Stoep Collective London

23/09/2026

“These cells form small bodies that can influence the mother’s fertility, and, scientists have suggested they may even play a role in miscarriages. Every single pregnancy stores this living information in the mother’s body, whether or not the pregnancy is continued to term. Microchimeras, they’re called.”

“In honour of my son’s 11th birthday tomorrow, I am republishing this essay on Mother of Pearl, eight years after it was first commissioned by Basit Jamiu.”

With hindsight, emigration to the UK and the expansiveness-ing of growing up (or older?!), I am, in a sense, more clear-minded about what becoming a mother gifted me, as well as what it ultimately forced me to do alongside the physical and psychic work of caregiving.

With my beautiful child entering the vibrant, strange world of pre-adolescence, I found myself contemplating my girlhood, and how I was mothered in turn.

🕷️🖋️🐚 Read the essay, ‘Monstrous, Mother’ here: https://megannatasha.substack.com/p/monstrous-mother?r=6yfvb&utm_medium=ios

22/09/2026

Why sign up for our newsletter? 🩵

It's the one the poets read, if we may say so ourselves (and we have the analytics to prove it!). It's also the sporadic email founders love because we bring all sorts of insights from the arts AND commercial worlds, which their marketing team, uh, doesn't.

In short? They're a kind of postcard from the edge, with apologies to Carrie Fisher (who we don't really think would mind this one).

🪐 No spam. Zero nonsense. Just magic: https://www.stoepcollective.com/missives

22/09/2026

Were women ever safe? Poem by Megan Ross

21/09/2026

A poem, for the Women of South Africa

💔

To run 3km without fear

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers, thinking only of the wind on your skin

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers, thinking only of the wind on your skin, and the runner's high you've finally experienced

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers, thinking only of the wind on your skin, and the runner's high you've finally experienced, and turn the corner past your favourite cafe

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers, thinking only of the wind on your skin, and the runner's high you've finally experienced, and turn the corner past your favourite cafe, and stop for breath

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers, thinking only of the wind on your skin, and the runner's high you've finally experienced, and turn the corner past your favourite cafe, and stop for breath, and then run again

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers, thinking only of the wind on your skin, and the runner's high you've finally experienced, and turn the corner past your favourite cafe, and stop for breath, and then run again, and make it home to your family

And make it home to your family
And make it home
And make it

💔

No woman should live in fear.

Not in the UK. Not in Ireland. Not in Palestine. Not in South Africa.

No woman should live in fear, period.

21/09/2026

A poem, for the Women of South Africa

💔

To run 3km without fear

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers, thinking only of the wind on your skin

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers, thinking only of the wind on your skin, and the runner’s high you’ve finally experienced

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers, thinking only of the wind on your skin, and the runner’s high you’ve finally experienced, and turn the corner past your favourite cafe

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers, thinking only of the wind on your skin, and the runner’s high you’ve finally experienced, and turn the corner past your favourite cafe, and stop for breath

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers, thinking only of the wind on your skin, and the runner’s high you’ve finally experienced, and turn the corner past your favourite cafe, and stop for breath, and then run again

To run 3km without fear, with headphones over your ears, and no keys jammed between your fingers, thinking only of the wind on your skin, and the runner’s high you’ve finally experienced, and turn the corner past your favourite cafe, and stop for breath, and then run again, and make it home to your family

And make it home to your family
And make it home
And make it

💔

No woman should live in fear.

Not in the UK. Not in Ireland. Not in Palestine. Not in South Africa.

No woman should live in fear, period.

21/09/2026

Can’t wait for Blot, coming to the UK & Ireland in October 🎉

18/09/2026

17/09/2026

When the authors of Batis Books & uHlanga collide 🩵

Antjie and Shane Van Der Hoven at the University of Johannesburg Prize for Afrikaans prize-giving.

We’re incredibly proud of them both: Shane won the debut prize, while Antjie took home the main prize.

📕 Antjie Krog: Blood’s Inner Rhyme
📗 Shane van der Hoven: Kruiper-Crawler

Get these AWARD-WINNING WORKS at bat.is and uhlangapress.co.za respectively 🏆

01/09/2026

Brick Mbekwa reviews 'Inheritance' by Athambile Masola

01/09/2026

Open Book Festival returns to Cape Town from 4–6 September, with Batis authors Athambile Masola and Cynthia Fan participating in six spectacular events.

➡️ Athambile, whose ‘Inheritance’ introduces her acclaimed isiXhosa collection ‘Ilifa’ to an English audience, joins ‘Filling in the Gaps’, performs at ‘Poetry of Belonging’ and sits down with uHlanga poet, Maneo Mohale, for an intimate conversation about their work.

➡️ Cynthia, author of ‘Among Willows’, features in ‘The World We Want’ and ‘Delighting in Craft. She will also create live ikebana during ‘New Worlds in Bloom’, the festival’s closing gathering. Her programme explores decolonising how we live, the joy(s) of writing, and creating a living artwork in real time.

🔔 Save their programme and book your events through Open Book Festival. All events require advance booking, including those with free entry.

And in the meantime? Buy your copies of Inheritance and Among Willows at bat.is 📚