WEALTH OF IDEAS

Photo credit: Kubatana.net WordPress, the platform for my blog Moments In Literature , has a feature called “Search Engine Terms’, which tells you what words people searched in order to end up viewing your posts. Nearly daily, the visitors to Moments in Literature come through searches of Tsitsi Dangarembga, using the following terms: bira Dangarembga, interviews with Tsitsi Dangarembga, Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions , Zimbabwean literature Dangarembga, Dangarembga new excerpt, and many others. So people are looking for Dangarembga, people are talking. And they have reasons to. First, the world is leaning towards focusing on Zimbabwean literature, what with all the drama that the country has been going through. Early next year the world of reading will be greeted with two books by Petina Gappah , which promise to be huge successes (Gappah is a good writer), and there is likely to be hightened interest in the literature of Zimbabwe in general. Perhaps, the interest in Dangarembga is...

Sacramento Poetry Center’s 2nd and 4th Saturday Poetry Workshop At South Natomas Community Center, next door to South Natomas Library 2921 Truxel Road, Sacramento, CA Time: 10:00 am Bring 10 copies of your one page poem! Facilitated by Emmanuel Sigauke and Frank Dixon Graham Contact or for info: Frank Dixon Graham & Emmanuel Sigauke at manu@munyori.com DIRECTIONS from Downtown Sacramento: take I-5 North, then I-80 East to Truxel Exit from exit, proceed South on Truxel, there’s a stop light at San Juan and Truxel – continue south on Truxel, pass San Juan Rd. – the Community Center is between San Juan and West El Camino on Truxel, (about one mile from the exit on I-80) at 2921 Truxel Rd.

Ruzvidzo Mupfudza, a Zimbabwean writer, has answered some of the questions the literary community may have for the writers in Zimbabwe. In a posting on Zimbablog , Mupfudza shares the following: Someone made a remark, the other night, which had me thinking about the role of writing and value of writers. We were at the Book Café for a Literary Discussion on Valerie Tagwira ’s The Uncertainty of Hope. The person asked why there was such a fairytale ending to the novel, given all the vicissitudes explored and the woes that Onai, the protagonist endures. “Real life is not like that. Why is it our writers can’t tell it like it is?” lamented the participant. I wonder if the Brothers Grimm ever had to answer such a question. Why are fairytales still fascinating even up to this day? As a creative writer, I know that we are not creators of dry sociology or journalistic traits that seek to tell it like it is or explain why and how things are the way they are in brittle terms. We seek out the mar...

Rana Dasgupta's Tokyo Cancelled , a novel (or is it a collection of short stories?) This is one of those stories you start reading and you say, "Why did I not think of this idea?" Dasgupta innovatively connects his work with an idea from classical literature and the result is a refreshing invention. I came to know about Rana Dasgupta because he is the 2009 Willesden Herald Short Story competition judge. The 2008 was Zadie Smith, who did not find any of the twenty-five shortlist stories not eligible for the prize. Tokyo Cancelled , which reads like a collection of short stories, has been classified by many a critic as work of magic realism. It is “entrancing”( Red ) with its thirteen stories which have been described by TLS as “marvels of fabulation…rich in startling insigts.” Often, these are the comments that encourage the regular mass market reader (for instance, in the USA) to purchase literary books, and then when the book gets on the New York Times list, or if th...

Zimbabwean internationally renowned poet Chirikure Chirikure has been invited to perform at the 8th International Literature Festival Berlin that runs from September 26 till October 4. Read more at artsinitiates .

Firstly , the launch of Intwasa Poetry Friday 26 September @ 5.30 pm National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo Main St/Leopold Takawira Avenue during the Intwasa Arts Festival 2008 This collection brings together in one volume fifteen renowned and less well-known poets from Zimbabwe, the United Kingdom and Côte D’Ivoire who have read from their work at Bulawayo’s spring festival – the Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo. The book will be introduced by John Eppel, with readings from his new poetry. There will also be readings by several of the other poets featured in the collection. The fifteen poets are John Eppel, Owen Sheers, Julius Chingono, Chirikure Chirikure, Ignatius Mabasa, Shepherd Mandhlazi, Judy Maposa, Deon Marcus, Albert Nyathi, Pathisa Nyathi, Mthabisi Phili, John Read, Lloyd Robson, Veronique Tadjo and Joelle Taylor. Secondly , the launch of Mambo Hills: Historical and Religious Significance by Marieke Clarke Saturday 27 September 11.00 am National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bu...

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe: Young writers up to the age of 25 years are invited to submit short stories and poems on any theme for a young writers’ book publication. The short stories should be between 1500 and 5 000 words and in English only. Poems can be of any length. An unlimited number of entries may be submitted. Please include personal details in all of your entries. Handwritten and typed entries are accepted. All submissions to be made at British Council, 2nd floor, Zimdef House, west wing, Bulawayo on or before the 30th of September 2008. For more details on the competition contact Butholezwe Nyathi on 0913 017 831 or alternatively on the following email address: kgosinyathi@yahoo.com.

Natomas Community Center Sacramento Poetry Center’s 2nd and 4th Saturday Poetry Workshop At South Natomas Community Center, next door to South Natomas Library 2921 Truxel Road, Sacramento, CA Time: 10:00 am Bring 10 copies of your one page poem! Facilitated by Emmanuel Sigauke and Frank Dixon Graham Contact or for info: Frank Dixon Graham & Emmanuel Sigauke at manu@munyori.com DIRECTIONS from Downtown Sacramento : take I-5 North, then I-80 East to Truxel Exit from exit, proceed South on Truxel, there’s a stop light at San Juan and Truxel – continue south on Truxel, pass San Juan Rd. – the Community Center is between San Juan and West El Camino on Truxel, (about one mile from the exit on I-80) at 2921 Truxel Rd.

California Imagined: The Arts of the Golden State Envisioning California Conference Thursday, September 18 - Friday, September 19, 2008 Sacramento Convention Center Sacramento, California Speakers and panels will include: Keynote Address - A Place Called California: The Arts and California's Identity Richard Rodriguez, Author and editor at Pacific News Service Lunch Plenary - The State of the Arts Muriel Johnson, Director, California Arts Council Ralph Lewin, Executive Director, California Council for the Humanities Laurie Schell, Executive Director, California Alliance for Arts Education California in Global Imagination: Film as Art and Art as Film California Built: Architectural Styles & Influence of the Golden State Art in a Deficit Era The Written Word: California's 500 year Perspective Teatro California: The Legacy of Latino/ Chicano Playwrights, Theatres & Performance Groups Walls2Canvas: Youth Street Art and the MOSAIC Program Art as a Learning Engine: Creative I...

Terry a O'Neal. Terry O'Neal read new poems from a manuscript she is working on, and treated us to more poetry from her three collections: A Poet Speaks in Black, Good Mornin' Glory, and Motion Sickness. Photo credits: Tim Kahl and Frank Graham

Photo by Frank Graham. I made an appearance at a Sacramento Peace Action event, talking about Zimbabwe and reading poetry from my new collection, Forever Let Me Go . Good crowd, great question-answer session.

The new short story anthology by Weaver Press, Women Writing Zimbabwe, delivers the high quality readers have come to associate with the publisher’s products. It contains fifteen stories by fifteen strong female voices of Zimbabwean literature. When I recieved the book last week, I was in the middle of Toni Morrison’s Beloved and the Selected Poems of Derek Walcott, but I have since set the two Nobels aside for an adventure into the rich terrain of the newest Weaver stories. So far, I have read Zvisinei Sandi’s “In Memory of the Nose Brigade”, Petina Gappah’s “In the Heart of the Golden Triangle”, Valerie Tagwira’s “Mainini Grace’s Promise”, Pat Brickhill’s “Senzeni’s Nativity”, Sarah Manyika’s “Mr Wonder”, and Rumbi Katedza’s “Snowflakes in Winter”. Sandi’s story would bring back memories to anyone who remembers the USA/UBA days at the University of Zimbabwe in its satirization of the life of the Nose Brigades versus the SRB (Strong/Severe Rural Background) girls on campus. I wasn’t ...

Arts Initiates has published an interview Memory Chirere did with me. Powerful. Excerpt: Zimbabwean poet based in the US, Emmanuel Sigauke has published his debut anthology - Forever Let Me Go - and below he talks about his works and aspirations. Sigauke grew up in Zimbabwe where he started writing at the age of thirteen at Mototi Primary School. In the 90s he was part of the executive team of the Zimbabwe Budding Writers Association, which is instrumental in nurturing young writing talent. He worked as the National Secretary of the association in 1994, 1995 and part of 1996. Memory : Congratulations Manu on the publication of your first book, this colorful poetry collection called Forever Let Me Go. How long did you take to write and have these 46 poems published? Emmanuel : The poems were selected from works I wrote between August 2006 and January 2007. But they capture themes I had thought about for a very long time. The collection was initially put together for a series of rea...

Sarah Ladipo Manyika, recently published in Women Writing Zimbabwe , has signed a book deal with UK's Legend Press,a publisher with a mission to grow in the international market. The thought-provoking novel, In dependence , is to be published on 27th September 2008. According to a statement by Legend Press, "The novel is to be backed by a major promotional campaign." . In dependence takes the reader on a rich historical journey starting with the legacy of Empire, through the post colonial period, and onto modern day Africa and its diaspora. It is through Tayo and Vanessa’s story, each with their own references to the African leaders, writers, and artists who shaped the historical period, that the author offers a new and exciting glimpse into contemporary West Africa. Tayo and Vanessa’s tragic romance mirrors the tragedy of Europe and America’s relationship with the third world. Where mutual dependence has always existed, the unfettered love affair remains an elusive drea...

Art Initiates reports that the annual IntrAfrika arts event that features schools in and around Harare and is hosted by the Zimbabwe-German Society will be held in Harare on September 18. The event that has been running for years now brings music, poetry, visual art and literature. Eighteen schools from eight towns around Zimbabwe will converge on Harare for the event. Running with the theme Learning to Hope , the 2008 edition will be sponsored by Nestle Zimbabwe after the departure of Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Six judges - jazz musician Dudu Manhenga, university lecturer Memory Chirere , Soukina Edom, actor Stanley Mambo, writer Ethel Kabwato and Greg Shaw - will look at the work. The proceedings will be recorded on DVD which will be given to each participating school. For a change, past winners of IntrAfrika will be present to talk about how being winners of the competition has changed their lives. The event closes with a literature workshop on September 20.

Presents Terry a O’ Neal Mon. Sept. 8, 2008 at 7:30 PM 1719 25th Street Host : Emmanuel Sigauke Terry a O’ Neal — Born Terry Williams on June 15, 1973 in Stockton, California to parents Henry and Barbara Williams. There she lived for the first eighteen years of her life. She attended Commodore Skills School from kindergarten through the eighth grade. After graduating from Franklin Senior High School in Stockton, she went on to attend California State University of Sacramento, majoring in Criminal Justice. Her poetry has been published in numerous magazines, journals and newspapers. Her previous publications include three volumes of self-published poetry, Motion Sickness, The Poet Speaks in Black and Good Mornin’ Glory; two children’s books, Ev’ry Little Soul and My Jazz Shoes; and the award winning family fiction novel Sweet Lavender. Contrary The fear is not that of the mind but it is that of the kind if I had it my way I'd snap my fingers and say we ...

I had made a resolution: No blogging from September 1 to 14. I wanted to take a break (I don't know why exactly)and resume after two weeks. But I am going to break that to share my excitement (no, it's not a book deal). This week alone I have recieved five books by Zimbabwean authors, books I have been waiting to read. I would have wanted to read them in the summer before school started, but they decided to arrive this week, and I am excited! On Tuesday, DHL delivered Memory Chirere's Tudikidiki and Somewhere in this Country and amaBooks' Short Writings from Bulawayo II . Then today, I received Weaver Press's Women Writing Zimbabwe (great thanks to Zvisinei Sandi in Stanford). A colleague gave me a copy (today) of Tsitsi Dangarembga's The Book of Not . And, in addition to my reading for work, I was already re-reading Toni Morrison's Beloved and Paradise . So now, with all these books on my desk, I don't know which ones to read now, which ones to read...