The wait is finally over! Pan Macmillan has revealed the cover for Chasing Marian – the highly anticipated new novel by Amy Heydendrych, Qarnita Loxton, Pamela Power and Gail Schimmel.

The novel, written during lockdown, was inspired by the friendship shared between the four writers, and the fact that they were not able to see internationally bestselling author Marian Keyes in South Africa, as her 2020 tour was cancelled because of Covid.

(In lieu of an in-person visit, Keyes chatted to fellow novelist Paige Nick in an event hosted right here on the Reading List – and you can watch that conversation here!)

Keyes herself has read the novel, and is pretty excited about it!

‘Warm, funny and moving – I LOVED it!’ – Marian Keyes

Could you watch this little fillum, please? It's about a GAS, lovely book, a collaboration by 4 FABALISS South African novelists. It's GREAT on characterisation and the 'premise' is that they're 4 strangers who want to meet… ME!!!!! *Screams with delight* https://t.co/6fyv9b2l2H

— Marian Keyes (@MarianKeyes) January 13, 2022

Chasing Marian will be on shelves in March 2022.

Pan Macmillan asked the co-authors some quick questions about their favourite part of the writing process, as well as what they think will surprise readers about their book:

What was your favourite part of the writing process?
AH: I loved reading through the next chapter in my inbox every Sunday night, especially when it was the chapter before mine, so I could see what trap had been set for me! Most of all, I loved the lightness and fun with which we all approached the project. In the depths of the pandemic, we needed joy, and to laugh, and this really shows in the writing.

QL: Not knowing what someone would cook up for my character. It was so exciting when a new chapter landed every week!

PP: Every week brought me so much joy because the words just flowed and it was so easy to write and I needed that in the darkest days of the pandemic. But getting our book deal was huge as was the day when Marian gave us her blessing and tweeted about the book.

GS: Oh goodness – I loved everything about writing this book. But maybe it was when the new chapter ‘landed’ in my inbox every Sunday night or Monday morning (depending on how disciplined the person whose turn it was had been!)

• Read the full interview here!

About the book

Four strangers, two cities, one chance online meeting.

Jess is a yummy mummy of two whose life is slowly unravelling and who has recently separated from her husband. Ginger is a happily widowed granny with a salty tongue and a wicked sense of humour. The gorgeous and sensitive Matt is an almost-qualified psychologist, who still lives with his parents. And Queenie, a librarian from Cape Town, has an absent boyfriend and a secret
writing habit.

What could these four strangers possibly have in common?

They are all die-hard Marian Keyes fans. And when they hear that Marian is due to visit South Africa to attend a literary festival, they are all desperate to meet her. Together they come up with a mad-cap plan. Will they succeed – or will life intervene?

About the authors

Amy Heydendrych, Qarnita Loxton, Pamela Power and Gail Schimmel are friends and established authors. When 2020 and 2021 saw all in-person literary festivals cancelled, they decided to channel their disappointment at not seeing one another IRL into writing a novel together. Heartwarming and hilarious, Chasing Marian is a story of finding connection and friendship. Can you guess who wrote which character? The answers might just surprise you!

Categories Fiction South Africa

Tags Amy Heydenrych Chasing Marian Gail Schimmel New books New releases Pamela Power Pan Macmillan SA Qarnita Loxton