With empathy as her compass and Durban in her bones, Elana Bregin’s latest novel is a lyrical journey through trauma, connection and the healing power of story.
Tucked away in the heart of the Upper Highway, Elana Bregin writes with the quiet authority of someone who has lived deeply – watching, walking, wondering and weaving those threads into stories that touch the soul. Her latest novel, Station Life Repair, is no exception. Set in the heart of contemporary Durban, it’s a tale that’s as emotionally raw as it is luminously hopeful – a story about trauma, resilience and the possibility of repair in both people and places.
“It’s not exactly a love letter to Durban,” Elana says thoughtfully, “but the love spills out.” And spill it does, onto every page, through every layered character, and through the central figure of Ruby – a woman whose seemingly well-ordered life is upended when a troubled houseguest forces her to confront wounds she had long buried.
Despite what some readers may assume, Ruby is not Elana. But like many of her characters, she’s built from the same emotional architecture, as someone trying to make sense of a beautiful but broken world, looking for connection across divides – of race, class, gender, belief. It’s a theme that pulses through all of Elana’s work, from The Slayer of Shadows to The Red-haired Khumalo and now Station Life Repair. But it’s especially poignant here, in a city she knows and loves deeply.
Durban is both backdrop and character in the book – from its weathered city centre buildings echoing history, to the vibrant, improvised survival economies of Warwick Junction, to the suburban ease of places like Kloof and Assagay. “There’s an elusive heart to this city, and I felt compelled to try and capture it.”
Having lived much of her earlier life in a cramped Durban flat, Elana now finds solace and inspiration in nature. Her home in Assagay, surrounded by green space and birdsong, provides more than just peace – it opens creative channels.
“Walking with my dogs is often when the words begin to flow. I’ve learnt to carry a pen and paper wherever I go.”
That sensitivity to environment, to place, permeates her storytelling. Place, she believes, is not just a setting, it’s a living character.
Station Life Repair wasn’t a book born overnight. It brewed over years, interrupted often by life, work and the need to simply let the story mature. “Certain things had to happen in my life before I could understand what I was trying to say,” she explains. “Sometimes life has to catch up to fiction.”
The result is a textured novel, rich with empathy and complexity. Ruby’s life intersects with a cast of diverse characters like a black therapist, a spirited Indian street vendor, a streetwise community school teacher … all of whom carry visible and invisible wounds. Yet despite the trauma that marks them, there is always the glimmer of connection, healing and light seeping through the cracks.
It may surprise readers to learn that Elana’s first passion wasn’t actually literature, but ballet. “I used to run a ballet studio, and even danced with the Natal Performing Arts Council ad hoc ballet company, back in the day.” But writing was always waiting in the wings. At just 12 years old, she had her first poem published – a complex piece titled The Stars of Love. “
Her poetic sensibility still shines through today – in the music of her prose, in the rhythm of her storytelling and in the empathy that underscores her characters’ journeys.
One of Elana’s strengths as a writer is her ability to inhabit characters far removed from herself, culturally or experientially. “A writer is like an actor,” she says. “You have to slip into the skin of another. Many of my characters are composites of people I’ve known, loved or just met in passing and couldn’t forget.”
But crossing cultural lines requires more than imagination. It demands humility, insight and deep listening traits that Elana embodies in both life and work. “You can’t write convincingly about people whose worlds you haven’t entered,” she says simply.
That commitment to authenticity also fuels the writing retreats and workshops she leads – many of them held in soul-nourishing spaces like the Buddhist Retreat Centre in Ixopo. “They’re not just about writing,” she says, “they’re about reigniting the creative life. People arrive with uncertainty and leave with clarity, energy and even transformation.”
Creativity, for Elana, is a practice. A way of seeing the world. “Keeping creativity alive doesn’t just mean sitting at your desk,” she says. “It means noticing. It means making space for the small beauties.” When the well runs dry, Elana doesn’t panic, she goes to the ocean, walks among flowers or loses herself in poetry and music. “Sometimes the best thing you can do for your writing is to forget about it for a while,” she smiles.
She believes in respecting the process, trusting the journey and never letting the inner critic crowd the room. “Don’t talk about it, just write it,” she advises. “Talking drains the energy you need for listening – to the story, to the characters, to yourself.”
With Station Life Repair now making its way into readers’ hands, Elana is working on her next project – a young adult novel about outsiders, difference, and the ecological distress of insects that few bother to notice. “It’s about those who see what others don’t, and what happens when we choose to act.”
Like everything Elana Bregin writes, it promises to be layered, lyrical and full of heart. Because in the end, her stories offer not just escape but repair, not just narrative but meaning, not just observation but connection. And that is her greatest gift.
Tips to start your novel
We asked Elana to share her wisdom with aspiring writers. Here’s her honest and practical advice for getting your story on the page …
Start now. There’s no perfect time. Begin where you are, with what you have.
Keep it messy. Don’t aim for perfection. First drafts are meant to be raw.
Write forward. Resist over-editing early chapters. Momentum matters.
Write what you know. Then play. Ground your story in what’s familiar, but let imagination stretch it.
Don’t self-censor. Let everything come out in the first draft. Editing comes later.
Use place as a character. A compelling setting breathes life into your story.
Master dialogue. Listen to how people speak – but refine it for the page.
Read widely, write regularly. Feed the creative fire. Practice often.
Keep the critic outside. Protect your writing space from judgement – especially your own.
Don’t talk about it. Write it. Let the energy stay in the story, not in the telling about the story.
Above all, enjoy your writing. There’s no other reason to do it.
Come back to yourself
Feeling the need to reset, recharge, or finally put pen to paper? Whether you’re seeking inner renewal or the inspiration to tell your story, these two upcoming retreats with Elana offer a gentle space to pause and reconnect with yourself and your creative spirit.
Time to Renew Your Fire
An uplifting weekend retreat for those feeling burnt out, stuck, or simply in need of a life recalibration. Set in the tranquil surroundings of Ixopo, this experience offers guided reflection, rest and inspiration – designed to help you rekindle your inner fire and return to daily life with a renewed sense of clarity and purpose.
When: Friday, January 23 to Sunday, January 25
Cost: Two nights’ accommodation at the Buddhist Retreat Centre in Ixopo (from R975 per person per night) plus a R300 surcharge.
Booking: Visit brcixopo.co.za or e-mail bookings@brcixopo.co.za
The Secrets of Good Story Writing
If you’ve always wanted to write your story – or you’re halfway there but feeling stuck – this energising half-day workshop will help get you moving. Elana shares practical tools, creative techniques, and heartfelt encouragement to guide you through the process of finding your voice and shaping your narrative.
When: Saturday, December 6, from 8.30am to 1pm
Where: Loop Road, Hillcrest
Cost: R850
Bookings: WhatsApp 071 493 0791 or e-mail elana.bregin@gmail.com
About the book
More than a novel, Station Life Repair is a tender map of survival, love and resilience set against the backdrop of Durban. To order a copy, email: elana.bregin@gmail.com. It’s also available at selected bookstores and online platforms.
WIN
We’re giving away two copies of Elana’s book to two lucky readers! To enter, simply like and follow @getitdbn (Insta) and @GetItDurban (Facebook), tag 3 friends on our social posts, fill in the form below and you’ll be in the draw. Winners will be contacted directly.
A copy of Elana Bregin's book Station Life Repair
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