The business of

he’s a news journalist by profession, but with her Hlomu book series, Dudu BusaniDube has created an imaginative world that appeals to many South Africans. Her popular stories are inspired by everyday people. “The first book, called Hlomu, is a story about love and family. It’s a ‘girl meets boy’ story about the struggles the two characters go through. The other two books were inspired by Hlomu,” explains Dudu.

“All the characters I write about are fictional but are inspired by ordinary black people I’ve met and interacted with in my life. We’ve all come across people like them,” she says.

Growing up in Durban shaped Dudu’s ideas and influenced the creation of the characters that many readers have fallen in love with. “I was born in Durban, but the first years of my life I was with my gran in the rural midlands of KwaZulu-Natal. I moved when I was in Standard 2 (Grade 4) to be with my mom. After finishing primary school, I went to boarding school in Umlazi, south-west of Durban. I discovered I could write, thanks to my English teacher. When I was in matric, she suggested I study something to do with writing. So, following on this advice, I decided to study journalism at the Durban University of Technology.” Dudu graduated with a diploma in 2003 and has been in the media industry ever since. “I was lucky to get a job soon after graduating. I’ve been in the media industry for about 15 years and I’m still passionate about what I do,” she says.

The Hlomu series of books comprises the titles Hlomu the Wife, Zandile the Resolute and Naledi His Love. Dudu says the writing process began on a