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Yes, there's another new release to look forward to this year - and I definitely want to get my hands on this one. It's by SL Grey,  a collaboration between two South African writers - Sarah Lotz from Cape Town (who I mentioned a while back will be releasing The Three in February 2014) and Louis Greenberg from Johannesburg. The New Girl is published by Corvus and will be released October 3rd. Here's the synopsis:  

Don't mess with the creepy new girl Ryan Devlin, a predator with a past, has been forced to take a job as a handyman at an exclusive private school, Crossley College. He's losing his battle to suppress his growing fascination with a new girl who seems to have a strange effect on the children around her. Tara Marais fills her empty days by volunteering at Crossley's library. Tara is desperate, but unable, to have a baby of her own, so she makes Reborns - eerily lifelike newborn dolls. She's delighted when she receives a commission from the mysterious 'Vader Batiss', but horrified when she sees the photograph of the baby she's been asked to create. Still, she agrees to Batiss's strange contract, unaware of the consequences if she fails to deliver the doll on time. Both Tara and Ryan are being drawn into a terrifying scheme - one that will have an impact on every pupil at Crossley College.

Sounds creepy. I think I might be pre-ordering this one. They're first two books were The Mall published in 2011 and The Ward published in 2012.






08:38 No Comments
Queer Africa is a collection of charged, tangled, tender, unapologetic, funny, bruising and brilliant stories about the many ways in which we love each other on the continent. The collection includes exquisitely written work by some of the great African writers of this century - K. Sello Duiker, Monica Arac de Nyeko, Beatrice Lamwaka and Richard de Nooy - as well as new voices that map out a haunting, intricate, complex Africa. These unafraid stories of intimacy, sweat, betrayal and restless confidences, we accompany characters into cafes, tattoo salons, the barest of bedrooms, coldly gleaming spaces into which the rich withdraw, unlit streets, and their own deepest interiors. In these unafraid stories of intimacy, sweat, betrayal and restless confidences, we accompany characters into cafes, tattoo salons, the barest of bedroom, the coldly glinting spaces into which the rich withdraw, unlit street and their own deepest interiors. We learn much in these gloriously achieved stories about love and sex, but perhaps more about why we hurt and need one another.
                                                 - Synopsis from Modjaji Books Blog

Can I just say that this collection sounds fascinating. Queer Africa was published in May by Modjaji Books. For other queer literature from Africa check out my previous posts here, here and here as well as an article I wrote a while back here.
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At the beginning of this week I mentioned that the Storymoja Hay Festival was taking place 19-22 of September in Nairobi. As I'm still lusting over the Programme and I also did promise I would share a few highlights of the upcoming Festival, I thought I would showcase two of their Premier Events - Silence is A Woman and The Vagina Monologues. 

I first watched the Vagina Monologues in 2009 during my Masters when a benefit performance was organised by students at LSE for  Women's Aid and V-Day to end violence against women. I had heard of the play, but never really paid any attention to it as I honestly had no idea what it was about. Then I watched it, absolutely loved it and wondered why it took me so long to pay attention to it. It is a great play that gets you to really take a look and think about women's experiences. It would definitely be amazing to watch again. 

It would also be great to see Silence is A  Woman. My first introduction to Sitawa Namwalie was much later - it was when I read a review of Cut Off My Tongue on ImageNations. Then I watched this YouTube clip and a few months ago I read an essay, Silence is A Woman, by Wambui Mwangi in The New Inquiry, which cited these few lines:


Let's speak a simple truth:
The average man can
without much planning
take by force
most average women in the world, 
all average children

Her words seem so powerful, so if you're in Nairobi and attending the Festival, please watch one (or both) for me. Thank you!!!  Here's more details on them and also a BIG thank you to Juliet Maruru for sharing these two events with me. And you can find out more on the Festival's website. 

Silence is A Woman is a new show premiering at the Storymoja Hay Festival on Saturday 21st September at 7:30 pm at the Nairobi National Museum.

Poetry and Powerful Words will Rock Your World! Most people would not willingly subject themselves to an evening of poetry for fear of terminal boredom. Yet the poetry of Sitawa Namwalie is rewriting the rule books. Her shows of dramatised poetry have captivated and inspired audiences in Kenya and in the UK where they have been performed since June 2008. 

What is it to be Kenyan? Why is it important for you to settle that question for yourself? Find out this and more in a new exciting dramatised poetry production by Sitawa Namwalie titled Silence is a Woman. This new show is as provocative as her earlier work Cut Off My Tongue. 

Silence is a Woman chronicles the journey of a woman, and the journey of Kenya as they both move through history, telling, re-telling and experiencing narratives that continue to haunt this nation. It reminds us that we are on a quest to heal ourselves by asking the right questions and by reclaiming our stories. The story of tribe is revisited in old updated conversations. Sitawa gives us a peek into our recent history again retelling stories of the Kenyan nation's difficult past. How many people remember the late Chelagat Mutai who became the first Kalenjin MP in 1972 at 24 years?

In this breathtaking collection she is joined by the voices of Ogutu Muraya, a playwright and Michael Onsando a poet and writer who bring a new twist to old stories.

The Vagina Monologues is happening Sunday 22nd September at 7:30pm also at the Nairobi National Museum.


What is it? The award-winning play is based on V-Day Founder/playwright Eve Ensler's interviews with more than 200 women. With humour and grace the piece celebrates women's sexuality and strength. Through this play and the liberation of this one word, countless women throughout the world have taken control of their bodies and their lives. For more than twelve years, The Vagina Monologues, has given voice to experiences and feelings not previously exposed in public.

The monologues have happened all over the world, and in Kenya, this will be the third performance this year. The previous 2 shows which happened early in the year were both sold out.
  
The cast includes: MÅ©mbi Kaigwa, June Gachui, Savanne Kemoli, Patricia Kihoro, Aleya Kassam, Lorna Irungu

What others say about it? By turns poignant and painful, uproariously funny and deliciously sexy, it was a celebration and appreciation of the wonder, mystery and beauty of vaginas and femininity. These women command our attention, they command our respect, they showed us the huge, hidden power of women; they titillated, they cajoled and convinced, they raged and railed, they appealed to our sense, they appealed to our humanity. They declared "Enough is enough!"

They had us applauding, shrieking, ululating.

One lady, Bea Imathiu, experiencing the Vagina Monologues for the first time, later reflected: "We laughed and cried in equal measure ... I cried from a place so far, the tears didn't fall - I laughed so hard I forgot to be a lady.

Who does it appeal to? Women between the ages 25-50, Liberated, independent career women, Expatriate Crowd

15:22 No Comments
... and there's more!!!! So this one's already out - was released August 15th -  but it's still a new release. This time it's The Orchard of Lost Souls by Nadifa Mohamed. Here's a synopsis courtesy of Simon & Schuster UK:

It is 1988 and Hargeisa waits. Whispers of revolution travel on the dry winds but still the dictatorship remains secure. Soon, and through the eyes of three women, we will see Somalia fall. Nine-year-old Deqo has left the vast refugee camp she was born in, lured to the city by the promise of her first pair of shoes. Kawsar, a solitary widow, is trapped in her little house with its garden clawed from the desert, confined to her bed after a savage beating in the local police station. Filsan, a young female soldier, has moved from Mogadishu to suppress the rebellion growing in the north. And as the country is unravelled by a civil war that will shock the world, the fates of the three women are twisted irrevocably together. Intimate, frank, brimming with beauty and fierce love, The Orchard of Lost Souls is an unforgettable account of ordinary lives lived in extraordinary times.




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Back in June I mentioned that the Golden Baobab Prize was calling all African Writers to submit to their prize for Children's Literature. Well, on August 30th, the 2013 Golden Baobab Prize longlist was announced. 

As someone who had the pleasure of being part of the Reading Team for the Early Chapter Book and Rising Writers Prizes (all stories were anonymised so I had no idea who the author's were or where they were from), it was a really great experience getting to read unpublished manuscripts and a joy when I read some absolute gems. So on Sunday evening, when I heard the longlist had been announced and went on the website to check out who made the list, I was extremely happy when I saw that some of my favourites made the cut. I was also extremely surprised when I found out how young some of the Rising Writer's were. Congratulations to all the authors who made the longlist. But also if I may, a big thank you to Golden Baobab for what they are doing - creating a space in which African voices can not only be heard, but shared, in the world of Children's Literature. That to me is a beautiful thing. So thank you!!

Here's what the Golden Baobab had to say about the longlist:

The prize, celebrating its 5th year, was set up to inspire the creation of enthralling African children's stories. Golden Baobab offers three prizes: The Golden Baobab Prize for Picture Books, The Golden Baobab Prize for Early Chapter Books and The Golden Baobab Prize for Rising Writers. The Golden Baobab Prize for Picture Books and The Golden Baobab Prize for Early Chapter Books is open to all African citizens. The Golden Baobab Prize for Rising Writers is open to budding African writers under the age of eighteen years. 

According to Nanama B. Acheampong, coordinator of the Golden Baobab Prizes:

"Golden Baobab is really excited about this year's stories and we are looking forwards to growing further by publishing a collection of these amazing stories we have received. We are currently looking to partner with corporations that share in our vision to being these stories to the doorsteps of African children everywhere."

The longlist had the strongest representation from Nigeria and South Africa. Other countries that featured were Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzani. Phillip Begho and Ayibu Makolo, both Nigeria, had two stories each on the longlist. Below is the longlist and you can also read summaries of the stories and the author's bios on Golden Baobab's blog.




The shortlist for Golden Baobab Prizes will be announced on 30th October and the winners will be announced on 13th November, 2013. Past winners of the Golden Baobab Prizes have included Joy Nwiyi from Nigeria, Jenny Robson from Botswana and South Africa and Rutendo Chabikwa from Zimbabwe who won the 2012 Rising Writer Prize.

Also here's a recent interview with Deborah Ahenkorah, Co-founder and Executive Director of Golden Baobab, on Creative Writing Ghana.



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Storymoja Hay Festival, Nairobi's literary festival is back. So if you're in Nairobi between September 19-22 and are attending it, can I just say right now that I'm suitably jealous. 

The festival, now in its fifth year, is a 'celebration of ideas and culture through conversation, storytelling, music, debates, poetry, exhibitions and live performances'. This year's theme is ‘Imagine the World!’ Love it already. 


I’ve been lusting over the amazing line-up of writers and events the last few days, wishing I could attend. While the Programmes for both the general festival and the children’s village will be available on the Festival’s Website, over the next few posts, I’ll be showcasing a few of the events. For now, here’s a teaser courtesy of Storymoja:


As part of the four-day festival, there's the Wangari Maathai Memorial Lecture delivered by Mukesh Kapila - former Head of the UN in Sudan and author of Against A Tide of Evil. In addition to the lecture, there will be Master Classes for writers and poets, theatre workshops, conversations on identity, art, culture, society and other contemporary issues, film screenings, performances, music concerts, fashion shows under the Kanga Karnival as well as dozens of activities and events for children.


Event Highlights will be the premier of Sitawa Namwalie’s new poetry show Silence is a Woman, The Vagina Monologues, Stir-Up #Occupy Nairobi (poetry and music show), A Classical Fusion Night and the Imagine the World Music Concert.


The festival will feature writers and performers such as award winning author Teju Cole, children’s storytellers Atinuke and Mara Menzies, Ghanaian poet Nii Ayikwei Parkes, 2012 Caine Prize Chair Kwame Dawes, Writing Fellows from Storymoja Hay Festival Writing Program among many others.

Reviews and audio, video and photo galleries from previous festivals are also available on the website. Advance tickets can be bought online at Ticketsasa.


Sounds like a fun weekend. Wish I was there.
09:50 No Comments
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About me

Founded in 2011, bookshy represents two things: the young me who was so shy I escaped through books, and the older me whose shelf is always one book shy of being full.

bookshy is a space where I celebrate, promote and recognise contemporary African literature - although sometimes I go back in time to commemorate the greats. It is about the books I love, the books I have read and the books that I am dying to read.

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      • Another New Release: SL Grey's "The New Girl"
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