residents – Roger Hall.

The man had simply turned up one day three years before, bought the old bungalow at the end of Buku Road – paid for it in cash, and then kept to himself. The only times he seemed to venture into town was to buy copious amounts of alcohol from the liquor store every few weeks. Sometimes he briefly showed his face at happenings hosted by curious locals. He never spoke about his past.

Who was he? Where did he come from? How did he come to have so much money readily on hand? Why did he never want to talk about his past – not even to the Doctor, or Mr. Gaika, his closest friends in town?

More →

by ChristinaEngela in New Releases Tags: , , , , ,

Resignation From SA Pagan Rights Alliance

Dated 06 March 2018

Formal resignation as member of the Executive Committee of the South African Pagan Rights Alliance.

Dear fellow SAPRA Executive Committee members, More →

by ChristinaEngela in News Tags: , , , , ,

South African Publishing Industry Biased Against Indie Authors

When it comes to the publishing industry, South Africa is at least 50 years behind everywhere else!

First of all, it’s nigh on impossible to get a foot in the door at a so-called ‘traditional publisher’ in South Africa – I know, I’ve been trying for almost 30 years!

My books are available internationally via distribution channels such as Amazon, Nook, Barnes & Nobel, iTunes, Lybrary, Lulu, Kobo – and even a few I don’t even know about – and yes, even in South Africa, you can find and order them online – but you still can’t walk into a CNA or an Exclusive Books to flip through the pages of a copy on a shelf. More →

by ChristinaEngela in Blog Tags: , , , , , , , ,