This might come as a surprise to many of you, but I have written a children’s book for readers aged ten and above.

My husband is crazy about online gaming (think Counterstrike, Rocket League, World of Warcraft etc.) As a kid he received a lot of flack about it being a waste of time, which I am sure is still the case for millions of kids around the world – despite professional esports being a million-dollar industry. (I’ve sat through my share of DOTA tournaments, let me tell you.) So I decided to write a book about a South African boy whose parents also think it’s a waste of time.

It’s my absolute delight to announce that Leo Jantjies and the Esports Championship is coming out August 2023 from Human & Rousseau and features amazing (you seriously have to see these!) illustrations by Johann Strauss.

Here’s the back cover blurb:

Leo Jantjies loves playing Theatre of Gods and Heroes (TOGAH). He’d play all day and night if he could – if it weren’t for nuisances like school and chores. The game has quickly become part of the professional esports scene where teams from around the world compete for millions of dollars in prize money. When a clip of Leo playing TOGAH goes viral, he doesn’t expect to be branded the best King Shaka player in the world. And he certainly doesn’t expect to get a call from a pro team to recruit him for the Esports World Championship in Paris! But soon Leo, his best friend Fiks, and his sister Lauren jet off to Europe for an adventure none of them thought was possible. 

And here’s the cover:

I think the cover is incredible! It features our leading man Leo, of course, but also shares a glimpse of some of the TOGAH characters you’ll meet in the book.

Let me know what you think!