In 2021, I signed an agreement with the National Library of South Africa to publish my second book, Daring the Headmaster. I would later receive information from the Department of Arts that they were changing their service providers. This is an internal matter; I did not ask questions. Fast forward, in January, I received notification that a book editor has been assigned to work on my manuscript. I received feedback from the book editor, which I would like to share it with you.

Dear Mr Mooke,
Thank you for entrusting me with editing your latest craft, ‘Daring the Headmaster’. Is an absolute masterpiece that will capture the hearts and minds of South African readers who appreciate the complexities of the ongoing tension between black and white communities, the intricacies of the education system, and the beauty of pure romance, among other things.
One character that stood out to me was Eric Molele. A fictional role model, embodying the qualities of an upstanding citizen that we desperately need more of in our country and in our books.
Whilst editing, most changes made were punctuation, minor spelling alterations, and grammar. However, these were minimal changes, as the ‘Daring the Headmaster’ is well written.

I believe it’s important to address some potential issues that may arise when considering our target audience; school libraries and educational institutions. There were some instances of explicit language, sexual content, and swear words.
While I recognize the effectiveness of these language choices and sexual descriptions in creating a compelling and engaging story, I urge you to consider our target audience. I fully appreciate and admire the skill and effort you have put into crafting these scenes, but it all boils down to logistics.
I implore you to pay attention to these changes when checking my editing, which is still ongoing. Some of the scenes were left as is, awaiting your approval to make these drastic yet appropriate changes to the book. Please get back to me within three working days, or whenever you are done so that the work may continue.
I am awaiting the final draft. I will share the front and back covers later.