WOMAN ZONE STORIES

For Krystle Zara Appiah, author, editor, screenwriter, the light shone on a writing path from an early age. She works for The Novelry now, but her journey of discovery in the world of words has seen her cross continents and cultures - with books that tell the story. We spoke to her on her recent visit to Cape Town's Open Book Festival.

Born in Lagos, schooled in the US and based in Sweden, Lola Akinmade is something of a phenomenon - a Vital Voice, award winning photographer, travel writer, teacher, speaker, author of, most recently, Bitter Honey - we were pleased to speak to her just prior to the Open Book Festival in Cape Town to find out where it all began.

Foodie or not, as a 'saffer' there's no way you wont find something to suit your taste in this book - from braais to pies, chips to chakalaka. From home-grown Durban girl Chef Nokx Majozi who serves it all with an overlay of nostalgia, spiced with personal passion. Delicious.

One of the four women who led The Women's March of 1956 to protest the pass laws, little has been known about Lilian Ngoyi. But in this book, media scholar Martha Evans has brought the stylish but fiery orator and activist to life, setting her firmly in apartheid South Africa of the time. Published by Penguin, its release coincides with the 70th anniversary of The March.

Every year the NPO 1000 Women Trust celebrates at Artscape's Women's Humanity Festival with a special event - this year, it was themed Healing Through Art and amongst others, it featured embroiderer Nell Louise Pollock and her powerful healing red-on-white artworks that helped her not only overcome, but gave her the opportunity to share the stories of others - in stitches.