Jalada Africa is a pan-African writers' collective, made up of writers who took part in a Writing Workshop by Kwani Trust, Granta & British Council in 2013. Jalada Africa's aim:

'to publish literature by African authors regularly by making it as easy as possible for any member to publish anything or execute any literary project as quickly and effectively as possible'.

Their first project, an anthology of twelve short stories, Sketches of a Bald Woman in the Semi-Nude and Other Stories, (loosely themed around insanity) was published in January 2014 and is available to read on their website.

Their next anthology will be published in April 2014 - and their aim is to publish new anthologies every quarter.

The Caine Prize for African Writing, now in its fourteenth year, is awarded annually to a short story published in English by an African writer. Each year an anthology is published containing the shortlisted stories alongside stories written at Caine Prize workshops. 

The Caine Prize Anthologies are published by New Internationalist in the UK and publishers in seven African countries: Jacana Media (South Africa), Cassava Republic (Nigeria), Kwani? (Kenya), Sub-Saharan Publishers (Ghana), FEMRITE (Uganda), Bookworld Publishers (Zambia) and 'amaBooks (Zimbabwe). 

This year's anthology, A Memory This Size and Other Stories will be available July 1 2013.  More information can be found on the New Internationalist. A list of past Caine Prize Anthologies can be found here and a review of last year's anthology, African Violet, here.

I was so excited when I first heard about the Afro SF anthology, which has been described by Ivor Hartmann as " ... the first ever anthology Science Fiction by African writers". I remember the first fantasy novel I read (Hobbit). I discovered Sci-Fi much later as a teenager with Ender's Game, 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Journey to the Centre of the Earth. I always loved Fantasy and Sci-Fi for the worlds and characters it created and the endless possibilities - alternate universes, different technologies, fantastic voyages. So when I was contacted by Nick Wood, one of the contributing authors to the edited volume, and asked if I would be interested in reading and reviewing a copy, I tried to play it cool, but the truth is, I was extremely excited to read this Sci-Fi anthology by African writers.

In the introduction to the anthology  the editor, Ivor Hartmann writes:

"If one looks at the last 50 years of publishing in terms of SciFi and African writers, some real gems have never been collected in one volume ... but the vision I had for Afro SF needed to include the forward thinking spirit embodied so well in SciFi as a genre  .... SciFi is highly underdeveloped in African literature as a whole ... [it] is the only genre that enables African writers to envision a future from our African perspective".

Science Fiction is a growing genre on the African continent, but it's also not new, take a look for instance at Nick Wood's overview of South African written science or speculative fiction. What Ivor Hartmann has done in Afro SF is bring together a collection of new and original stories and provide a different perspective to this genre. A few months ago, I listened to "Is Science Fiction Coming to Africa?", a radio documentary on BBC World Service. Well, with this introduction Ivor Hartmann shows us just how present Science Fiction is in Africa and sets the pace going for the rest of the anthology.

While South African and Nigerian authors dominate (there are also authors from the Gambia, Kenya, Zimbabwe and the diaspora) Afro SF contains 22 short stories*, which just kept on getting better and better with each story I read. As I read, I kept on thinking how well-written the stories were, but also how well-edited the volume was. I couldn't pick a favourite as this anthology had it all, and I loved it all. In Home Affairs by Sarah Lotz robots have replaced corrupt bureaucratic Africans; in Five Sets of Hands by Cristy Zinn an enslaved race lives on Mars; in Heresy by Mandisi Nkomo there's speculation that the South African government destroyed the spiritual realm; in Masquerade Stories by Chiagozi Fred Nwonwu aliens have been visiting earth for centuries, we just mistook them for something else; in The Trial by Joan De La Haye as the world reached the nine billion mark, the courts have been tasked with deciding which members of the society should live, and which ones should die; and in Brandy City by Mia Arderne brandy is the local currency for certain members of society. Yes, there's time travel, but there's also ancestral spirits, technologial advancements coinciding with a world where old cultures still dominate, a teleporter, intergalactic wars, aliens on earth mating with humans, humans in space mating with aliens, and intergalactic poachers. I'm not sure I'm conveying just how much fun it was reading Afro SF, but I really enjoyed each and every story I read.

It's a whopping 400 pages, but don't be put off - it's worth it. As a fan of Sci-Fi, as I turned each page and read more I couldn't help but smile and feel proud that this wonderful collection of Science Fiction stories was written by African writers. This really is a welcome addition to the genre. So if you're a fan of Science Fiction this anthology is a must-read, and if you're interested in exploring more Science Fiction from an African perspective this is definitely worth the read. 

All that's left is for me to say a big thank you to Ivor Hartmann for editing this wonderful anthology and to the authors that contributed to this anthology for keeping me entertained for many hours.

The ebook edition of AfroSF will be released December 2012, with a print edition to follow in 2013. You can find out more about Afro SF here.

*I found out later that Tendai Huchu will also be contributing to the anthology, whose story unfortunately wasn't in the version I received.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

The winner of the Caine Prize 2012 was announced on July 2nd - and congratulations again to Rotimi Babtunde for his win.  Bombay's Republic was one of my favourite stories (the other was La Salle de Depart) so I am glad it won. I would like to say thank you to the New Internationalist, publishers of the Caine Prize Anthologies, who gave me a copy of this years Caine Prize Anthology (can I say I still get super excited at being contacted by publishers and authors for books, and I don't think that excitement will ever go away).  I really wanted to read and review it to coincide with the release of the anthology/announcement of the winner, but I didn't get a chance and so the review is coming in a few days later than I hoped. 


Along with this years five shortlisted stories (the shortlist can be found here), African Violet contains ten additional short stories. Ten writers from six different African countries (Botswana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe) took part in the annual Caine Prize Writers' Workshop and produced some really amazing stories for the Anthology. As stated on the blurb at the back of the Anthology:




In addition to the five shortlisted stories, Bombay's Republic, Urban Zoning, Love on Trial, La Salle de Depart, and Hunter Emmanuel, there is a story about two brothers, Cephas and Erabus, walking into the city's 'downtown jungle of skyscrapers'; another about a young girl who loved watching her Mama's walk home, because it was 'a gentle reminder that said I mattered'; a boy who on his 18th birthday is finally able to move forward after the tragedy he (and his family) experienced 2 years ago; a mother struggling to cope with her new baby; a man named Buda, who in mid-January, needs work as everyone is broke after the splendour of December. Buda navigates the city with his lack of funds, until he meets Mwangi (a young man from the IDP camp constructed in his city), who he 'enlightens'; a nurse, who arrived in Cape Town five years ago, but had to work as a security guard because her qualifications weren't recognised; a lesbian thinking of leaving her partner because now 'she wants to spend more time with men'; a story about illegal mining in Zimbabwe; a story about an interesting relationship between a young black woman and an older white woman; and a story about a woman, who on a seven hour trip from Cape Town to Namibia, thinks back to a time when a tragedy happened.


I have said quite a few times I am not the biggest fan of short stories, but dare I say I might be slowly changing my mind. African Violet was a lovely Anthology and I really enjoyed all the short stories in it. My favourites from the workshop stories had to be 'Mama's Walk' by Grace Khunou, 'Moving Forward' by Lauri Kubuitsile, 'Table Manners' by B M Kunga, and I'm torn between 'The Verge' by Rachel Zadok and 'Pillar of Love' by Beatrice Lamwaka. I have to say I also loved the fact that some characters in African Violet drove Rav 4's, owned iMacs, iPhones and Leica's. There were wealthy Africans in the Anthology, but also Africans trying to make a living. 


When talking about this year's shortlisted stories, Bernardine Evaristo said she was 'looking for stories about Africa that enlarge our concept beyond the familiar images that dominate the media, War-torn Africa, Starving Africa, Corrupt Africa - in short: The Tragic Continent'. For me there was no sign of  'The Tragic Continent' in the Anthology (both with the shortlisted and workshop stories). If anyone else has read the 2012 Caine Prize Anthology I would love to know which one(s) were your favourite, and if you have read previous anthologies has it moved beyond the 'tragic African narrative'? Now I really need to stop making excuses and read the 2010 and 2011 Anthologies that are on my shelf. A list of past Caine Prize Anthologies can be found here. 


And something that made me smile. This year, the collection will be published by New Internationalist in the UK and by Jacana Media in South Africa, as well as in five other African countries (Cassava Republic (Nigeria), Sub-Saharan Publishers (Ghana), Kwani? (Kenya), FEMRITE (Uganda) and Bookworld (Zambia) - a first for Caine Prize. I know Cassava Republic already co-publishes the Anthology for the Nigerian market and Kwani? for the Kenyan market, but I am really glad that there are three more African co-publishers this year.


4.5 out of 5 stars

I have been Blogging the Caine Prize for 5 weeks and it has been a great experience. I was initially nervous about reviewing these shortlisted stories mainly because I've never reviewed short stories individually, and then when I found out about Blogging the Caine Prize and the calibre of bloggers that were participating in it, I got even more nervous. But I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience - reading the short stories, sharing my thoughts, and most of all reading other people's views on the shortlisted stories. Twitter was a big part of the Caine Prize as well. I must confess, I am not the best twitter person out there and I am really trying to improve my social awkwardness on twitter, but typing #caineprize and getting access to the different views was absolutely amazing for me. 

Regarding the shortlisted stories, as I stated in a much earlier post, I decided to review the shortlisted stories initially out of curiosity to see if they strayed from the stereotypical African narrative. Shortly after I decided to do that I found out about Blogging the Caine Prize and decided to be part of it. I preferred some stories more than I did others, but in the end I genuinely believe the shortlisted stories fit the major criteria and went beyond the "Tragic Continent" Narrative. My ranking of the stories are based purely on how much I enjoyed them: 

1. Melissa Myambo (Zimbabwe) - La Salle de Depart
2. Rotimi Babatunde (Nigeria) - Bombay's Republic
3. Billy Kahora (Kenya) - Urban Zoning
4. Stanley Kenani (Malawi) - Love on Trial
5. Constance Myburgh (South Africa) - Hunter Emmanuel

But I'm not a judge, so I wait in anticipation for the 2012 Caine Prize Winner. Until then, I leave you with the image of the 2012 Caine Prize for African Writing Anthology, published July 2012. According to News Internationalist this years cover is inspired by one of the shortlisted stories, African Violet, and the design is courtesy of Jacana Media. I really should get to reading the other anthologies.  A list of past Caine Prize Anthologies can be found here. 

When I was asked to review Naija Stories by the editor, Myne Whitman, I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm sure I've admitted it here a few times, I am not the biggest fan of short stories. Mainly because I am just getting to know the characters and then they are yanked away from me. I have also admitted that I am trying to read more short stories and be more open-minded. 


Naijastories.com is an on-line community, which aims to promote aspiring Nigerian writers and produce stories with a Nigerian perspective. Naija Stories: Of Tears and Kisses, Heroes and Villains is Volume 1 of the ‘Best of NaijaStories’ series. The 30 stories in this anthology are divided into 4 sections: 'Tears', 'Kisses', 'Heroes' and 'Villains', and were all originally published on the Naijastories website between March 2010 and March 2011.


Can I just say that I was pleasantly surprised by Naija Stories and if I am honest what sealed the deal for me was the introduction. There was something about the way it was written that appealed to me. And when I read "Most of us have only seen zebras in the zoo", I smiled as I felt like I was going to read the Nigeria that I know (the first time I ever saw a zebra was at Chessington Zoo in the UK). After reading the introduction, I was eager to find out what this anthology had to offer and I wasn't let down. I was drawn to some stories more than others and those are the stories I want to focus on - the ones that really stood out for me:


The Catalyst by Meena Adekoya was a haunting story written from the point-of-view of an unborn child. One Sunday Morning in Atlanta by Uko Bendi Udo was one of my favourite stories. Okon is spending one Sunday Morning in Atlanta with his devout Christian mother who is visiting from Nigeria. Mother of Darkness by Rayo Abe was fun because it reminded me of all the stories I used to here from cousins or friends who went to boarding school about ghosts and Madame koikoi. It is a tale of a woman remembering her youthful antics with her three friends as they tried to conjure up a powerful witch. Showdown at Rowe Park by Babtunde Olaifa is a simple story about a boy in primary school having to defend himself after unexpectedly being made the class captain. Visiting Admiral Bull by Adiba Obubo explores the issues going on in Niger-Delta, as a woman from the diaspora returns to interview her uncle, Admiral Bull. Blame it on a Yellow Dress by Uche Okonkwo, a tale of incest, was probably the stand-out story for me. Other stories I enjoyed were Its Not that Easy by Lawal Opeyemi Isaac, Two Straws in A Bottle by Remi Roy Oyeyemi, and How I Kissed Hadiza by Seyi Osinowo. 


This was an enjoyable read - I was finally able to read it last night and ended up finishing it this morning. While I enjoyed some short stories more than others, I absolutely love that Naija Stories showcased new and emerging writers. As a reader, I love that I was able to experience writing that I may have never experienced if this didn't exist. I also enjoyed the blurbs on the authors at the start of each story (I even went on to further explore some of these writers after I finished reading). It was also nice reading stories from different parts of Nigeria and the diaspora. If Naija Stories aim was to reflect the diversity of Nigeria and the Nigerian experience, I feel it was able to do that. For more on the anthology check here.


4 out of 5 stars.


A little side note: I tried to play it cool when I was contacted by Myne Whitman to review this book, but inside I did a little happy dance (actually it was more than a little). I am still finding my feet in this world of books so to be asked to actually do a review is such a pleasure. So thank you!!

I am kind of obsessed with Zimbabwean literature at the moment, so obviously I had to do a post on Weaverpress because they publish some pretty amazing books, like The Hairdresser of Harare.


Weaver Press is a small independent Zimbabwean publisher formed in 1998 to publish books from and about Zimbabwe. While they focus on political and social history, the environment, media issues, and women’s and children’s rights; they also have a growing fiction list with works from award-winning Zimbabwean authors. They also publish short-story anthologies and some YA. 


Here is a look at some of the amazing works they publish. Find out more about Weaverpress and their catalogue here.



 
 
 

This isn't a confessional post. Although I do have a confession, I am not the biggest fan of short stories. There are the occasional writers who write short stories, like Helon Habila's Waiting for An Angel, and occasional short story anthologies like African Love Stories, which I enjoy, but I'm still learning to fully appreciate them. I wish I could say I had a logical (or even intelligent) reason as to why, but it's just that they usually leave me wanting more. I get to know these characters, their stories, and then I'm left hanging. There's usually no next chapter for me to learn more about them. It just ends.  


I have been trying to get into more short stories and be more open-minded about them, especially since African literature does have a lot of short stories and African writers do have a gift for writing them (I wonder why that is?). There's the Caine Prize for African Writing and African Roar Anthologies, which I mentioned earlier, but here are a few more anthologies, as well as, short story collections by authors.