Tag Archives: The Coinage Book Two: Contributors
Thibedi Mokgokong is a poet who discovered writing through the strain of living in a house where "a child is seen but not heard." Poetry was a way to express complex and suppressed emotions in a verbose but quiet manner. The weight in his poetry comes from words and expressions long kept but never spoke.
Thibedi found himself picking a degree to study post-matric haphazardly, merely going by what was then called an M-score. He was accepted into the University of Johannesburg to study a BA degree in Psychology in 2006 and went in to work in insurance.
His poem, "Lobola", was published in The Coinage Book One.
Two of Thibedi's works are featured in The Coinage Book Two. In his poem, "Made of Clay", he explores a person's ability to adapt to a changing society regardless of the conditions they face. While the short story, "Lighthouse" is rebellion against a corrupt government by non-political individuals and ramifications thereof. It also highlights the dire indirect effects that the rebellion has on the relatives of such individuals, namely the children and spouse.
Most of Thibedi's flash fiction and poetry is available to peruse here.
Jeannie Wallace McKeown lives in Makhanda (previously Grahamstown) and works full-time at Rhodes University. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Rhodes, and has had poems published in New Coin, New Contrast, Poetry Potion, Aerodrome and other literary journals. Her work appears in the anthologies Voices Of This Land 2nd Edition, For Rhino in a Shrinking World, the EU Sol Plaatjie collections VII and VIII, and on the AVBOB Poetry website. She is the mother of two boys, has just the perfect number of cats, and a dog who wasn't planned but is now an integral part of the family. Her collection, Unremembered Poems, will be published by Modjaji Books in 2019.
Her poem "Even-Handed" is featured in The Coinage Book Two. It is a simple and beautifully written reflection on the concurrent exploration, experimentation, growth and change within ourselves and others.
Mandisi is a South African writer, drummer, composer, and producer. He currently resides in Cape Town, South Africa.
His fiction has been published in the likes of Afrosf: Science Fiction by African Writers, and Omenana. His poetry has been published in The Coinage Book One, and his academic work featured in The Thinker. He is also a proud charter member of the African Speculative Fiction Society.
Recently, Mandisi has been experimenting with speculative poetry with a focus on fantastical, science fiction and/or elements of horror. His poem, "Black Hole Fugue" explores the theme of change through the ups and downs of anxiety and depression. While the poem itself is not precisely science-fiction, there is a clear allusion to black holes, and the almost fugue state of depressive episodes. Much like the current science around black holes states, a depressive episode can feel like a time warp, where something is sucking you in (the gravitational pull of a black hole sucks in all matter, including light), and you don't know what's on the other side.
For updates and information on Mandisi's writing and musical endeavours, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. He also runs a blog under his alias, The Dark Cow.
The Coinage Team Posted in life, The #Coinage Book: Journal of New South African Writing	The Coinage Book Two: Contributors
Sinaso is a young South African writer who started writing in 2008 inspired by her love for books. Her poems mainly deal with themes of healing, change and finding one's voice in the world we live. Her work has been published online in sites such as Voicesnet, Fundza, Poetry Potion, Ja Mag SA, The Pangolin Review, an online anthology (Next Generation Speaks Global Youth Anthology) and Writing politics and Knowledge Production (anthology). She was recently longlisted for the Sol Plaatjie European Award and was the first runner up in the Creative Freelance Writerz competition. She is passionate about writing and seeing young people work towards changing the world into a peaceful place for all.
Her poem "I'm Still Here" is featured in The Coinage Book Two explores there the theme of lost love and the change in one's beliefs when one is hurt or separated from loved ones, and when one is exposed to new experiences.
ABOUT: Karin Henriques
Following an illustrious career in corporate communication that spanned 20 years, Karin took a year off to explore her love of writing and storytelling.
As a freelancer, she also operates under "all things creative", a company which specialises in event planning, book design and layout, corporate and branding identity, photography, video production and copy-writing.
2018 sent her on a whirlwind word-adventure of finding her writing voice. She experimented with poetry, the result of which a poem titled "Age Rage" – an ode to a woman coming to terms with her fading beauty and changing body as she struggles to find relevance in the new and continuously changing world – which will be featured in The Coinage Book Two.
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