Call me Schalkie!

Everything Schalkie Van Wyk ever wrote or created stemmed from the deepest love and great faith in her Heavenly Father. That's who she was - and that's how the people who loved her also remember her: as "our Schalkie".

Louié Schalkie van Wyk – or as we all know her, "just Schalkie" – was born on 24 October 1940 in Bloemfontein. Her father was English, her mother German, but she tragically lost her mother at the age of five. It was actually her dear stepmother who later taught her to speak Afrikaans. She spent her school days in Vredefort in the Free State and then obtained a BA degree in languages at the University of Pretoria.

Schalkie's writing fever started early! She wrote her first story when she was eight years old and at sixteen, her very first toddler column appeared in the popular magazine, Patrys.

It's no wonder then that she was appointed editor of that same magazine at twenty-one!

Her first novel, Die Liefde Oorwin , was published in 1977 and then nothing could stop her!

Around 300 books flowed from her pen afterwards. Do you still remember titles like Vlakte van Verlore Drome (1984), Alleen in die Wind (1990), or Beminde Vreemdeling (2011)? It's hard to choose a favorite!

Schalkie also wrote sequels for magazines (such as Die Laksman Wag vir Keur) and even suspense radio stories, such as Voetspore van Gister , which was broadcast on Radio South Africa. In 1997, her book, Arende Vlieg Alleen , was shortlisted for the prestigious Ela Spence Medal for love stories. As Louie Heine, she even wrote an English book, Old Soldiers Never Cry . All together, we are talking about hundreds of books, twelve sequels and four captivating children's albums. Who can forget Krinkel Kabouter , Gorrasluk and Donkadoef ? She even wrote teen stories, such as Vicky , Vicky die Speurder , Die Towervuurtjie and Blikaspaai en Mesels

brought to life with efficiency and childlike imagination.

A true artist of life and one in a million - our Schalkie!