THE GUTS & THE GLORY

Award-winning South African A novelist Lauren Beukes has racked up international awards and best-seller spots with thought-provoking, beautifully written books. Christi Nortier spoke to her about the demanding work that goes into writing her novels, creating a life of meaning and holding her own as woman in the spotlight.

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The life of a writer is often romanticised as one of whimsy, with time spent sipping macchiatos in cafés, a pen poised thoughtfully against pursed lips, ready to jot down the next brilliant idea on a coffee-stained napkin. In reality - not so much.

Novelist Lauren Beukes knows this: writing is hard, lonely, underpaid work. But it's the fact that 'stories allow us to be more than we are' that makes creating them so worthwhile. Lauren knew she wanted to be a writer when she learnt, at the age of five, that she could be paid to write down the stories that were galloping through her head. However, it took 30 years before she found herself in a position to become a full-time novelist.

Before her books took off, she juggled jobs as a journalist, screenwriter, director and comic book writer. Now, her award-winning novels have become international bestsellers, published in 24 countries around the world. One of the titles, The Shining Girls, was adapted into an Apple TV series last year.

Her books have created realms of their own - they are high-concept, fast-paced stories that put the dark and light in the human condition under the microscope.

She puts her success down to a bit of talent, a lot of luck, working hard and 'writing the damn book' until it's done. She credits her work as a journalist as shaping her into the novelist she is today. Journalism gave me a real-world perspective. It's a backstage pass to people's lives,' she explains.