Rayda Jacobs

(Diep Rivier, South Africa) grew up as the eldest of seven children in a muslim family. As a child of twelve she wrote her first story, and sent it to Springbok Radio. She left South Africa in 1968, and lived in Canada for 27 years. Her first book, 'The Middle Childeren', was published in Canada in 1994. After this she went back to South Africa. Three novels followed: Eyes of the Sky, The Slave Book, and Sachs Street. In The Slave Book she describes a love story of two slaves in 19th century South Africa, a love crossing the boundaries of tradition, culture and religion. She also wrote articles, presented radio-pogrammes on culture, identity and religion, and made three television documentaries. WIN 2003