TGE's Current Read

What does it mean to live in a place that is as beautiful as it is haunted?On this episode of TGE’s Current Read, powerhouse South African creative Nadia Davids – an award-winning playwright and author – chats with host Sam Herbst about her new novel Cape Fever.
A haunting and atmospheric read, Cape Fever is a striking work of gothic historical fiction praised by JM Coetzee as “an invaluable body of work”.From her life between Cape Town and Los Angeles, Nadia reflects on home, distance, and the enduring pull of South Africa, all before the conversation jumps into the rich, layered world of the novel.Set in 1920s Cape Town, Cape Fever explores themes of colonial power, womanhood, faith, memory, and identity through the eyes of Soraya, a young Cape Malay woman navigating the complexities of servitude, secrecy, and selfhood.In this discussion we unpack:• Cape Fever’s exploration of colonialism, race, and power in pre-Apartheid South Africa• Soraya’s “necessary fiction” and the quiet resistance embedded in her voice• The complex, unsettling dynamic between the protagonist and her employer, Mrs Hattingh• Gothic elements, spiritual liminality, the presence of ghosts, and feminine rage• The influence of Nadia’s family history, particularly her grandmothers, on the novel• Cape Town as both a seductive and deeply haunted landscape• The interplay between oral and written storytelling, with questions about agency and authorshipThis episode also touches on Nadia’s work as a playwright and how it shapes her fiction. And would it be an episode of Current Read if we didn’t ask what’s next in this author’s writing journey?Tune in and find out!If you’re drawn to literary fiction that interrogates history, identity, and the stories we inherit, this conversation is not to be missed.__#CapeFever #NadiaDavids #TGECurrentRead #PodcastInterview #LiteraryFiction #GothicFiction #SouthAfricanLiterature #BookTube #AuthorInterview #HistoricalFiction #WomenWhoWrite #PostcolonialLiterature #ReadersOfYouTube

What happens when a real-life woman in STEM swaps equations for emotional slow burns?
Shameez Patel – author, engineer, wife, mother, and storyteller – joins us on this episode of The Great Equalizer to talk about her latest book, Next Level Love, which the author describes as a URL to IRL romance.Shameez pulls us way (way!) back to the beginning of her writing journey (when she wrote a story called The Treasures of Zombie Island as a kid), and chats about how that developed a career in engineering, and ultimately, finding her way back to fiction.With an Ali Hazelwood-like mix of geek culture, boardgame nights, and modern love, Next Level Love explores the layered romance of Lily/Elizabeth and Link/Lincoln, which is both online and IRL. Also on this episode: • Shameez’s genre shift from fantasy (The Selene Trilogy) to romance, and the influence of other STEM romance authors• Why it's necessary to include neurodiverse characters in modern romance novels• The complexities of privilege, identity, and friendship within recurring cast of characters• The art of the slow burn (and seeing just how far PG scenes can take a writer 👀)• Shameez’s future writing endeavoursIf you love sweet (but not saccharine!) romances that are clever, character-driven, and a little bit nerdy, this episode is for you.--#NextLevelLove #ShameezPatel #TGECurrentRead #PodcastInterview #RomanceBooks #BookTube #SlowBurnRomance #EnemiesToLovers #GrumpySunshine

Your Current Read host Sam Herbst sits down with internationally bestselling author ML Rio to chat about her latest novel, Hot Wax.

If, like so many of us, you became obsessed with If We Were Villains — the dark academia cult favourite steeped in Shakespearean drama — you won’t want to miss this deep dive into Rio’s latest work. 

Following her novella Graveyard Shift – a USA today bestseller – Hot Wax marks a bold and stylistically electric new chapter in this author's writing career.

Joining us from her home in Philadelphia, Rio discusses the origins of Hot Wax, her shift from Shakespearean obsession to music-driven storytelling, and how her academic background continues to shape her voice.

In this episode, we explore:
- Writing Hot Wax after the global success of If We Were Villains
- Music as a creative force and narrative engine
- Rio's artistic influences in music, literature, film
- Readers' reception of Hot Wax

And, of course, we ask what’s next for M. L. Rio?

From dark academia to vinyl-era vibes, this conversation unpacks the evolution of a distinctive literary voice and looks at the risks — and rewards — of creative reinvention.

For lovers of literary fiction, campus novels and music-infused storytelling, you're going to love this behind-the-scenes look into ML Rio's writing process and the crafting of Hot Wax.
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On this episode of TGE’s Current Read, we sit down with Mpho Boshego — author, communications strategist and former South African diplomat — to unpack her bold and compelling debut novel, Diplomatic Ties.

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in diplomacy, stakeholder relations and corporate communications – including her time as a South African diplomat in Belgium – Boshego lifts the veil on the rarely spoken-about underbelly of international diplomacy. 

Through the eyes of Mbali, an ambitious young graduate from Mamelodi, Diplomatic Ties explores what happens when personal history collides with political influence.

In this episode, we delve into:
– The author's real-life diplomatic experience and how it shaped the novel
– Writing sex, power, and corruption without flinching
– The contrast between township life and diplomatic opulence
– Feminism, integrity and feeling tainted as a woman
– Why fiction offers freedom in writing
– What it means to be South African on a global stage

We also talk about Mpho’s creative writing journey, the discipline behind finishing a debut novel, and unforgettable passages from the book. Naturally, we chat about the potential for a second novel on the horizon and get a reading from the author herself.

If you’re interested in African literature, political fiction, women’s stories, or power dynamics behind closed doors, DO NOT sleep on this conversation.

🎧 Welcome to TGE’s Current Read — where books meet bold conversation.
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On this episode of TGE’s Current Read, we welcome Irish novelist Chloe Michelle Howarth. Best known for her debut novel Sunburn — a tender, searing portrait of queer adolescence and forbidden love — Chloe captured readers with her ability to balance delicacy and emotional intensity.

Sunburn was shortlisted for the 2024 Polari First Book Prize, the 2024 Book Awards: Discover Award, and the 2023 Nero Book Award for Debut Fiction, earning its place as a quiet cult classic among contemporary literary readers.

But in this episode of Current Read, we turn our attention to her second novel, Heap Earth Upon It — a multi-perspective family drama set in 1960s rural Ireland. Retaining Howarth’s poetic lyricism while stepping away from the teenage nostalgia of her debut, this novel dives into themes of repression, longing, and the shadows of family history, pulling readers into a darker, more atmospheric world with the intrigue of a literary thriller.

Chloe joins us to talk about her writing process, the atmospheric Irish countryside that shapes her fiction, and the thematic threads she wanted to explore in Heap Earth Upon It.

And as always on TGE’s Current Read, we get:

🖤 A special reading from the author
🤍 A peek at what’s on her current TBR
🖤 A hint of what Chloe is working on next

🎙️ Subscribe to TGE’s Current Read for more conversations with today’s most exciting authors.
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This episode of TGE’s Current Read was brought to you in part by Jonathan Ball Publishers.