Fluid book cover: Karavan Press; Kingsley Khobotlo, photo: provided
Short.Sharp.Stories is a platform showcasing top and emerging South African fiction writers. The theme of this year’s anthology is Fluid – freedom to be. Fluid, this year’s Short.Sharp.Stories anthology, seeks to engage fictional expression around identity, culture and society.
Karina Magdalena Szczurek conducts interviews with the respective short story writers.
Below is a mini-interview between Karina Magdalena Szczurek and Kingsley Khobotlo, author of the short story “Against the grain” in the 2023 Short.Sharp.Stories anthology, Fluid.
Kingsley Khobotlo realised, more than two decades later, that he had first felt seen in primary school because of writing. Back then, his first love was art, but over time he has gradually become obsessed with the power of words and their ability to uplift, heal and destroy. As he continues on this journey, he is acutely aware that stories often do not belong to him, but are a gift. He says of his contribution in Fluid, “Against the grain”:
This story was inspired by my fascination with the ability of children to believe in and be whoever they want to be, and by so doing, to transcend all sorts of boundaries, until we teach them otherwise, consciously or unconsciously. Children are the ultimate symbol of fluidity and freedom.
KMS: You have been writing stories for children and young adults for several years, and now you have written a story for all age groups. What inspires you to write for young readers? Do you find it equally or more challenging than writing for adults?
KK: To be honest, I never write with an intended audience in mind, although writing on a platform like FunDza for predominantly younger readers is such a privilege. It is the characters that often take over and almost dictate the direction a story will take. Often, stories don’t even feel like they’re mine! It is the idea of sharing, connecting with readers from all walks of life on a deeper level, and offering a fresh perspective through writing that inspires me.
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It is the idea of sharing, connecting with readers from all walks of life on a deeper level, and offering a fresh perspective through writing that inspires me.
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KMS: Please tell us more about FunDza and your involvement with the literacy trust.
KK: The FunDza Literacy Trust, which aims to promote reading and writing among young South Africans in as many official languages as possible, has been my literary home for the last six years or so. It has afforded me many opportunities over the years, and has allowed me to learn in a fun and engaging environment where the imagination is allowed to roam free. I’m eternally grateful to them. Shout out to Dorothy Dyer and Ros Haden!
KMS: I agree that stories can have both kinds of impact, positive and negative. Please explain how you see this duality of stories being able to “uplift and heal” and to “destroy”.
KK: I’ve recently launched a programme called The Power of Words, aimed at teaching children life skills by focusing on emotional and mental well-being. One of the things I try to teach my students is that words can be a seed or a match, depending on how we use them. They have led to wars, and they have inspired nations. With this in mind, I believe there’s a duty placed on me as a writer to be mindful of and responsible for how I use words.
KMS: “Against the grain” challenges all kinds of traditions and roles we are meant to play in society. Do you think that our children are more likely to be agents for change? How can we as parents, guardians or teachers support them?
KK: Children, like nature, could be one of our greatest teachers, but unfortunately we do not afford them the space and time to be heard. I once had a T-shirt with the following words printed on it: “If children are the future, then why do we treat them like collateral damage?” It is children that best demonstrate how being fluid, and refusing to be labelled or boxed in, affords us the ability to be whoever we want to be and to dare to dream.
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It is children that best demonstrate how being fluid, and refusing to be labelled or boxed in, affords us the ability to be whoever we want to be and to dare to dream.
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KMS: Your love for the creative arts began with visual art. Does it still actively feature in your life, or have you completely devoted yourself to writing?
KK: I haven’t completely given up on drawing and painting. From time to time, I still paint as a form of therapy and escape, but reading and writing have become an obsession.
KMS: Most writers in South Africa have to keep their day jobs to live. What do you do for a living?
KK: As indicated, I’ve started working with a group of young students, using a programme I’ve put together called The Power of Words. I am most alive when in the company of children, and after working with them for more than 12 years as a sports and movement coach, I’ve become increasingly concerned about their mental and emotional well-being, hence the programme.
KMS: In your opinion, how important are projects like Short.Sharp.Stories?
KK: Absolutely critical! With so many barriers to entries these days, there’s little room for those of us who are obsessed with writing to find an outlet and a stepping stone. The more we as South Africans are afforded opportunities to write our own stories and explore our own environments, the more we begin to take ownership of our own destiny and begin to nurture those who will take the baton from the Bessie Heads and Chris van Wyks of yesteryear. A sincere thank you to Short.Sharp.Stories for this amazing platform. Keep up the great work!
KMS: How has having your story included in Fluid influenced your writing life?
KK: I’ve been writing short stories, poetry, essays and, more recently, plays for more than 25 years, but finally having a short story featured in a physical book is an important milestone in my journey. I am both humbled and grateful to God Almighty for the opportunity and talent, and view this achievement as affirmation that my dreams remain valid.
Also read:
Short.Sharp.Stories anthology Fluid: interview with Andrew Robert Wilson, author of "Seahorse"
Short.Sharp.Stories anthology Fluid: interview with Robyn Perros, author of "The window display"