It was with the liberating step of writing a children’s book that academic writer and storyteller Rose Willis (80) regained some magic in her life after a harrowing incident two years ago.
Rose, who grew up in Bloemfontein attending school at Eunice, worked in public relations at national and multi-national companies in her younger years.
She moved to Beaufort West in 1990 and soon worked as tourism co-ordinator in the Central Karoo Region.
In this time she worked on two books, the first being Die Karoo Kookboek. Also, together with Arnold van Dyk and Kay de Villiers, she wrote Yeomen of the Karoo: The story of the Imperial Yomanry Hospital at Deelfontein, a coffee table book.
She also writes a monthly newsletter, The Forgotten Highway Express, which by now has already reached 360 copies.
After Rose retired, she moved in with her sisters Lorna Willis and Deanise Edwards, and lived on a farm in Tierpoort about 60 km from Bloemfontein.
It was here that the three sisters were violently attacked by robbers in May 2021.
Rose lost the use of her legs because of the incident and was hospitalised and moved to a special care facility in Universitas, where she still lives.
Following the attack, her sisters passed away within months of one another.
It was a very tough time for Rose, but friends encouraged her to start writing again. Her friend Belinda Gordon encouraged her to write a story.
“I have always written facts, and I had no computer to write on,” says Rose about the beginning of Secrets of the Enchanted House.
She literally started writing a story on her cellphone until someone gave her a laptop.
She sent the stories to a cousin in Australia, Heather Downing, who read the short stories to a group of girl guides and her own 14-year-old granddaugter. They loved the stories.
Many South Africans from overseas encouraged her to keep on writing, but it was only when Rose met Joanita Erasmus-Alt that the drive for the book to be published became a reality.
Some of Joanita’s friends, as well as learners of the Fichardtpark High School where Joanita is a music teacher, helped with the artwork in the book.
Another resident at Yadé, were Rose resides, Pieter Fourie, made the artwork for the front and back page of the book, as well as artwork inside.
Rose however says that this format does not do the illustrations justice, and they now ordered a reprint in A4 format.
The story is magical and takes the reader to a place where everything is possible, and a house with heaps of personality.
- One reader stand the chance to win Secrets of the Enchanted House. Visit the Bloemnuus Facebook page to enter.
Books can be ordered from Rose at 082-926-0474.
