This month, Durban-born author, Bianca Beck, has published and released her first book – Crossroads.
“I remember how surreal it felt receiving my books and seeing my words on paper in a book. I can’t even begin to describe how exhilarating it was to hold my book in my hands. It was the most exciting and scary experience I have ever had,” she says of the moment that her first tranche of books arrived on her doorstep.
Crossroads took Bianca over 8 years to write. It is a romance novel that draws on her experiences whilst growing up in Durban where she has lived her whole life. This love story follows the challenges faced by the main characters, Kyle and Lia, as their relationship is tested by the lies and actions of the people closest to them.
“I started it eight years ago and wrote 30 x A4 pages. It was too long to be a short story and too short to be a novel. Life happened and I stopped writing for a while. But I had time during Covid, so I started again. A friend pushed me saying ‘it is now or never‘ to have it published. So, I pulled it out again in January 2022 and finished most of it by June 2022. Then it was down to fine-tuning and editing which took me another few months,” she explains.
Educated at Glenashley Primary and then Danville Park Girls High School, Bianca admits that it was as good as inevitable that she would, one day, write books. She was good at English at school and has always enjoyed writing, especially short stories.
Bianca admits that Crossroads was inspired by the friends and people that she met during her early working years in restaurants and bars dotted around her home city.
“Each character is a blend of people I knew and people I have loved. Some of the characters are those who I have lost. I took their personalities into my characters. When I went through each character, I wrote down their name, surname, hair colour, eye colour, personality traits and where they fitted into the story. The more I wrote, the more the characters came alive,” she recounts.
She admits that her target audience has been just that – a moving target. Initially, she was advised to target teens and young adults, but as she filled the pages, her potential readers became older. She says she has even had some men both read and enjoy her book.
Overall, the book is easy to follow and a relaxing and entertaining read. “I didn’t want to use fancy words and complicated scenes and storylines. I kept it simple and easy flowing. It is pretty much for anyone to read,” Bianca admits.
She says that, even though it is still early days, she has had a lot of positive feedback from readers describing her book as a great way to relive their memories of yesteryear in Durban. Many confessed that they had quickly become immersed in the story and its highly believable characters and didn’t want to stop reading.
But what is the message that Bianca wants to get across through Crossroads?
“Friendship is important. Your group of friends becomes who you are. They shape you. It is always good to be around people who positively reinforce you and to quickly identify people who are negative and bad influences. Rather stick with those who are good for you. Also, love comes when you least expect it, so always be open to possibilities, “she replies.
Bianca has already almost completed the sequel to Crossroads.
But, for now, her focus remains on her first novel which, she says, she would love to see made into a movie. “It would be nice to see all the characters that I have come to know and love come alive on the big screen. This is my ultimate goal.”
Crossroads is available in print through Takealot and Bianca’s website https://crossroadsoftheheart.online. It is also for sale at Home Baked in Durban North. E-books can be ordered via Amazon
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