About Aardvark Press

Aardvark Press is an independent publishing company based in Cape Town, South Africa. The company celebrates its eighth year in 2011.
 
What does Aardvark Press publish?
Aardvark Press is steadily building a list of quality titles in the areas of:

  •     business (entrepreneurship, SMME issues),
  •     natural history and the environment,
  •     adventure,
  •     good health and recreation,
  •     young families,
  •     humour and travel,
  •     sport and leisure, and
  •     challenging ideas and opinions.
Some of our titles are what might be termed ‘socially motivating’, including the original how 2 help series, and Advocate Neville Melville’s From Apartheid to Zaamheid.
 
‘Who’ does Aardvark Press publish?

Aardvark Press works with authors who are entrepreneurs and leaders and who are willing to take their belief in their message further than the pages of a book.
 
Aardvark Press was one of the first publishing companies to join the Proudly South African campaign back in November 2002. Although we are no longer members, we certainly subscribe to the values of the campaign. Where we can we support local suppliers and place our printing at factories which use South African paper made from pulp grown on renewable and managed plantations. This makes some of our books a little more expensive to produce but we think the investment in our country’s economy is worth it.

Where are Aardvark Press books available?

Our books are available through booksellers and other outlets in South Africa and neighbouring states. Sales and marketing is handled by specialist marketers, Blue Weaver Marketing, while our books are warehoused and distributed by On the Dot in Cape Town. Books that focus on a particular niche market are marketed to that niche via whichever outlets serve it (e.g. health shops). Our books are displayed at the Frankfurt and Cape Town book fairs each year and we actively seek opportunities for export and sale of rights in other countries.
 
Our books are sold locally and internationally through the following sites:
http://www.kalahari.net; http://www.loot.co.za; http://www.exclusivebooks.com; http://www.amazon.com (selected titles) and, of course, this our own e-secure site, http://www.aardvarkpress.co.za.

For South African trade enquiries, please contact Blue Weaver Marketing or On the Dot.
For international trade enquires (UK, Europe), please contact Africa Book Centre (aka Global Marketing, and Central Books).
 
With which other companies and individuals is Aardvark Press associated?

Bot River Talk is a new project - a monthly newspaper for the communities of the broader Bot River valley in the Overstrand.

EdVenture is a division of Aardvark Press and is aimed at authors who would prefer to self-publish. The business also offers new media and publishing consultancy as well as book packaging.

Damian Gibbs of Orchard Publishing (damian@op.co.za) provides excellent typesetting and design services. With his trusty Mac and the patience of King Solomon, he's a delight to work with.

Colin Bower is one of our more controversial authors - but he's a creative and talented freelance publisher, editor and writer. He is the former MD of educational publishing company, Juta Gariep and writes regularly for the Cape Times and the Mail & Guardian. He also writes book reviews for the Sunday Times Lifestyle. We try and make sure that he has at least one Aardvark Press project on the go, all the time.

Does Aardvark Press attend book fairs?

Aardvark Press was represented at the inaugural Cape Town Book Fair in 2006, and in following years (click here for more information).

We attended the Frankfurt Book Fair (click here) as guests of the FBF's International Invitation Programme in 2004 and 2005, and as trade visitors in 2007.

Where should suggestions and opinions be directed?

We welcome constructive comments that will help us improve our books, and our business. We strive for best practice, but there are always ways of improving our strategies and relationships without upsetting the gods of commerce! Your input will be valued at all times. Contact us at fax +27 86 514 0793, email publish@aardvarkpress.co.za or snailmail P O Box 203 Onrus River 7201 Cape Town. We have moved to the realms of a virtual office it's best to contact us by these methods. However, we will try  to respond to you as soon as we receive your message.
 
So ...  what is Tracey's background?
Founder and MD, Tracey Whitelaw comes from a solid publishing background - she worked for a Cape-based educational publishing company for over a decade after graduating from the University of Cape Town, and before founding Aardvark Press. She has worked in southern and central Africa. Tracey remains passionate about the continent of Africa and its promise.

'Publishing is all about solving puzzles. Each author and each book is different, and they have such diverse needs, and markets. I think that's why I love publishing ... the challenge, and the fact that I'm learning something new every day, from our authors, from their books and from the media and booksellers, and ultimately the books' readers. It's very rewarding taking raw material (sometimes literally 'raw'), and working with the author and production team to make something beautiful, useful and inspiring for readers. Our authors must be as proud of the final product as we are.'

Tracey's other accomplishments include South African colours for sailing (2002 World Sailing Games in Marseilles - Women's Hobie 16).



Tracey Whitelaw with Aardvark Press author and adventurer Sibusiso Vilane at the Exclusive  Books Homebru launch May 2008