WEALTH OF IDEAS

  Happy Birthday Africa President   We get to Number 10 to find the president raising fists all over. On the big wall around the power station that caught fire last Sunday, on the tall gates of the blue Zioja church, on the fat pole where we sometimes play spin, on the shed where Clifford cuts hair, on the durawall that surrounds the tuck-shops where old ladies sit selling all sorts of stuff, on the sides of the shed where people wait for combis to town, on the trees along the main road—the posters are everywhere. We stand in a huddle by the power station wall and tilt our heads and look at the posters one by one even though they are exactly the same.   Godknows says, Who put him up there? Why did they put him up?   Well, whose face would you rather, your father’s? Bastard says. He elbows Godknows out of the way and steps to the wall to study the president. It’s early morning but the sun is already high above our heads, searing us like we owe it money. In the distance, r

Nkiacha Atemnkeng   "NoViolet’s debut novel parallels the media narrative of that lost decade era which peaked in 2008 perfectly. I remember following events in Zimbabwe from the news and this book is a wonderful evocation of all I heard, saw and so much more. (Well, except the juicy guavas). So it’s a blend of reality and imagination. There were media reports about hectares of farmland being seized from white farmers and handed over to black farmers, homes seized and others destroyed. I heard of galloping inflation, hunger, empty store shelves, rigged elections, violence as a result of that, incarceration and torture of MDC opposition leaders and political activists, some to the point of death, fed up Zimbabweans running away across the border into South Africa, a few knee deep across a bridgeless, crocodile-infested dangerous river, fed up Zimbabweans emigrating to America, emigrating to Europe, emigrating to Asia in droves and droves and droves,"  writes Cameroonean

The organizers of the conference give the following as the ten reasons to attend the conference: Launch your writing career– or take it to a more professional level–with direction from bestselling authors and publishing experts. Choose from a schedule  of workshops, panels and sessions that fit your specific writing needs and goals. Get your questions answered at the Ask-a-Pro session featuring New York and California editors…included in your registration fee. Go to  Speed Dating for Agents – Pitch your book ideas one-on-one in a room full of literary agents ($50 option for registered attendees) Receive free feedback on your work from freelance book editors. Kick back in  Cafe Ferlinghetti with writers from all over the country…and foreign countries, too. Talk with  exhibitors and find out what’s new for writers. Browse our onsite bookstore (produced by BookShop West Portal) and you can get the books you purchase autographed by the presenters. Jump into pitch conte

The Caine Prize has announced the judges of the 2014 award as follows: Jackie Kay MBE (Chair)   photo credit: Denise Else Jackie Kay was born and brought up in Scotland. Her novel The Adoption Papers won the Forward Prize, a Saltire prize and a Scottish Arts Council Prize. Her most recent collection of poems, Fiere , was shortlisted for the Costa award. Jackie won the Guardian Fiction Award for her novel Trumpet, which was also shortlisted for the IMPAC award. She won the Scottish Book of the Year Award and the London Book Award for Red Dust Road , and the Decibel British Book Award for her book of stories entitled Wish I Was Here . Jackie’s book for children, Red Cherry Red , won the Clype award and her most recent plays, Manchester Lines (produced by Manchester Library Theatre) and The New Maw Broon Monologues (produced by Glasgay) were a great success. Her most recent book, Reality Reality , is a collection of stories and she is currently workin