JEFFREYS BAY – Peter van Nieuwenhuizen, a seasoned academic writer who recently retired to Aston Bay in the Eastern Cape, has embraced a new chapter as a fiction author with his debut novel, The Road Trip, the first instalment in the Waddlescock Tales series.
Set against the breathtaking landscapes of South Africa, Van Nieuwenhuizen said that the novel follows four impeccably dressed teddy bears as they embark on a quirky journey in a green Bentley, travelling from Glannon in Gqeberha, along the R62 through Oudtshoorn and the scenic Swartberg Pass, before arriving at a tranquil spa in Swellendam.
He said that the novel is a homage to his wife, Lynn Duke, whom he describes as his fiercest editor, most patient listener, and the person who laughs in all the right places.
“The novel began quite innocently, 15 years ago, with a whimsical mini-story I sent to my wife. In the initial text, two of the main characters narrowly escaped disaster at a State Banquet hosted by the fictitious Queen Cannibalia of Togo,” said Van Nieuwenhuizen.
“What started as a private joke evolved into something much larger. The tiny tale became the nucleus of something far more unruly. Over time, the characters sprouted quirks, the world grew gloriously implausible, and the satire found its teeth.”
Van Nieuwenhuizen’s academic background has significantly influenced his storytelling approach.
He said that academic writing taught him discipline, and it instilled a respect for structure, precision, and the unglamorous grind of research.
In addition, Van Nieuwenhuizen said that as a “lifelong people-watcher” at cafés, queues, funerals, to name a few, over the years he has collected a mental scrapbook of “oddballs and endearing misfits” whose quirks have wormed their way into scenes, dialogues and behavioural tics throughout the novel.
While fiction had always been “lurking in the wings,” he said that retirement provided the necessary space for creativity to flourish.
“In 2020, we settled in Aston Bay, and suddenly the muse, who’d been politely clearing her throat for years, began to nag with alarming persistence,” said Van Nieuwenhuizen.
“A conversation with the late Philip Henn also gave me the necessary nudge. His words, wise, warm, and just cheeky enough, delivered the necessary backside kick. He reminded me that stories don’t finish themselves, and that the road trip I’d started years ago deserved a proper ending.”
Van Nieuwenhuizen hopes readers will find deeper meaning beneath the satirical surface and that they will walk away with a sense of delight.
“I’d like readers to feel that eccentricity isn’t something to be ironed out but celebrated, that awkwardness can be endearing, and that sometimes, the most meaningful journeys are the ones that veer wildly off course,” said Van Nieuwenhuizen.
For publishing, he has chosen to self-publish the South African edition, working with Creda Communications in Cape Town, while making the novel available internationally through Amazon.
To address affordability concerns for local readers, Van Nieuwenhuizen is offering a direct ordering option for local readers who can send an email to peterjvnza@gmail.com to request a copy.
The Road Trip will be officially launched at a meeting on 20 November at 09:00 at the Jeffreys Bay Bowling Club, hosted by the South African Association of Retired Persons, where he has been invited as a guest speaker to introduce his book.
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