- Deon Meyer
-
Deon Meyer 
Deon Meyer, South African novelist.Born July 4, 1958
Paarl, Western Cape,
South AfricaOccupation Novelist, screenwriter Genres Crime/Thriller fiction Deon Godfrey Meyer is a South African thriller novelist, writing in Afrikaans. His books have been translated in 20 languages.[1] He has also written numerous scripts for television and film.[2]
Contents
Life and career
Meyer was born on the 4th of July 1958 in Paarl. He matriculated in 1976 at the Schoonspruit High School in Klerksdorp. He studied at Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education where he studied for a BA degree with English and History as majors. He later obtained an honours degree at the University of the Free State. In the 1980s he worked as a journalist at Die Volksblad, at the public relations office of the University of the Free State, and began work as advertising copy writer at Sanlam. In 1991 he was appointed manager of Internal Communication and creative director of Sanlam's Publicity department. After Sanlam he started his own business specialising in the creation and management of virtual communities on the internet, and thereafter he was manager of special projects at BMW motorcycles. He currently writes full time. [3]
Novels
Deon Meyer's novel-writing career started when the Afrikaans magazine, Huisgenoot, published a short story he had submitted.[4] Since then he has published eight novels and two collections of short stories.
Bibliography
- (1994) Wie met vuur speel
- (1996) Feniks (English title: Dead before Dying)
- (1997) Bottervisse in die jêm: 13 kortverhale (A collection of thirteen short stories)
- (2000) Orion (English title: Dead at Daybreak)
- (2002) Proteus (English title: Heart of the Hunter)
- (2004) Infanta (English title: Devil's Peak)
- (2007) Onsigbaar (English title: Blood Safari)
- (2009) 13 Uur (English title: Thirteen Hours)
- (2010) Karoonag en ander verhale (A collection of short stories)
- (2010) Spoor (English title: Trackers)
Film rights awarded for novels
- Feniks (Dead before dying) was the first novel for which film rights were awarded. The screenplay, written by South African writer, Johann Potgieter, was finalised in 2008.
- In August 2009 the film rights for 13 uur (Thirteen Hours), were awarded to British producers Malcolm Kohll and Robert Fig. Roger Spottiswoode has been appointed to direct the film.
- The film rights for Proteus (Heart of the Hunter) have also been granted to a South African company.
Awards and nominations
Meyer has also been nominated and has also won numerous awards.[5]
- Devil's Peak was awarded the Martin Beck Award (“Den gyllene kofoten” or The golden crowbar) by the Swedish Academy of Crime Writers in 2010.
- Le pic du diable, the French translation of Devil’s Peak wins the Readers’ Award from CritiquesLibres.com for Best Crime Novel or Thriller in 2010.
- 13 Hours wins the ATKV Prize for Best Suspense Fiction in 2009
- Weisser Schatten ('Blood Safari') receives the German Krimi Award (third place) in 2009.
- The Swedish edition of 'Dead at Daybreak' (Död i gryningen) was shortlisted for The Martin Beck Award for best translated crime fiction in 2008.
- Blood Safari wins the inaugural ATKV Prize for Best Suspense Fiction in 2008.
- Dead at Daybreak awarded best television script for the South African series by the ATKV in 2007
- Heart of the Hunter (German title: Das Herz des Jagers) wins a Deutsche Krimi Preis in 2006.
- Devil's Peak (Afrikaans Title: Infanta) wins ATKV Prose Prize for 2004.
- Dead at Daybreak (French title: Les Soldats de l'aube) wins the French Le prix Mystère de la critique 2004.
- Heart of the Hunter (Afrikaans title: Proteus) wins the ATKV Prose Prize for 2003.
- Dead Before Dying (French title: Jusqu'au Dernier) wins Le Grand Prix de Littérature Policière 2003.
- Dead at Daybreak (Afrikaans title: Orion) wins the ATKV Prose Prize for 2000.
- Dead at Daybreak (Afrikaans title: Orion) shortlisted for the M-Net Book Prize.
- Dead at Daybreak shortlisted for The Sunday Times Literary Prize.
References
Categories:- South African writers
- South African novelists
- 1958 births
- Living people
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