As an ex-star of the stage, choirboy, academic, journal-writer, reader and misfit, I had so much in common with Spud that its just ridiculous. We moved to New Zealand when I was 10, but those memories never left me, and I went to private boarding schools in NZ anyway. I was born in South Africa and grew up on the grounds of Pretoria Boys High where my father was a housemaster. I wanted to inform you just how powerfully I connected with Spud Milton in your superb debut novel. The follow-up, Spud: The Madness Continues, reached the number one spot on local bestseller lists upon its release. The book was selected for the Exclusive Books Publishers’ Choice Campaign 2005 and in August 2006, Spud won the prestigious Booksellers’ Choice Award.

His first novel, Spud, published by Penguin Books and launched nationally in September 2005, became an instant bestseller. In May 2006, Black Mamba toured The Liberty Theatre in Johannesburg, The National Arts Festival in Grahamstown the Heritage Theatre in Hillcrest before embarking on a tour to London. The long awaited Mamba sequel opened in July 2005 when Black Mamba premiered at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown to both critical and popular acclaim. In 2004 he directed, produced and wrote his second full length play, Crooked, which premièred at the 2004 Hilton Festival. He has also won two awards for his co-writing of Green Mamba. Most recently, together with Ben Voss, he has been nominated for best performance in a comedy or revue for his performance inĪs a writer, John has won a number of awards, including an FNB VITA award for best script and the Noupoort award for new writing, both for his play War Cry. Together with actor Ben Voss he received the Johannesburg Naledi award for best comedy performance for He has also starred in an independent film called , for which he received a FNB VITA award nomination.

For which he received a best actor FNB VITA award nomination.

John van de ruit