Friday, December 31, 2010

Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine is Open to Submissions

This is an established market for science fiction stories. They pay on acceptance, and beginners get 6.0 cents a word to 7,500 words, 5.0 cents a word for stories longer than 12,500 words, and $450 for
stories between those lengths. Click here for guidelines.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

A Letter from Cassava Republic-Fela: This Bitch of a Life

Dear Friend,

Dr Carlos Moore, author of Fela: This Bitch of a Life - the only authorised biography of the late legendary musician, composer and Afrobeat king, Fela Kuti - has challenged the powerful Broadway producers/stakeholders of the Tony-Award winning musical, FELA!    In its short life, that play, recounting the life of Africa´s most powerful musical creator and political maverick, has been performed to nearly 500 000 in New York alone and reportedly already grossed close to $30 million.

At issue is the alleged flagrant misuse of copyright by the producers who, when their paltry offer of $4000 for stage and film rights was turned down by Moore, several years ago, went ahead nonetheless and created the musical, presumably thinking that the author would never have the resources to challenge them.  They were wrong: he received the backing of a group of respected and highly principled African Americans. Their support indicates a growing infuriation with corrupt and unscrupulous impresarios and producers who find it acceptable to violate the intellectual property of creative artists for their own profit and gain.

The point is that the lawsuit Carlos Moore filed on November 8th, 2010 sets a precedent, one that is long overdue; too many creative spirits, born in poverty-striken communities and/or countries, have had to watch impotently as their intellectual production is violated with impunity.
 

If you are in support of our cause, simply send an email to me bibi@cassavarepublic.biz indicating your willingness to have your name appear on a statement to the press that will be released on January 15th, 2011. The declaration is attached to this email for your perusal.  If you also know of prominent and respected Nigerians who you think will want to be part of this cause, please forward this email and declaration to them.  

Yours sincerely
 

Bibi Bakare-Yusuf
Cassava Republic Press

Monday, December 27, 2010

New Children's Emagazine: Literature for Kids

This is a brand new paying ezine for stories, poetry and book reviews. Note: like all start-up magazines, submitting to this ezine means taking a chance on the success of the ezine. But for those who like finding new markets, we're delighted to see another ezine for kids entering the business. Click here for more details.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

A Message from Poetry Digest Magazine

Seasons greetings.
If you haven't gotten the PoetryDigest Magazine Issue 2 edited by Jumoke Verissimo with The Sage Hasson on the front Cover; I can categorically tell you that your children are gonna ask you why you weren't HIP during your time.
Anyways, I have missed you guys. And the good news: We now have new outlets.


ABUJA
Bose Malomo 07033611643
TJ Sally Alaya 098751538
Biola Olaitan 08053896483

ILORIN
Bolaji 08076130412

ABEOKUTA
Access Dental Clinic
Dupe Sodipe 08032265268

NIGERIA LAW SCHOOL, Lagos
Dawud Abass Olisa 08054142677

UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS Arts Block Newspaper Stand

VICTORIA ISLAND AXIS
Toun Omotola-Quadri 08057334240

And do not forget

TERRA CULTURE
QUINTESSENCE
JAZZHOLE

ABIA STATE
Shayo on 08060336271

UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN and UCH
Zaynab on 08036060091

OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY
Funmi Fagbade on 08033784795 or 07051384940

YABA and EBUTE META
Bisi Oseni 08034898395
Hussein Adeiye 07057055543
____________________________________________________

So, you guys o, don't let this year end without securing a copy. You know we do not have any corporate sponsorship yet. We are counting on you. Thank you and have a BEAUTIFUL Holiday.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Advance.


Love Always,
KM Quadri
Publisher, The PoetryDigest Magazine

Monday, December 20, 2010

Literary Traveler Wants Travel Articles

Literary Traveler was launched in March of 1998. Their audience is made up of people who love to read and travel and who are interested in literature and the arts. They are seeking articles that capture the literary imagination. Is there an artist or writer that has inspired you? Have you taken a journey or pilgrimage that
was inspired by a work of literature? They focus mainly on literary artists but welcome articles about other artists: composers, painters, songwriters, storytellers, etc. Token fee offered for accepted work. View website for details.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Commonwealth Short Story Competition

The competition is an annual scheme to promote new creative writing for radio, funded and administered by the Commonwealth Foundation and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association.

Entry is open to all Commonwealth citizens aged 19 and over to send in original, unpublished short stories for radio.

The 2011 Commonwealth Short Story Competition will open for entry via the online entry form from 15 January to 1 March 2011. Entries should be original, unpublished, in English and no more than 600 words in length. Entries can be on any subject, but there will be a special award for entries relating to the 2011 Commonwealth theme, ‘Women as Agents of Change’ and a special award for a short story for children."

For more information, click here.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Myne Whitman for Last GAP of 2010, author of the acclaimed 'A Heart to Mend'.

Sunday 19th December
GAP at OX 5.30PM.
Oriental Express River Plate Park. Ahmadu Bello Road!

Myne Whitman is a pen name. She is the the managing editor of Naija Stories, a critique website for Nigerian writers. A Heart to Mend is her first novel and she is currently working on another romantic fiction to be released in 2011.

Bring a friend.
Enquiries SMS to 07036684411.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Celebrity Read Africa

Join the largest gathering for a book reading and future discovery event in Africa this weekend as over 10 Celebrities from different industries converge to reignite the passion for books in Nigeria. Clelbrities include Mallam Nasir El Rufai (Former FCT Minister), Chief Dele Momodu (Media guru/Presidential aspirant) and Chief Segun Odegbami (Nigerian Ex-football International).
Date: Saturday 18 December 2010
Time: 12PM
Venue: Terra Kulture, Plot 1376, Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

US Airways Open to Submissions

US Airways Magazine is looking for writers who can deliver smart, pithy copy. They like breezy, humor, and a friendly, light tone. They prefer to receive story submissions or inquiries via email with "Pitch" or "Story Submission" in the subject line. They prefer specific ideas or pitches based on a careful perusal of their
magazine (refer to Web site if you don't have access to a bound copy). Avoid sending "shotgun pitches," a single email with multiple story suggestions. Attached clips are preferred, along with a brief note about who you are, what you write about, and where you've been published. They pay from $100-$500 depending on originality of idea, projected space in the magazine, and amount of research used to create an original idea. View website for contact details. http://www.usairwaysmag.com/contact/

Saturday, December 11, 2010

African Writing Prize for Flash Fiction 2011

First place award: £100
& Publication for 8 shortlisted stories
Competition Guidelines:
Deadlines: Entries close - 31st January, 2011. Winners announced - 4th April, 2011.
Stories must be previously unpublished (and must not be available on any blogs or publicly accessible online repositories).
Stories must be the sole work of the entrant.
Stories must be 750 words or less.
Entry is free.
Only one submission can be made per entrant.
Only online submissions are acceptable. Entries should be emailed to flashprize(at)african-writing.com as an attachment in the .doc or .rtf format with 'Flash Contest' in the subject line.
The email must contain the entrant's name, the title of story, and the entrant's physical address and contact phone number.
Please do NOT include your name on your story. Neither the story nor the name of the attachment should include a reference to the writer's name.
Simultaneous submissions are NOT acceptable.
The first round of judging will be by African Writing's editorial group, which will forward 30 long-listed stories to the competition judge.
The judge will select a shortlist of 8 stories for publication and an overall winner of the £100 prize.
The theme of the competition is open.
There are no ethnic, racial or geographical restrictions on writers.
Licensing: copyright retained by all writers. Short-listed entries are exclusively licensed to African Writing magazine in all formats for 12 months from 4th April, 2011; The licence becomes non-exclusive after 12 months.
Employees and affiliates of African Writing are ineligible for this contest. Writers with a strong personal or professional relationship with the competition judge are requested not to submit for reasons of transparency.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Cassava Republic to host book party in Abuja

Cassava Republic Press announces the book party of its newest release, “The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives,” by poet Lola Shoneyin on Friday, December 17th, at the French Cultural Centre in Abuja. 
The event, which is presented in collaboration with the French Cultural Centre, will feature music, entertainment and a reading by the author. The general public is invited to attend. The gate fee is N1,500 and includes a copy of the book.

The book, which has won rave reviews in the United States and the United Kingdom, describes the upheaval that follows when polygamist Baba Segi marries his fourth wife, Bolanle. A graduate amongst the other semi-literate wives, Bolanle, is hated from the start. Worse, her arrival threatens to do more than simply ruffle feathers. She's unwittingly set to expose a secret that her co-wives intend to protect, at all costs.

Known for her poetry, this is Shoneyin’s first novel, and it is a light and ironic exposé of the rotten innards of Baba Segi's polygamous household. In this cleverly-plotted story, Shoneyin shows how women in contemporary Nigeria can be restricted, controlled and damaged by the men in their lives. Copies of the book can be found at booksellers in Lagos, Abuja and at the Cassava Republic website:www.cassavarepublic.biz. 

Cassava Republic Press was founded in 2006 and based in Abuja, Nigeria. It publishes high-quality fiction and non-fiction for adults, teens and children. Lola Shoneyin was born in Ibadan, Oyo State and educated at the Ogun State University and the London Metropolitan University. Her first collection of poetry, “So All the Time I Was Sitting On An Egg” was nominated for the ANA poetry prize in 1997 and her work has appeared in several international journals such as Callaloo, Orbis and Glendora Review. She is married with four children.

The French Cultural Centre is located at 52 Libreville Street, off Aminu Kanu Crescent, Wuse II. Gate opens at 6 pm. To RSVP, send an email to info@cassavarepublic.biz or call: 09 780 3159.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

The Kwani? Litfest 2010

The Kwani? Litfest is back! We're on from 12th-17th December in Nairobi. Please search for '2010 Kwani? Litfest' and join for updates.

We have a very special theme this year - 'Tell Us What Happened' with Ngugi Wa Thiong'o as the headliner with Ama Ata Aidoo, Micere Mugo, Rebeka Njau, Okey Ndibe, Binyavanga Wainaina, Yvonne Owuor and many others.

Visit www.kwani.org for details.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

CNN MULTICHOICE AFRICAN JOURNALIST AWARDS 2011

CNN International and MultiChoice this week officially launched the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2011 Awards.  The winners of these prestigious annual Awards will be announced at a gala ceremony to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa in June 2011.

Tony Maddox, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of CNN International, said: “The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards have been encouraging excellence in journalism across the continent for 16 years and are truly a highlight in CNN's editorial calendar. I’m delighted that they continue to grow in stature and prestige, and it’s a humbling experience each year to see and experience such dedication, passion and talent. 2011 promises to be another year of stellar African journalism.”

Collins Khumalo, President MultiChoice Africa, said: “MultiChoice Africa is delighted to once again participate in Africa’s largest and most coveted journalism awards. Each year we are proud of the talent showcased at the awards and excited about the great progress made in African journalists telling the African story. We believe as an African company that our participation makes a significant contribution towards the development of media in Africa.” 
Sam Rogers, from e.tv South Africa, was awarded the top prize at the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2010 Awards ceremony.  Sam, won for ‘The Curse of the Nobody People’, which was chosen from among 2074 entries from 44 nations across the African continent. 
Sam said:Winning the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist of the Year was possibly the highlight of my career. What an honour to be chosen a winner among so many brilliant African journalists, to be listed alongside the very best who have won this prestigious accolade over the years.  What a wonderful platform the CNN MultiChoice award is. It has allowed us to broadcast to a wider audience, to highlight the plight of persecuted Tanzanian albinos and has begun changing perceptions in that region. Their voices were finally heard. “

Over the past 16 years, the competition has grown in size and status to become Africa’s most prestigious media event. In 2010, a ‘Highlights Programme’ of the ceremony, held in Kampala, Uganda, was broadcast in 47 African countries, on the Africa Channel in the US, UK and the Caribbean, OBE TV and RTP Africa.
This year, the competition will recognise excellence in the following categories:
·         Arts & Culture Award
·         Digital Journalism Award 
·         Economics & Business Award
·         Environment Award
·         Free Press Africa Award
·         The HIV/AIDS Reporting Award
·         Mohamed Amin Photographic Award
·         MSD Health & Medical Award
·         Print General News Award
·         Radio General News Award
·         Sport Award
·         Television Features Award
·         Television News Bulletin Award
·         Tourism Award
·         Francophone General News Awards 
·         Portuguese Language General News Award  

From these category winners, the judges choose the overall winner - The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2011.
Finalists in the 2011 competition will participate in a four day finalists’ programme that will include a media forum and networking opportunities with senior journalists, editors, business leaders and media owners from across the continent, culminating in a gala awards ceremony in June, 2011.  All finalists receive a cash prize and each category winner also receives a laptop and printer.  The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2011 will receive an additional cash prize and a trip to CNN Center in Atlanta.
The independent judging panel includes: Ikechukwu Amaechi, Editor, Daily Independent, Nigeria; Jean-Paul Gérouard, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, France 3 TV; Ferial Haffajee, Editor-in-Chief, City Press, South Africa; Joel Kibazo, journalist and media consultant; Arlindo Lopes, Secretary General, Southern African Broadcasting Association; José Luís Mendonça, Press Counsellor, Angolan Permanent Delegation to UNESCO; Zipporah Musau,  Managing Editor,  Magazines, The Standard Group Ltd, Kenya; Kim Norgaard, CNN Bureau Chief, South Africa.
The competition is open to African nationals who are professional journalists including freelancers across print, television, internet, photographic and radio.  Full details on how to enter can be found by logging on at www.cnn.com/africanawards.  The closing date for entries is 27 January 2011. There will NOT be any extensions of this closing date, and entries received after this date may be disqualified. The judging will take place in April, 2011.  All entries should be broadcast or published during January 2010 – December 2010. www.cnn.com/africanawards

Thursday, December 2, 2010

RedSTRAT Vacancy: Intern Writer

So, you think you can write?
The team at RedSTRAT(owner of Y! Magazine and www.ynaija.com) is searching for interns in its creative department.
Working with RedSTRAT opens you up to exciting opportunities and networks. You also get an appropriate outburst for your creative passion, personal growth and exclusive trainings.

To intern, you must:
1.       Have a passion for writing and be ready to develop that passion
2.       Be able to write interesting pieces
3.       Have a strong command of English
4.       Be ready to work flexible hours
5.       Be able to work outside the office(attend and report events)
6.       Be able to work under pressure
7.       Have basic proficiency in the use of computers
8.       Have a dynamic outlook to work.

Members of the NYSC are strongly advised to apply.

If you are ready for this opportunity, send a mail with your personal details to demola@redstratnigeria.com . This mail should also contain a 250-words story about an interesting experience this past week. There shall also be walk-in interview at our office (14 Shofidiya Close, Off Adegoke, Off Masha, Surulere, Lagoson Saturday 4 December, 2010 at 10am.

Compensation is attractive.

For more information, call 08022226712
 

 

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Farafina Book Review

Are you a writer? Do you want to improve your reading skills? Would you love to discuss literary issues in a calm, relaxing atmosphere or you simply need somewhere to hang out on a Saturday afternoon? If yes, then the Farafina book review is for you.

Join artist and NEXT columnist, Victor Ehikhamenor and Wana of Inspiration FM as they review Chimamanda’s collection of short stories, The Thing Around Your Neck. Searing and profound, suffused with beauty, sorrow and longing, these stories map the collision of cultures and the deeply human struggle to reconcile them.

As you know, this is a good opportunity to network with writers, readers et al. Also, there would be lots of munchies and free copies of The Thing Around Your Neck. What better way to spend a Saturday?! Don’t miss out!

* Event starts by 3pm on Saturday, 4th of December at TerraKulture, Tiamiyu Savage, V/I and is free to attend.