By now you know that the novel Trackers by acclaimed author Deon Meyer has been adapted into a TV series. But how much do you actually know about the writer? You know he’s South African, for one thing, but did you know his books have been published in more than 40 countries and translated into 27 languages? We dug up a few more facts about the crime novelist to share before Trackers premieres on M-Net.
- Trackers is not his first novel to be adapted for the screen. His 1996 novel Dead Before Dying was adapted into the TV show Cape Town.
- Meyer doesn’t just write novels. He has also written short stories and screenplays.
- He is the first South African writer to win the German Krimi Preis, a literary award for crime fiction.
- Like every good writer, he’s an avid reader, plunging into the work of J.M. Coetzee, Robert Harris, Ian Rankin, Lee Child, Stephen King, and John le Carré.
- And that’s exactly what his main writing tip is: read, read, read.
- His previous job titles include journalist and brand consultant. He worked with BMW motorcycles and got to hit the road on their bikes. Talk about a dream job.
- His writing space is his study at his home in Stellenbosch, and and he has a set writing schedule, which starts early in the morning.
- Writing rituals include making a strong pot of coffee.
- Ice-cream is his guilty pleasure.
- His recurring characters (appearing in multiple books) include Benny Griessel, Thobela, Mat Joubert, and Lemmer (who appears in Trackers).
Trackers starts Sunday 27 October at 20:00 on M-Net channel 101.
Click here for more about the show.