Troy Blacklaws

Troy Blacklaws was born in 1965 in Natal Province, South Africa, and grew up during the apartheid era. After finishing at Paarl Boys' High School he studied English and History at Rhodes University before being conscripted into the South African army for two years. Upon ending his service, Blacklaws began teaching English, and currently resides in Singapore. [cite web | title = Biography | work = Troy Blacklaws (Official site) | url = http://www.karooboy.com/troy_blacklaws/biography.html | accessdate = 2008-05-26 ]

Blacklaw's first published work, "Karoo Boy", was released in 2004. Set in 1970's South Africa, it follows 14-year-old Douglas Thomas as he moves with his mother to Klipdorp, (portrayed as a "remote semi-desert hamlet"), after the death of his twin brother.cite news | last = Nixon | first = Rob | date = November 20, 2005 | title = Feeling Lost and Found | work = The New York Times | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/20/books/review/20nixon.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin | accessdate = 2008-05-26 ] The book was well received, (for example in Anderson Tepper's Village Voice [http://www.villagevoice.com/books/0533,paperclips,66878,10.html review] cite news | last = Tepper | first = Anderson | date = August 9, 2005 | title = Paper Clips: Books | work = The Village Voice | url = http://www.villagevoice.com/books/0533,paperclips,66878,10.html | accessdate = 2008-05-26 ] and an [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/20/books/review/20nixon.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin article] by Rob Nixon in The New York Times), and was described as having a "cinematic" or "filmic" quality,cite news | last = Nolte | first = Elizma | date = 21 September, 2005 | title = Karoo Boy sells movie script | work = SA Times | url = http://www.southafricatimes.co.uk/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=208 | accessdate = 2008-05-26 ] although reviewers did comment on the apparent "rudderless finish"cite news | last = Jones | first = Brenn | date = September 11, 2005 | title = Coming of age in the extremes of South Africa | work = San Francisco Chronicle | url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/09/11/RVGJ1EGLK81.DTL | accessdate = 2008-05-26 ] and the use of the occasional stock character. In 2005, the novel was optioned by South African producer Anant Singh for a future movie adaption.

His second novel to be published, "Blood Orange", was released in 2005 and is a semi-autobiographical work based on his memoirs. "Blood Orange" was written prior to "Karoo Boy".cite news | last = Moran | first = Jennifer | date = February 4, 2006 | title = Currents of apartheid | work = The Sydney Morning Herald ] The novel was adapted to the stage by Blacklaws, Craig Morris and Greig Coetzee.cite web | last = Sichel | first = Adrienne | date = January 29, 2008 | title = Exorcising the past with ingenious creativity | work = Tonight | url = http://www.tonight.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4227828&fSectionId=&fSetId=251 | accessdate = 2008-05-26 ] The play, directed by Greig Coetzee, was first performed at the Grahamstown Arts Festival, South Africa, on the 1st of July, 2006. [cite web | title = Play+Film | work = Troy Blacklaws (Official site) | url = http://www.karooboy.com/troy_blacklaws/play+film.html | accessdate = 2008-05-26 ]

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