Local teacher turns author

AFTER surviving Covid-19 and a stay in the ICU, a teacher at Greenpoint High School in Kimberley, Coleen Spadomie, decided to actively pursue her writing career and is now awaiting the publication of her third book.

Spadomie said that she had always had a passion for writing, but suppressed that passion as she grew up.

“I have always known I should be a writer and had tremendous passion for the craft. However, I never pursued it. That feeling did not go away though, even after I went on to pursue a career in teaching. It was after I ended up in ICU, after I contracted Covid-19, that I realised that I truly need to write. It was by the grace of God that I made it out of the ICU and I started writing as a way to celebrate my second chance at life,” said Spadomie.

She said her first book, titled ‘Karoo Leemte’, which was published in 2022, was based on her life.

“I use fictional characters in the books, but the events relayed in the book are factual. I wrote about the struggles I encountered in my childhood and how I landed up in Kimberley at a young age.

“After I released my first book, my publisher, Mia House Publishers, encouraged me to write a second book. I was shocked that my first book even made it to publishing. I then worked on my second book. I write only in Afrikaans and titled my second book ‘Die Weerligstaraal’. That book was also published in 2022.

“Unlike my first book, my second offering is fictional. The story relays the life of a young girl who is faced with tremendous social ills. The main character in the book went through much turmoil and befriended a girl who is wheelchair bound and they later find out that the girl is a child of the main character’s former husband. The twist in the story is that the young girl’s mother was in fact raped by the ex-husband of the main character.”

Spadomie added that she encourages her learners to also put pen to paper, to try and unleash a love for literature in her learners.

“I am teaching languages and have through my lessons encouraged my learners to read and write more. We have a huge problem where we find children in high school who are not able to read basic literature.

“I have distributed my book among my learners and they are in awe that they actually know a writer. They were shocked when they saw that I am an author and teacher. I continuously encourage and show them that they can unleash several talents and skills they might not even know they possess.

“I tell them that one is never too old to chase and achieve your dreams and that I still have a dream of becoming an educational doctor,” Spadomie said with a smile.

She did not want to reveal any details about her upcoming book.

“I do not want to give away anything about my third book as I want it to be a surprise to the people in my life. I cannot even divulge what the title is as that will give it away,” she chuckled.

Spadomie’s books are available from her publisher.