Paige Nick – Author, Blogger and Columnist for the Sunday Times
Chosen Charity – The Bookery in Roeland St, it’s part of the Equal Education Foundation. These guys are incredible super heroes. They build and stock libraries in previously disadvantaged schools.
2010 was the year … my world exploded. No seriously, I mean it. You know how you’re trucking along quietly, watching the telly and minding your own business, and then suddenly everything all happens at once and you end up with three birthday parties, an anniversary and a funeral all on the same weekend? Well that’s kind of what happened to me.
This year I had my first novel published by Penguin Books. It’s a romantic comedy called A Million Miles from Normal.
It’s about a South African girl who manages to lose both her job and her fiancé in a massively humiliating public display and is forced to leave South Africa. She decides to move to New York City where she hopes to make it big, to prove to everyone back home that she’s not a complete disaster, although the only apartment she can find is a shoebox sized rat trap. And the only job she can get is at a really dodgy ad agency with a crazy man for a boss and a drug addicted alcoholic for an art director. Sounds dire, I know, but it’s actually a comedy, promise.
Anyway so after the book launch and all the craziness that involved, my blog kind of exploded all over me and went mad, and then I started with the Sunday Times Column in the Lifestyle section. Which is really about life, love and living in the city.
If I were to spend New Year’s in the Northern Cape town of Kakamas, I would pack the following…Isn’t it very hot there? Kaka-off hot, I think. In that case I would definitely take sun screen and a hat. Also a pile of books. Because no matter how far away from home you are, you’re never lonely or alone if you’ve got a book. And if it’s not being too greedy, can I take a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label with me, too?
Nobody knows that… I’m writing this in my pyjamas.
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58 Comments
I see for some reason up there I’ve said ‘previously disadvantaged schools’. Not sure why I said that, the schools are currently disadvantaged. My bad.
If you want to find out more about The Bookery, please visit: http://www.equaleducation.org.za/bookery
Paige, if you’re famous, does that make me quasi-famous by association? I do hope so. My handwriting was born for autographs.
isn’t there supposed to be a vote button? Why do they make it so hard for D.E.I’s. You have my vote Paige – please tell me where to press!?
You have my vote paiger. Kakking off with a book is my idea of fun.
I’m voting for you because you are my sister and I think you are AWESOME !!!!!
@joanna you always crack me up. I’m about as famous as a Bar One is slimming, I’m afraid. Sorry.
@Michele, try refresh your browser.
thanks so much you guys. xxx
Rachel….my favourite grandchild.
you always have my vote xxx love Gran
Thanks Gran, you rock. xxx he he he
Will vote for you. Kakamas is fantastic. Have you tried the table grapes from the area? Augrabies Falls?
Just out of interest. Did Bernie Marchand teach you? Well his family comes from a small village +-3houses and a railway siding at Marchand.
best of luck!
ET
Hi Eban, thanks for your vote. never been to Kakamas, but it’s now on top of my travel wishlist.
Not sure I recall a Bernie Marchand.
I do remember an Eben Tucker though, and you share his first name and his surname initial. 🙂
voted , hope you win
Nan Mj
’tis me. Good luck
Khaya recommended your blog. I work at the library in Sacramento, CA, USA – keep up the good work. Keep writing!! We need more good authors. I voted for you. Thank you Khaya.
Aha, Mr Tucker, thanks so much. 🙂
have my vote,ths is 4 a vry good cause,hope 2 read ur romantic comedy
Paige, you’ve got my vote! Kakamas is my home town and my parents still live there, it’s one of the most beautiful areas in the Northern Cape with loads of attractions. If you ever decide to visit that side of the world let me know and I’ll give you some inside info 😉
Just voted for you cuz! xoxox
Just voted for you Paige! XOXO
I’m voting for you because I love your blog and I want you to win. Go for it. I’ll vote a MILLION TIMES if I am allowed too xxxx
thanks so much everyone. keep the votes coming if you can. competition goes till mid Dec.
Paige has my vote!
“Camping” versus “writing naughty things in your pyjamas….”
Now you do the math….. It’s elementary my dear Nick! xx
Hi Paige. Great work! I hope you win!
With the amount of good you do, you should be the President not just a celeb. LOL!!!
Voted! Good luck.
Woohooo!! Got my vote…
You have my vote!!
Friends, if we don’t win this, it’s certainly not for lack of trying. Thanks for all your votes, keep em coming.
Paige, all that and you still sound sane, you deserve to take that Johnny Walker black with you make sure you have loads of ice, I will join you. lol!!!!!
Go Paigey Go!
Let the kids read I say and stay off the computers (they do serve a purpose but books create something special) – the power of the imagination is in the books….
You get my vote.
You get my vote girl, love your column!
love the cause, love books, love reading
can’t vote – feeling silly – where’s the knobby thing to press/click?
aaah … we click the tiny little thumb?
or not … my click was not counted. is there some trickery involved?
Hi Michelle, there’s some kind of glitch going on, perhaps try clicking again on the little thumbs up icon, you only get one vote, but the number should go up by one when you vote.
Thanks so much for your votes everyone, big virtual emailed bottles of scotch to all of you. xxx
How will we know that you are among the top three that wins.
Good luck
Great stuff, you have my vote. Good luck.
Thanks Maxine and Mandie,
Maxine, I’m sure they’ll put it all on this site. So stay tuned. Holding thumbs.
p.
excellent, you have my vote!
Hi
Just purchased your book,I love local lit… and even more so I love books 🙂
Hey Rifqah, so chuffed you bought the book, would love to hear what you think. Hope you enjoy it. xxx
thanks for your votes. Go team Bookery!
Read your book and loved it – as did most of my bookclub. Hope there’s another one in the pipeline!
great cause,,,,you have my vote
You’ve got my vote. I think the Bookery is awesome – even the building they are in is fabulous. I also bought your book yesterday for my Book Club. Yay for good South African writers!
Thanks you guys. Sue, i’m just busy with edit on next one, will hopefully be out in first half of next year. It’s not a sequel, but same genre. Thanks for all your votes and all your support. Tracey hope your book club enjoy the book.
Got my vote – we need to build a nation of readers!
Dear Paige
I got sent a link to this because I am a Friend of the Writers’ Foundation. I used to live in S.A. in Pretoria. That’s where I learned to write. Good luck with your blog and congrats on the book.
Regards
Lynne
Stocking school libraries definitely has my vote.
you definitely have my vote. I know what Equal Education pulled out of the hat for Lavender Hill Secondary School.
Anything to do with the Bookery has my vote. Good luck!
I have voted for you and wish you lots of luck in the final round.
Guaranteed of my vote and my colleagues. Good initiatives needs support only.
All the best, Paige! You have my vote & hearty congrats on getting your novel published. I’m off to go & buy it 🙂
the bookery is great …get’s my vote
Hi guys, thanks so much for your support. but as of yesterday the finalist section of the competition moved to the PriceCheck Facebook Page which is over here:
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/PriceCheckSA
all you have to do is visit that page, then like the page and then like my profile, for your vote to count. holding thumbs we can bring this home for The Bookery.
thanks so much for your support!
OH DEAR, that website didn’t click through nicely, here it is again, rather click here:
http://on.fb.me/fjCNgY
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