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Franschhoek Literary Festival celebrates successThe Famous Idea Trading Company05/24/2010 16:03:55 
The FLF team is delighted that so many readers and writers from across the SA spectrum came to Franschhoek to celebrate books for a fourth year. The sun shone after a showery start, the venues were mostly full, the authors were in fine voice, deep conversations erupted into laughter, debates raged, and the word ruled for three days in this Winelands village, augmented by its now-legendary hospitality. "The FLF works because keen readers can engage with interesting, accessible writers at venues within a short walking distance of each other, creating a wonderful buzz around books," said FLF Literary Director Jenny Hobbs. Over 4 500 tickets were sold over the course of the weekend. Of the 42 events on the programme 16 were sold out. "The village certainly comes alive and the calibre of people who come along is fantastic," said Susan Huxter of Le Quartier Francais. The revenue from ticket sales largely goes to the FLF Library Fund, which aims to create and sustain a culture of reading in the Franschhoek valley. "It was such a happy, and sun blessed, festival! There was so much laughter. Passing by the Church Hall, the Council Chamber, the School Hall, all I heard was laughter. The village was alive with happy people," said Franschhoek resident Barry Phillips. "We had a wonderful time at the festival, and it was such an honour to be part of the FLF," said author Deon Meyer (13 Hours/13 Uur). "It remains my firm favourite, and I've attended a few," he added. "We acknowledge and thank our generous donors: new associates Porcupine Ridge Wines and the Sunday Times, guest house owners and voluntary workers who give their time and energy to make it an event to remember," said Hobbs. "We'll be back on the third weekend in May 2011." The FLF continues to share the sentiments of Madiba, who once said, "It is my wish that the voice of the storyteller will never die in Africa, that all children in the world may experience the wonder of books, and that they will never lose the capacity to enlarge their earthly dwelling place with the magic of stories." About the Franschhoek Literary Festival (FLF) In four years the FLF has gained an international reputation as a respected celebration of books and writers, with the focus on promoting South African writing and reading, and well supported by the Franschhoek community. The next FLF is scheduled for 13 - 15 May 2011. FLF Associates About Porcupine Ridge Porcupine Ridge wines from Boekenhoutskloof in Franschhoek are proud to be one of the associates of the Franschhoek Literary Festival. Porcupine Ridge wines were launched in 1996 and have grown to be one of the most recognized wine brands in South Africa. Being located in the Franschhoek valley, Porcupine Ridge has always taken a keen interest in the development of the town, and so it made perfect sense to support the Franschhoek Literary Festival when the opportunity arose. Boekenhoutskloof is also helping to fund a study by Christy Bragg, a PhD student at the University of Cape Town. Her four-year project on porcupines specifically investigates the effect that porcupine foraging has on different Cape ecosystems. For more information visit www.boekenhoutskloof.co.za About the Sunday Times The Sunday Times, South Africa's biggest weekend newspaper with almost 4-million readers, is part of media group Avusa Ltd. A South African icon, the Sunday Times has been setting the news agenda for more than a century. The paper is proud of its role in promoting literacy and reading in South Africa, particularly among children and young people. The Sunday Times launched the ReadRight initiative in 1999, aimed at teachers and parents who are encouraged to involve themselves in assisting learners with the variety of activities ReadRight offers. ReadRight is a weekly feature in the Sunday Times Magazine during public school terms. In addition to this, two million free copies are distributed to both urban and rural schools around the country yearly. The Sunday Times is also the founder of the prestigious Alan Paton award for non-fiction and the more recent Sunday Times fiction prize. Visit www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes Artslink.co.za Account: Gilly Hemphill The Famous Idea Trading Co. gilly@thefamousidea.co.za 021 886 4900 082 820 8584 Franschhoek Literary Festival Web site: http://www.flf.co.za
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