Tulbagh Earthquake

by Desmond Denton, Vera Denton

Overview

On the night of 29 September 1969 an earthquake registering a magnitude of 6.3 on the Richter's scale hit the small picturesque town of Tulbagh in the Western Cape, South Africa. In an area that is not prone to earthquakes, the ground shook, tore and left a prominent scar. A scar that was running unbroken through the town and leading right up to the church, where it stopped, leaving the worship building unharmed.

What is to unfold on these pages is the story inspired by real-life events. It does not carry real names and biographical events, but our subjective interpretation of them.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781737121909
Publisher:	Fine Art Films
Publication date:	05/09/2022
Edition description:	Large Type
Pages:	130
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.28(d)

About the Author

Desmond Denton is a film director and scriptwriter, who has garnered much acclaim for his filmwork. Desmond has received over 17 international awards, including best written script writer at Monaco International Film Festival, Best Produced at CIFF and Best Feature film at Apollo International Festival. Desmond has represented South Africa and the WGSA as an author at international markets including London Screenwriter international festival, Cannes film market and New York Story Expo, he was officially chosen as a Berlinale Talent and Mofilm commercial film director. Desmond Denton hails from Cape Town, South Africa. Being immersed in this picturesque multicultural environment, Desmond has developed a strong interest in telling the stories of authentic characters put to a test by unique circumstances. Writing this book has been an exciting challenge for Desmond, who tried to merge research data on the historic event of an earthquake with his vision of what it could mean to the people of a small provincial town.

Desmond has brought this story to life with his creative partner and wife Vera Denton. Vera holds her Masters in linguistics from the prestigious Moscow State Linguistic University, post graduate in psychology and she has been involved in all the stages of the development of this book. Desmond and Vera together spend their time dreaming up new stories, traveling, raising their children and renovating their home in the snowy forest of Frostburg. The Denton family has a big love for exploring history and culture. Together they have built homes in South Africa, Vietnam and the USA.

Editorial Reviews

TULBAGH EARTHQUAKE by Desmond and Vera Denton

A Thrilling Masterpiece!

Torn Earth by the very talented writing duo Desmond and Vera Denton is a fantastic novel that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! As soon as I started reading, I found it almost impossible to put down

This novel is inspired by real events and stories that occurred in 1969 when a huge earthquake stormed through South Africa. The small but beautiful town of Tulbagh is turned upside down. All of the characters undergo many challenges and the writers draw on themes such as choice and responsibility. This allows the reader to introspect and think about what they would do if they were plunged into the same disastrous situation. The Tulbagh earthquake is the most tragic and disastrous in South African history! I particularly enjoyed how the writers looked at the human side and how humans psychologically react to disasters in their lives.

The tension in this novel escalates perfectly. The writers begin with tranquil descriptions of the beautiful down - "Much of the activities in town cease on a Sunday morning. The valley seems almost peaceful. The church bells echo through the empty town streets and beyond." Which wrongfully allows the readers to relax and absorb themselves into the calm during part one. Until - "The shaking and the loud noise are such a shock to Truia's body that she starts screaming, even before she is completely awake."

From the Publisher