[Interview] Bettina Wyngaard
South African novelist, Bettina Wyngaard made her debut as an author with the publication of Troos vir die gebrokenes (Umuzi, 2009) - a novel about three generations of Afrikaans-speaking black women, dealing with issues like domestic violence, alcohol abuse, and crime. The novel was subsequently shortlisted for the Jan Rabie Rapport Prize , which is awarded to a debut or early work characterised by fresh and innovative Afrikaans prose. In this interview, Bettina Wyngaard talks about her writing: What made you decide you wanted to be a published writer? I’m not even sure that it was a decision, as much as an urge, a compulsion, if you will, to return to writing. I write mostly in Afrikaans, but have never really felt comfortable with the Afrikaans literature that is available out there. I felt it did not really reflect my reality, with the result that I read mostly English. Eventually, I realised that instead of complaining and bemoaning the lack of fiction reflecting my reality, I co