Ivor W. Hartmann is a Zimbabwean writer, editor, publisher, and visual artist. Awarded The Golden Baobab Prize (2009), finalist for the Yvonne Vera Award (2011), selected for The 20 in Twenty: The Best Short Stories of South Africa’s Democracy (2014), awarded third in the Jalada Prize for Literature (2015), and Nommo Awards nomination (2017). His works have appeared in many publications. He also runs the StoryTime micro-press, publisher of the African Roar and AfroSF series of anthologies.

17 March 2009

Mr. Goop Awarded The Baobab Prize!

I am ecstatic to announce that my entry Mr. Goop, into The Baobab Prize in category B (works written for children aged 12-15) has won the award!

It was with profound sense of great honour that I accepted The Baobab Prize, and my proud privilege as a Zimbabwean writer to have entered and participated, in this much needed stimulus to African writing. It has long been a dream of mine to see African fiction in all genres become much more readily available. So when I came across TBP I saw friends who shared a similar dream for teenage fiction.

Mr. Goop is a speculative science-fiction teenage tale of the future. Set in Harare, Zimbabwe, it tells the story of a young boy called Tamuka Zimudzi living in an apocalyptic post-climate change world. A world that has lost a significant portion of its land mass to rising sea levels, where laboratory created humanoid life-forms are now slaves to humans, where people live in enormous sealed arcologies by necessity. Yet in this hard new world Tamuka lives with the same hopes, fears and dreams of any twelve year-old boy, and takes his first steps towards becoming an adult.

My esteemed thanks go out to all those involved in The Baobab Prize, from Deborah Ahenkorah the founder of the prize, to the judges and all those who submitted an entry. Awards like this specifically for African writers are few and far between, and do provide an extra and needed impetus towards seeing more published African authors in all genres.

I will do what I can to see that everyone gets to read Mr. Goop as soon as possible, hopefully offline and on.

Here is the complete list:


WINNERS THE BAOBAB PRIZE 2008

The Baobab Prize for a work of fiction aimed at readers aged 8-11 years : Lauri Kubuitsile, Botswana. Story: Lorato and her Wire Car

Shortlist for Stories for readers aged 8-11 years:

- Good in the World by Marion Drew, South Africa
- The Story of my Life by Fiona Moolla, South Africa
- Abena and the Corn Seed by Vivian Amanor, Ghana
- Live and Let Live by Jenny Robson, South Africa


The Baobab Prize for a work of fiction aimed at readers aged 12-15 years: Ivor W. Hartmann, Zimbabwe. Story: Mr. Goop.

Shortlist for Stories for readers aged 12-15 years:
- Birthday Wishes by Lauri Kubuitsile, Botswana
- This Ubuntu Thing by Jayne Bauling, South Africa
- Courage like a Lion by Jenny Robson, South Africa
- Whips, Tears and Blood by Mercy Adhiambo, Kenya


The Baobab Prize for a rising writer aged 18 years or younger: Aisha Kibwana, Kenya. Story: Strange Visitors that took her life away.

Shortlist for Rising writer Prize:
- Tortoise and the Thief by Michael Anim, Ghana.

15 March 2009

Earth Rise nominated for UMA Award!

I am happy to announce that Earth Rise has been nominated for The UMA Award in the Best Short Fiction category.

More formally known as the Annual Anthropomorphic Literature and Arts Award, the Ursa Major Award is presented annually for excellence in the furry arts. It is intended as Anthropomorphic Fandom's equivalent of the Hugo Award ® presented by the World Science Fiction Society, mystery fandom's Anthony Award, horror fandom's Bram Stoker Award, and so forth. Anyone may nominate and vote for candidates for the Awards. The UMA is a global public award and decided by the fans, not by a committee. You can Cast your Vote here.

Wish me luck for the finals :).

01 March 2009

Interview at CwW about StoryTime

Ivor W. Hartmann is a Zimbabwean writer, visual artist and literary activist. He is also editor-in-chief of StoryTime, an ezine that seeks to showcase new African writing. In this email interview, Hartmann talks about the ezine and about how it is being received by emerging African writers. What is StoryTime all about? To quote the StoryTime About page mission statement if I may, since I put the effort into re-writing it recently: "The StoryTime African New Fiction FreEzine is all about new African fiction reading and writing. For our readers we provide a free weekly ezine showcasing the works of some of the hottest new African fiction writers. For our writers we endeavour to find them, and then encourage free online fiction publication at ST, as a multi-purpose means to improve writing ability and their exposure."... Full Article

 
This is a website for Zimbabwean Author Ivor W. Hartmann. All posts on this site are Copyright © Ivor W. Hartmann 2007-2011. All rights reserved.