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Stories must be previously unpublished (and must not be available on any blogs or publicly accessible online repositories).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.

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 17^th, 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.

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.

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

AHTM BOOK RAFFLE EVENT

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, Lagos) on Saturday 4 December, 2010 at 10am.

Compensation is attractive.

For more information, call 08022226712

 

 

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.