Home / All News

Jacana Media, on 10 February, announced the departure of Blackbird Books from their portfolio, with publisher Thabiso Mahlape striking it out on her own from 13 March 2020. In Shay Heydenrych’s letter to the trade she expressed their sadness to see her go, but said they were ‘proud to see her fly!’

Blackbird author Malebo Sephodi’s tattoo of a bird flying its cage

Mahlape studied publishing at Tuks before joining Jacana. ‘Maggie and Bridget are true book people,’ she stated in a recent Bookmark interview. ‘I couldn’t have worked anywhere else.’

The Blackbird imprint came into being when Mahlape needed more time at home with her child. Her first success was in 2015 with Piggy Boy’s Blues by Nakhane Toure, but it was Panashe Chigumadzi’s Sweet Medicine which truly put the Blackbird name on the map, with more than 6 000 copies sold to date. Today the catalogue boasts more than 30 titles. Mahlape hinted at her plans for the future: ‘At first I published too broadly. Now, I see Blackbird purely as a literary fiction beast.’

Visit our Social Networks

@sabooksellers

Member Login
Reset Login
Contact the SA Booksellers office to advertise in this space
Subscribe to our newsletter