What a wonderful event last Thursday! So rich and varied and moving, every writer was so interesting. I especially loved your story—the intensity, the rhythmic structure of the dynamic situation weaving in and out of reflection, the poetry in the lines that kept rescuing this listener from the pain and confusion in young Danny's mind...as if beauty might breathe him/us through suffering. I so look forward to reading the published novel--so please hurry up before we die! Perhaps more events like this one will bring the wonderful writers of this particular diasporic community to wider audiences--and publishers! Looking forward to re-hearing the readings again once they're available. Wowed and Cheering you On! – Colette Gagnon, poet and writer

 

Your reading…blew me away. Every reading spoke to deeply transformative experience. I am so touched that you have gone back to that time and opened it to the air. If creativity is an act of love, then you have held your[self] and that whole difficult and complicated and totally engaging time in warm embrace.  – Gordon Hanford

 

The reading was a wonderful event. I’m so glad you invited me. Your writing was excellent and very evocative. The next day I was on a webinar titled “The Impact of Racism on Relationships: What Therapists, Couples, & Partners Need to Know”. The readings were an excellent lead up for me and deepened my engagement with the webinar. – Laura Allen, therapist

 

Oh my word, I have listened to your reading. When are you going to get it published? …listening to you was like watching a movie. I could see it all in my mind. Thank you for this. – Margaret Wilson

​

Thanks so much for telling us about this wonderful event. Your reading from your manuscript was spell-binding. All the readers were interesting... I had tears at the end. – Charlotte Cameron, author, Love and Courage in Troubled Times (Fictive Press, 2021)

​

Great choice for your reading and well introduced. I thought you set up the context of the reading very well indeed. Liked the choice of your reading too, because it was dramatic, it felt real in terms of dialogue, in terms of the action, and especially it felt real in terms of the emotions these two characters were feeling. It is powerful dramatic writing. Your work really deserves to be published and I wish you the best with this. – Aleck Ostry

​

Thanks so much Lawrence, to you, and to all the writers. The power of the pull to roots, to these particular roots, is so  palpable in the collective voices. So many faces of the coin. Yours was so tightly and poignantly written. I felt anguish as the physical and the emotional pain balanced in tension. Fabulous job. Here’s to publishing. – Jude Campbell, Artist in Residence, Clayton, Surrey, BC

​

Thank you so much.  Your story was so raw and moving [and] riveting.  Everyone transported us to such a different time and place.  It was almost exhausting. Keep writing.  It’s good, man!  Thanks again. – Anthony Morgan, dancer and musician

 

…this was one of the most engaging readings I’ve attended during this pandemic. I loved everything about it & can’t wait to read “Skin.” It was very moving. I don’t understand or relate to Canadian ‘provincialism.’ – Ingrid Rose, author, and co-host of podcast, Writers Radio

 

Lawrence, I listened to your reading last evening. I found it gripping and riveting and disturbing. I thought it was very well written - a variety of sentence structures, tightly written. I felt I was right there, watching it unfold before my eyes. How impressive that you have written a whole novel. I am sure you will find a publisher.  Please let me know when you get news of this so I can celebrate. Bravo. – Susan Amos

 

Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your reading last night. It certainly draws one in to read the rest of your book. – Joanna Mackenzie

 

What a remarkable reading last night … It was so evocative to hear all those stories about each of your experiences, feelings and insights about your SA lives. – Betsy Warland, author, Breathing the Page: Reading the Act of Writing (Cormorant Books, 2010)

 

I really enjoyed your piece.  Thank you.  Well done! – Elaine Johnston, writer

 

Phew, intense readings and discussion. Much enjoyed [and] much to learn & think about the larger picture of culture and immigration, with the added complexities of youth and the unique experience of South Africa. – Rebecca Fox

​

Nice reading, Lawrence! Bravo! – Jami Macarty, award winning author of The Minuses (University Press of Colorado, 2020)

​

What a very lovely evening of reading and listening and thinking and remembering the sights and sounds and smells of South Africa. Your work was beautifully written and stunningly performed. I was moved by everyone’s contributions. Thank you so much, Lawrence! – Susan Rome,

 

I am so grateful for the invitation to this event. All of the writers and readers were so inspiring. You did a terrific job of presenting your work. Thank you. – Tom Mills

​

Thank you! really enjoyed the readings.... Heart felt and sincere. – Lorna Lissner