JHB West - Nov 21

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Text: RIALIEN FURSTENBERG. • Photographer: CARLA SHANNON PHOTOGRAPHY. PUT PEN TO PAPER We chat to four inspiring women who turned their writing dreams into reality. Caitlin Anne Tallack - Engineering student The words engineering and poetry are rarely, if ever, used in the same sentence. They are polar opposites, right? Well, there’s always that exception. Take Caitlin, for example. Despite being an engineering student - with a bright future in front of her, since she was eight, she’s dreamt about being a published writer. A dream that has finally come true. “The first poem I ever wrote was a two-verse ode to my family’s double-my-size Great Dane puppy. The poem was called Puppy Love. It was probably a terrible poem, but it was the beginning of my attempts to express myself through that poetry.’’ And from scribbling poems about dogs and the garden, 21-year-old Caitlin has come a far way. The 86 free-verse poems in her book are all about her personal experiences. About love, hope, heartache. About the beautiful and mundane experiences that each year brings. “Growing up, I read poems by long-dead, ancient poets. I loved the poems, but they weren’t my story. I wanted a book by a young woman about what it’s like to be a young woman, so I wrote it. A book that readers can relate to and resonate with. And it is really pretty too, filled with full-colour pages and images. So between the poems about break-ups and the pressure to be pretty, you can also expect beautiful images.” Caitlin loves to spoil herself with food and guess what … books. So it comes as no surprise that she is quite a book collector. ‘Maybe a bit of a book hoarder rather? Haha. My books are organised in colour order and nothing makes me happier than staring up my bookshelves. Especially when I notice my pretty in pink book there as well.’ Although she does not have any plans for another book just yet, she hopes that her book will inspire others to pursue their dreams, despite how intimidating they may seem. Right now, she is enjoying the fact that she now has the freedom to choose a new dream. “But, this book won’t be the last. I would still like to write about my experiences as a South African. I think our country has learned lessons that the entire world could benefit from learning too.” Caitlin’s advice to anyone thinking of writing a book? ‘It is one thing to commit to starting your book. It is much more important to commit to finishing your book. I know so many incredibly talented writers with hundreds of unfinished drafts. It is challenging and terrifying and it should absolutely scare you a little. But give yourself a deadline. And then finish it!’ ABOUT A BIRTHDAY CARD IN MAY: This vibrantly visual poetry collection is divided into a dozen chapters - one for each month of the year. Each poem is a reflection on one of the year’s special holidays. From New Year’s Day to Peculiar People Day, holidays recognised, religious and ridiculous, each provides a medium through which to explore the love, the hoping, the heartache, the beautiful, the mundane and the growing of a year. Of twentyone years. Get your copy from abirthdaycardinmay.com for R240. Use the promo code GETIT to get 20 per cent off of your order. 12 Get It Magazine November 2021
Regine du Plessis: Consulting dietician A compulsive list-maker, Regine can finally tick off ‘write a recipe book’. Which any list maker will tell you is one of the most liberating feelings ever! Working as an in-house dietician for a food magazine, the idea to write a recipe book lingered in the back of her mind. Gaining heaps of knowledge and experience, her ‘one day’ scenario turned into many years of writing 1000kJ recipes. Eventually, a brilliant opportunity came her way to design a 12-week family challenge to get healthier … with a 1000kJ restriction per meal. Yay! Regine could finish what she started. “Thirty-five years of collecting ideas, gaining experience as to what patients need and want, six months of intense writing and one and a half years of editing with the editor. Phew! What an enriching and exciting journey. “The whole process is absolutely a form of extended character-testing and development. I got to confirm many things about myself … my strengths, weaknesses, highs and lows, tolerance levels, willingness to compromise, seeing an editor’s point of view and staying true to myself and my message. And then to get positive feedback from the readers that my book made a difference. Best. Feeling. Ever.” Regine has already completed the second manuscript which will be a follow-on to the current format, but with the inclusion of recipes for 18 specific lifestyle conditions. Reading is almost just as important as eating healthy, according to Regine, as she believes “it encourages a fertile mind. I love to read biographies, autobiographies, historical fiction, motivational books, cookbooks - yes, I read them from cover to cover, and coffee table books. “And preferably a hard copy. I love the feeling of turning paper pages, rather than scrolling. I am by no means opposed to electronic books, but then again, what would I fill my library with if it weren’t for paper books? And as far as recipe books go, I prefer to have them as a permanent fixture in my kitchen.” Regine’s advice for any aspiring writer is to write the book to help others and make a difference. Writing a book for pure financial gain is a pipedream for most authors. Believe in your topic, then you are already halfway to having it accepted by a publisher. Write from the heart and set aside a certain amount of time every single day to write and work on the manuscript. Ideally, complete the entire manuscript before submitting it to a publishing house. Always seek a win-win between your message and the requirements of the editor. Remain flexible. “And then just jump into the deep end and do it, rather than listening to too much prior advice before starting.” ABOUT A SLIMMER YOU COOKBOOK This is a DIY guide to becoming healthier and losing 10 kg in 12 weeks. The introduction allows you to decide on your goal weight and the kilojoules required to achieve this. The remainder of the book is presented in the form of 75 home-style recipes (breakfasts, lunch-and supper recipes, all interchangeable), with each recipe giving you 1000 kJ per serving. Each recipe can be made for one, four or ten servings. Lifestyle nutrition can be delicious, good-looking and healthy. Let the book guide you. Get your copy from all good bookstores, Takealot.com, Loot. co.za and Makro online for around R320. November 2021 Get It Magazine 13
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JHB West - Nov 21

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