Former learner publishes first novel
“I realised that a person’s purpose is so personal and that there was no way one should ever feel judged by someone else for that.”
MBOMBELA – “Stop chasing money, as you will loose that part of yourself that is supposed to drive you until your dying days.” These are the wise words of a 26-year-old woman, neatly dressed in a black shirt and fitting jeans in the entrance hall of Lowveld High School.
Next to her a red book cover with thick black and white letters immediately draws your attention. The truth about us, it reads.
As Hellen Maykane’s fingers run swiftly through the 380 pages, she tells you that the road to publishing her very first book was not an easy one. Finishing matric at Lowveld High in 2005 with the award for most versatile arts student fresh in her memory, she hoped to pursue her dream as an artist, but soon realised it was not as easy as she hoped it would be. “I wish someone had told me that completing high school is no guarantee that your life was going to be all well.”
With her dreams fading slowly but surely, she found herself on a train to Cape Town early in 2006 to register for law – living out someone else’s ideals and dreams. “I got accepted at Rhodes University to study arts and music but unfortunately my parents did not understand. My father has a very staunch idea of what success is,” she explains.
Battling through the years, Hellen finally decided enough was enough. “I have been very depressed for so long and have tried my best, but felt clueless in class, which made me feel dumb, although I knew I was not. It was such a dark time in my life and arguing with my father every year, telling him that I can make it in the arts, was not worth it anymore. Killing myself was never part of my plan, but someone enforcing their plans on me,” she hesitates, “I couldn’t see the way forward and asked myself why not just end it here?”
Luckily Hellen saw the light in a piece of paper and pencil, and turned back to what she truly loved – writing. Realising life is worth living, she gave up her studies in Cape Town and moved to Johannesburg where she started working at a call centre. Although it was a move in the right direction, she still felt that she was not living her dream and decided to move back home. “I realised that a person’s purpose is so personal and that there was no way one should ever feel judged by someone else for that.”
She completed her first book, Broken chains, but didn’t publish it as she felt it wasn’t good enough yet and rather turned to writing plays. As she gained confidence she decided to tackle her first short story which soon ended up as a novel – the red book she was holding on to tightly.
“I recently started my own company, Open House Productions which I have been using to publish my book,” Hellen explains that it was still in its early days but that she dreamed of establishing a successful company right here in Mbombela. “I want a company where I can hold auditions, pick artists and designers myself. There is a lot of hidden talent but no one is picking from this pool.”
She furthermore wants to change various things in the industry. “What I hate about this industry is that there is a lot of talent, a lot of companies, but no one is paying. Artists are exploited inside and out and expected to work like slaves – that is what I want to change.”
Hellen just printed her first 50 books and is selling them herself. “I am starting from the bottom, but it feels good. My mom once said that if something is keeping you awake at night, that is what you are suppose to do for the rest of life. That is exactly what I am doing.”
If you are interested in getting hold of a copy, Hellen can be found on Facebook as Open House Productions.
