Dr Shamila Ramsookbhai.
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Retired visual arts teacher and academic Dr Shamila Ramsookbhai has released her second book, ‘EAT, PRAY, DIE: Afterlife Memoirs, So You Died. Live with It’, a dark comedy that examines grief, death, and resilience through satire and surreal storytelling.
The 59-year-old author from Clare Estate previously published ‘My Milkshakes Bring all the Boys to the Yard’ and said her latest work was inspired by personal loss and years of reflection.
“My father’s death affected me deeply. I felt I needed to keep sane as my world came tumbling down after my third child was born. I attempted to heal myself through hobbies - quilting, reading, pottery, and studying - and I think I am still on that road of healing myself.”
She said the loss of her father fundamentally changed her outlook on life and death.
“For me, living is about using every single second of this precious gift of life and time. My father’s death changed me, and I accepted that death is a reality that we must accept. And I decided, why not write about it?”
Describing ‘EAT, PRAY, DIE’ as a blend of fiction, satire and emotional reflection, Ramsookbhai explained that the novel explored death through absurd and humorous scenarios.
“Imagine if there were the Mortality and Transitions Office, a group chat that refuses to stay on topic, and a wizard loudly arguing with HR about whether an orc qualifies as a permanent cause of death. Heroes arrive early, villains claim clerical errors, Shakespeare wanders in, and fictional characters arrive.”
Although rooted in humour, the book also addresses serious themes including suicide, depression, dementia and grief.
“In ‘EAT, PRAY, DIE’, there is mourning, but there is also mischief. There is despair, but there is also wonder. Grief leaves silence, but strange, absurd, playful stories can speak into it.”
The book is a collection of stories, some written as far back as eight years ago.
Ramsookbhai said the original manuscript was intended to be a larger anthology titled ‘Madhumbis, Marijuana, Mandarines and Other Short Stories’, but her publisher, Anivesh Singh, of Micromega Publications, advised her to split the work into separate projects.
She began conceptualising the book in 2023, but said the intensive writing process began in November 2025, often involving 12-hour writing days.
“My writing time annoys my family, as they feel I neglect them. But I am extremely lucky to have a supportive family. They have given me a room with a view, Virginia Woolf, and that mental space where I can simply sit and write the entire day.”
EAT, PRAY, DIE: Afterlife Memoirs, So You Died. Live with It.
Image: Supplied
Ramsookbhai said one of the greatest challenges was structuring the stories and timelines coherently.
“I have this tendency to move back in time, a flaw that my daughter pointed out. The ideas flow, but it’s a challenge to present it as a coherent tale.”
Despite the dark humour woven throughout the book, the author hopes readers find comfort and connection in its themes.
“This book does not diminish loss, pain, and tears. I see and hear your pain. I feel for your loss. There is a peculiar solidarity in shared absurdity. In laughter, we sometimes find a glimpse of resilience.”
Among the characters closest to her heart is the protagonist from ‘Vanilla Ice Cream, Valium in Vodka’, whom she describes as representative of many women facing emotional hardship.
“She gets a chance to live, and she ‘lives for herself’,” Ramsookbhai said.
Her passion for writing dates back to primary school at Clareville Primary School, where her creative pieces were regularly selected for school newsletters.
She later pursued studies in English Literature and Cultural Studies and was awarded an NRF Equity Scholarship.
Ramsookbhai was also accepted into a Master's in Creative Writing programme at the University of Reading in 2023, but was unable to continue after returning to South Africa. She was later accepted by Rhodes University in 2024.
In addition to fiction writing, Ramsookbhai has presented seven papers at the American Educational Research Association conference in Chicago in 2023 and has eight papers listed in the organisation’s database.
Encouraging aspiring writers to pursue their ideas fearlessly, she stressed the importance of consistency and self-belief.
“If you have an idea, start writing. Do not stress about the fine details. As the ideas come along, write. Then return to your work, fine-tuning it.”
While she already has another book in progress involving “a murder and a wedding”, Ramsookbhai said she also hopes to focus more on pottery and eventually host a ceramics exhibition.
“One more project, and then I shall hang my quill to dry as I want to focus on my pottery. Enjoy the gift of time and life,” she said.