WEALTH OF IDEAS

Abigail George, who was featured on this blog in December 2010, has just published her debut poetry collection, Africa Where Art Thou? This is an accomplishment she is happy about, and it is just a part of the many projects she is working on. For instance, one of her short stories is featured in African Roar 2011 , and she has received funding to work on the compilation of her short story collection. She is one of the very active, globally connected generation of (technologically savvy) African writers publishing both online and in print. I have had the opportunity to read her works in different publications, and I look forward to getting my own copy of Africa Where Art Thou? Poet Biography Abigail George studied film and television production for a short while, which was followed by a brief stint as a trainee at a production house. She is a writer and poet. She has lived in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth but she is currently living in Port Elizabeth . She has had poetry published w...

Zimbabwean writer, journalist, blogger, and gender activist, Delta Milayo Ndou will be touring Washington DC and Minneapolis in June as one of 20 journalists who have been identified by the Washington Foreign Press Center as emerging Global New Media Leaders. She is one of 4 African journalists - and the other African countries represented are Morocco, Uganda & Kenya. The participants, selected from all over the globe will represent countries such Iran, Iraq, Israel, Oman, Yemen, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan, among others. Announcing the news of Delta Milayo Ndou's acceptance to the programme, JB Leedy of the Washington Press Center commended the US Embassy’s Public Affairs Section in Harare for the “great nomination”, adding that nominations for the FPC Blogging for Social and Political Change tour were impressive. “We received 45 nominations for 20 available slots and all were impressive, so you can expect your participant to get a lot out of not only the ...

Stories on Stage , which operates from mid-town Sacramento, continues to grow. Running every last Friday of the month, the series has featured writers from across the US and is preparing to feature African writers in June. The idea is brilliant: the stories are read by professional actors, and the events are well-attended. On Friday, May 27th, Stories on Stage will present an evening of (very) short fiction, featuring the winners of Sacramento News & Review’s 2010 Flash Fiction Contest (these writers had a stingy 150 words to work with). Kent Gray will read Paul Mann’s"79 Miles," Cynthia Mitchell Speakman will read Peg Alford Pursell’s "Guardian," Ashley Lucas will read Jenni Wiltz’ “Letters,” Bonnie Antonini will read Peg Alford Pursell’s “This Guy,” and Pam Metzger will read William Doonan’s “Lady Anaconda.” Sacramento Poetry Center 1719 25th Street (Between Q & R) Donation: $5 Performance begins at 7:30PM. Doors open at 7PM Peg Alford Pursell's f...

I just learned about Na'ima Robert, whose new novel, Far from Home ,is getting published on July 1. Already,I like the novel's premise and the author's vision. The land issue in Zimbabwe is complex, and many stories (from memoirs to fiction), never seem to capture its deeper implications. Exploring the untold history of Zimbabwe’s land reforms, Far from Home tells the story of Katie and Tariro, two girls linked by a terrible secret, grappling with the complexities of adolescence, family and a painful colonial legacy as their lives play out against the tragic history of the land in Zimbabwe. 14-year-old Tariro is a daughter of the soil: she loves the land, the baobab tree she was born beneath, her family - and brave, handsome Nhamo. She couldn't be happier. But then the white settlers arrive, and everything changes - suddenly, violently - robbing Tariro of all that she loves. Forty years later, 14-year-old Katie adores her doting father, her exclusive boarding school,...

Harare, Zimbabwe : A number of literary activities will take place under the Win-Zimbabwe/Global Arts Trust partnership at different venues in Harare, starting June this year. Unveiling the 2011 (seven-month) program at the Book Café, Harare, on May 14, the two organizations told new and established writers/poets and representatives of different writers’ associations that the main thrust this year would be to involve schools in the drive towards developing indigenous literature. Global Arts Trust Director Walter Muparutsa said the old poets such as Modekai Hamutyinei, JC Kumbirai, Wilson Chivaura, and Edison Zvobgo,did a commendable job to keep the Shona language alive. The same job remains unfinished today, he said. Muparutsa took his time to narrate the history of the Literature Bureau where he had a long stint and said it is from the same perspective that the Win-Zimbabwe/Global Arts Trust initiative would work but this time, with the Zimbabwean child in mind. The veteran actor and ...

The Caine 2011 Shortlist is out, and I am happy NoViolet Bulawayo is on the list, with her story "Hitting Budapest", originally published by the Boston Review . NoViolet, a writing colleague, has also published stories with Munyori Literary Journal twice, StoryTime and in several literary anthologies. She is definitely a rising Zimbabwean star, Below she talks about her writing. 1. Congratulations for appearing on the Caine shortlist. What's your reaction to the news? I’m very happy you know; being shortlisted for a prize as major as Caine is a big deal. I’m even happier that there are many who are happy with me, it’s just great to see people rooting for you and I’d like to thank everyone for the love, especially my Zimbabwean peoples. This comes at the start of my writing career and so it definitely motivates me to keep pushing. I also welcome the news on behalf of my country of course, our absence from the Caine shortlists in recent years has really been a cause for co...

Call for Short Stories from Asia/ Africa: "Outcasts" Anthology Deadlines: 30 May 2011 (commitment), 1 August 2011 (final) Writers from Africa and Asia are asked to submit short stories for an anthology of the two continents. The writers can be on the respective continents or in the Diaspora but it is necessary that their stories deal with the topic as experienced by Africans/Asians. Topic - Outcasts (contemporary or historical, adult audience) Length - 3000-5000 words Submissions Deadline - August 1st 2011 Remuneration- Shall be discussed upon selection of your short story as part of the anthology. You will know by September 30th. Editors - Writers Rohini Chowdhury and Zukiswa Wanner The editors will need some written commitment from writers on whether they will be submitting something by May 30th. We kindly request no poetry or non-fiction. Purely short stories. Please submit a short two-line introduction about yourself with your story. If this exciting project interests you...

I participated in a discussion of African writing and the internet. Below is an excerpt, as well as a link to One Ghana One Voice (OGOV) for the rest of the discussion. Prince Mensah : Considering the present shape of African writing, what visible steps are being taken to use the Internet as a medium of communication? Are those steps enough? What impact does all this have on indigenous readers who might or might not have access to the Internet? Michelle Labossiere Brandt : The Internet is turning out to be a fantastic gift to the African writer, and an immediate way to publicize one's creativity. It is the diving board, a place to launch and in doing so extends out to those readers who don't have access to the Internet! Let me use my own community as an example. Our goal as an organization (RIFE & RIFG) was twofold: bring poets from Africa and Canada together to publish an anthology to raise money for a project in Ghana, and educate the average Edmontonian poet and reader a...