"'A Mouse amongst Men' to be performed at Stories on Stage (Sacramento)" and "Part Two of the OGOV roundtable on African writing now out"

The award winning reading series of short fiction read by actors, Stories on Stage (Sacramento), is featuring African writers on June 24. And I'm happy to say one of my unpublished contemporary short stories 'A Mouse amongst Men' has been selected.

Part Two of the 6th OGOV round-table discussion on African writing and the internet, join the conversation... Read More.

"Remembering Marechera" anthology Submissions Reopened

Firstly we would like to thank all those who submitted work to the anthology, we greatly appreciated your entries.

We congratulate the following writers whose work has been selected:

Poetry: Abigail George, Yemi Soneye, Tinashe Muchuri, Vivid Gwede, Mukoma Wa Ngugi, and Dami Ajayi.

Essays: Joseph Chikowero, and Josephine Muganiwa.

Short Stories: Raisedon Baya, Austin Kaluba, Tinashe Chiurugwi, Fungai Rufaro Machirori.

Interviews: Tinashe Mushakavanhu and Eric Nzaramba.

We have re-opened submissions until the 29th February 2012, and will be publishing (if all goes well) on Marechera's 60th Birthday next year.

We are looking for excellence in essays, reviews, short stories, poems, and interviews, which show new insights into Marechera's works and life. Fun, interesting, and probing works that feature Marechera, directly or indirectly, as a major theme. What effects did he have personally, socially, in literature, academically, historically, contemporary, and what effects did they have on him? What drove his demons and saints, etc.?

Please may you direct all your submissions here: RM Subs

"What's hard for you as a writer" and "African writing and the Internet roundtable discussion"

Author Uche Umez asked several fellow writers including me: "What's hard for you as a writer". Read my response (with a slight tongue-in-cheek) at his blog... Read More.

In January I joined several writers in the 6th One Ghana One Voice round-table email discussion about African writing and the Internet. Read the first part of two now published at OGOV and join in the conversation... Read More.

New post at African Writing: ReadSA goes to Pietermaritzburg

"On the 17th and 18th of March I had the pleasure of going to Pietermaritzburg and speaking to students at Orient Heights Primary School, from six primary schools (Orient Heights Primary, Greenhills Primary, Ramatha Road Primary, Springhaven Primary, Ridgeview Primary, and Northlands Primary)..." Read More.

And also Chinelo Onwualu of Cassava Republic Press, asked nine writers "if you had just one African book that you would recommend for the next generation of African readers, what would it be and why?". I chose 'The House of Hunger'..." Read More.

New post at African Writing: A Must-Read African authors books list

"Awhile back there was a 100 must-read books list purportedly (it turned out not to be) from the Beeb doing the facebook rounds, and now its back in the form of an app. What greatly disappointed me then, and now, was the total absence of African authors on that list. So to remedy this dire oversight, and with your help, I’m composing a collective and unlimited African authors only must-read books list..." Read More.

Two interviews at Kubatana "Inspiration is everywhere" and "Inside/Out"

Inspiration is everywhere - Interview with Ivor Hartmann: "As a creative person what inspires you?: I think it’s more a question of what doesn’t inspire me, as I am daily inspired by what I see, read, and experience personally. It could be anything really, the glint of sun off a wet road, the smell of rain, a great line of writing... We live in such an amazing world it’s hard not to be inspired on a daily basis if you are observant." Read More.

Inside/Out with author, editor and publisher Ivor W. Hartmann: "What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?: Realising your dreams requires hard work and persistence above all else." Read More.

New post at African Writing: Seven effective habits of happily unsuccessful people

"A self-help satire that in all probability is never coming to a book-store’s self-help section near you..." Read More.

New post at African Writing: Write what you Don't Know

"I often hear ‘write what you know’ being espoused to new fiction writers as a golden rule, and for awhile as a new writer I heeded it..." Read More.

A New Year and a new Blog at African Writing

It's a brand new year and I have started a brand new additional blog at African Writing. Below is the link to my first post there, comments welcome.

The Sound that Rocked the World

It starts as a lone moan into the crisp winter air of a Johannesburg morning, but it is soon answered by another, and another, until the moans become a proud roar that encompasses the entire city. It was the 9th of June 2010 official Vuvuzela Day in South Africa, and at twelve p.m. everyone who owned one blew one, country-wide.... Full Post