The eagerly-anticipated shortlist for the 2010 M-Net Literary Awards has been released, showcasing the finest South African literature produced between January and December 2009 in all indigenous languages, as well as English. Exactly 100 novels were submitted for consideration for 2010 M-Net Literary Awards, an increase of more than 30% on last year’s entries.

The annual awards, now in their 19th year, recognise the rich literary talent in South Africa. Each year, a panel of esteemed judges seek to reward fiction at its finest, short-listing the country’s finest novels and recognising vivid story-telling skill.

2010 sees the second incarnation of the Film category. The judges have identified novels in each language category which show potential for development into screenplays, which M-Net could produce for television. These novels are defined by their strong narrative and rich texture. All novels submitted for the main awards were automatically entered for this award, unless the entry already had screen rights attached to it.

For the purposes of the M-Net Literary Awards, all published works submitted in 11 official languages are grouped in 6 language categories, namely: Nguni (isiZulu, isiXhosa, isiNdebele, SeSwati), Sotho (SeSotho, SePedi, SeTswana), TshiVenda, XiTsonga Afrikaans and English. Winners in each category receive a cash prize of R30 000.

M-Net is pleased to announce the shortlists in the following language categories, in alphabetical order:

Main Category
Ga di Mphelele (Let them live for me), M.S. Machitela (Lingua Franca) Sepedi
Ba Llwe ke mahlale (Betrayed by tricks) M.P. Mathete (Balobedu) Sotho
Lingada Zibuyile Endle (Wild cats have come home), P. Mtuze (Vivlia) isiXhosa
Tshedza tsho tovhowa (The light is gone), K. Mukovhanama (Oxford University Press) Tshivenda
Zindala Zombile (Head to Head), P.B. Vilakazi (Shuter & Shooter) isiZulu
Film Category
Ga di Mphelele (Let them live for me), M.S. Machitela (Lingua Franca) Sepedi
Ba Llwe ke mahlale (Betrayed by tricks), M.P. Mathete (Balobedu) Sotho
Ngiwalazele Mgakhasela Eziko (Playing with fire), M.D. Mnguni (Vivlia) Ndebele
Ufuka Kuyaphila (Death is alive), S. Yawa (Shuter & Shooter) isiXhosa
Zindala Zombile (Head to Head), P.B. Vilakaze (Shuter & Shooter) isiZulu

Afrikaans:
Main Category
Plaasmoord, Karin Brynard (Human & Rousseau)
Wederkoms, Louis Krüger (Human & Rousseau)
Voetstoots, John Miles (Human & Rousseau)
Titaan, Karel Schoeman (Human & Rousseau)
Santa Gamka, Eben Venter (Tafelberg)

Film Category
Plaasmoord, Karin Brynard (Human & Rousseau)
Seisoen van sonde, Chris Karsten (Human & Rousseau)
Bottelnek, Piet Steyn (Tafelberg)
Geldwolf, Carel van der Merwe (Umuzi)
Die rebellie van Sloet Steenkamp, Paul Venter (Lapa)

English:
Main Category
To Heaven by Water, Justin Cartwright (Bloomsbury)
Summertime, J.M. Coetzee (Harvill Secker)
High Low In-between, Imraan Coovadia (Umuzi)
Small Moving Parts, Sally-Ann Murray (Kwela Books)
Little Ice Cream Boy, Jacques Pauw (Penguin SA)

Film Category
Refuge, Andrew Brown (Zebra Press)
The October Killings, Wessel Ebersohn (Umuzi)
My Brother’s Keeper, Jassy MacKenzie (Umuzi)
Black Diamond, Zakes Mda (Penguin SA)
Little Ice Cream Boy, Jacques Pauw (Penguin SA)

Hettie Scholtz, chair of the M-Net Literary Awards, says the judges were impressed by the variety of contributions, which came from both established South African authors of international renown and several debut novelists. “It also came as a pleasant surprise that so many thrillers and suspense novels were entered – the surprise stemming from the authors’ writing prowess,” she says.

Transformation is a key feature in the shortlisted novels, according to the judges, who felt that if a common aspect were to be identified, it would be the manner in which the characters in the novels respond to the effects of a transformational society on their lives and how they attempt to change their position of vulnerability “If one ever needs evidence that South African fiction is acutely aware of both the positive and negative aspects of life in our country, the entries for this year’s M-Net Literary Awards can be offered as proof,” says Scholtz.

M-Net Director of Corporate Marketing and Communications, Koo Govender, praised the diversity and number of entries for the 2010 Awards. “We’re delighted to see the massive growth in entries for the 2010 M-Net Literary Awards,” she says. “It’s gratifying to see that despite a slow economic period, South African literature and publishing are thriving”.

The winners of the M-Net Literary Awards will be announced on Saturday 31 July at a gala event in Cape Town. Book lovers are also invited to join the winners in a celebration of South African writing at the International Book Fair, taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). The winners will be interviewed by former Carte Blanche anchor Ruda Landman at the Dalro stand from 11:00-12:30 on Sunday 1 August.

Issued on behalf of the M-Net Literary Awards by:
Trevor Crighton
trevor@pageone.co.za
083 652 7713