Zukiswa Wanner

Blog

  • December 4: Nokuthula Mazibuko Msimang’s “The Daughters of Nandi” Joburg pre-launch.

    December 4: Nokuthula Mazibuko Msimang’s “The Daughters of Nandi” Joburg pre-launch.

    Paivapo Publishers welcomes you to the pre-launch of Nokuthula Mazibuko Msimang’s debut novel The Daughters of Nandi, at the Book Circle Capital on Saturday, December 4. at 2pm.

    Nokuthula Mazibuko Msimang is a South African writer, academic, producer and broadcaster who has published six books for young readers.

    The writer this year made her step into the adult space with the publication of her debut novel The Daughters of Nandi. You can get a taste of the new book from this excerpt from our friends at Johannesburg Review of Books by Clicking here.

  • October 15-17: Pa Gya! A Literary Festival

    October 15-17: Pa Gya! A Literary Festival

    Pa Gya! A Literary Festival was first hosted by the Writers Project of Ghana and the Goethe-Institut in 2017. Its name Pa Gya! comes from the Twi word meaning “to lift up” or “to strike flame” and it was aimed at igniting passion for the literary arts. After hosting writers from within Ghana and across the continent to much success; it was followed by another run in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

    I am one of the featured guests of the festival this year in Accra, Ghana.

    If you are in town please come by the events of the festival.

  • October 29: Ake Arts & Book Festival 2021 #AkeFest21

    October 29: Ake Arts & Book Festival 2021 #AkeFest21

    The Ake Arts & Book Festival, popularly known as the Ake Festival, has been running in Nigeria since 2012. Lovers of books and the arts attend book readings, panel discussions, poetry recitals, film screenings, theatre and music performances and lots more over the week of the festival. The festival this year has the theme “Generational Discordance” and runs from October 28-30, 2021.

    On October 29, I talk to E.C. Osondu about his new novel which explores the courage, the tragedies and dreams that inspire young Africans to brave the Sahara and the Mediterranean to get to Europe. We will talk about the fascinating cast of characters, the stories of devotion, friendship and hope.

    Click here to register for the event.

  • Troy Onyango kicks off Audible’s Afrolit Now

    Troy Onyango kicks off Audible’s Afrolit Now

    Today marks the beginning of Audible’s Afrolit Now. A series I am curating of short stories from six African writers. The more downloads we have of it, the more I am likely to be able to do a second season and bring in more short stories from different African writers so please download and convince at least two other people to do the same.

    We kick off with Troy Onyango’s The Water People. Audible says of the series in the promo:

    “Inspired by Afrolit Sans Frontières, the virtual literary festival founded by South African author and curator Zukiswa Wanner, the Afrolit Now series brings to life short stories from the best in contemporary African fiction. Showcasing a wide range of countries, genres, and subjects—be it joy, heartbreak, love, or laughter—these pieces prove that a truly great story has no frontiers.”

  • October 14: Writing The Unseen with Abubakar Adam Ibrahim

    October 14: Writing The Unseen with Abubakar Adam Ibrahim

    Abubakar Adam Ibrahim and I shall be in conversation about his work hosted by @nyu_accra at 4.30pm Accra Time/5.30pm Abuja Time/6.30pm Joburg Time/7.30pm Nairobi Time.

    Catch us on their Facebook page and post your questions to him on the page if you are not in this city.

  • October 9: Virtually Yours with Nadifa Mohamed

    October 9: Virtually Yours with Nadifa Mohamed

    I continue “Virtually Yours” my partnership with Goethe-Institut Namibia, a series of online discussions with contemporary authors from Africa. “Virtually Yours” aims to create an online platform for avid readers, writers, academics, publishers, agents, and anyone else interested in literature by writers from Africa. The series of online discussions held once a month from October has featured Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, Niq Mhlongo, Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, Tendai Huchu, Natasha Omokhodion-Kalulu Banda, Ondjaki, Ishmael Beah, Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu, and Rémy Ngamije.

    The guest for October 9 will be Somali-British novelist Nadifa Mohamed with her latest novel Booker Prize shortlisted The Fortune Men. Her other novels are Black Mamba Boy (2010) and The Orchard of Lost Souls (2013). She featured on Granta magazine’s list “Best of Young British Novelists” in 2013, and on the Africa39 list of writers aged under 40 with potential and talent to define future trends in African literature in 2014.

    She has also written short stories, essays, memoirs and articles in outlets including The Guardian, and contributed poetry to the anthology New Daughters of Africa (ed. Margaret Busby, 2019). She is also a lecturer in Creative Writing in the Department of English at Royal Holloway, University of London.

    Register for this Virtual Gathering at the link below and stand the chance of winning a copy by clicking here.

  • October 16: African Literature and Publishing Platforms

    October 16: African Literature and Publishing Platforms

    From brick-and-mortar libraries to virtual magazines, cultural institutions provide vital infrastructure for the promotion of African literature. As audiences for African literature continue to grow, African creatives are pursuing increasingly innovative ways to celebrate local talent and foster global reading communities.

    Join us for a panel featuring three powerhouse figures in the literary world—Edwige-Renée Dro, Ainehi Edoro, and Zukiswa Wanner—as they discuss the institutional futures of African literature.

    Click here for more information.

  • October 2: Black Photo Libraries launches

    For years now, one of my favourite things to do as a writer is to see how the written word can interact with other art forms (I think the late photographer Alf Kumalo and I collaborating on the Mandela house biography 8115: A Prisoner’s Home back in 2010 or curating Artistic Encounters from 2016-2019 and then returning with it earlier this year… and coming in 2023 but starting next year, a project with five writers and two other art forms that I know you’ll all really like).

    So, I am honoured that I am one of the essayists in this project with the Market Photo Workshop which include photographers I admire immensely like Cynthia Mavuso, Santu Mofokeng, Sam Nzima, Mabel Cetu and others.

    For launch details, please email bpl@marketphotoworkshop.co.za

  • Soma Nami Book Club meet up.

    I spent time with members of the Soma Nami Book on Saturday, September 25, 2021.

    Soma Nami is a bookshop that exclusively sells books written by African writers founded by Muthoni Muiruri and Wendy Njoroge that opened in the Nairobi in August. It also has an monthly book club where members come and discuss the book of the month. The book of the month for September was my debut The Madams (2006) and I engaged with members of the book club on what the book means for Kenyan readers. Here are pictures from that event;

    Soma nami Book Club meeting
    Soma nami Book Club meeting
    Soma nami Book Club meeting
    Soma nami Book Club meeting
  • Judging the Grand Prix Panafricain de Littérature

    Judging the Grand Prix Panafricain de Littérature

    I am on the international judging panel of the new Grand Prix Panafricain de Littérature and I request that you enter for this prize.

    The Grand Prix Panafricain de Littérature in an initiative of DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi the head of the African Union. The new prize is intended to recognize an author from the continent who has produced a remarkable work in prose or verse touching on fiction (novel, short story, theater, tale, poetry).

    For the first edition, no theme is imposed on the participants. The works must however reflect the values ​​enshrined in the Charter of the African Union, such as solidarity, Pan Africanism, and peaceful cohabitation of peoples.

    For those who still wish to participate organisers are still receiving texts in in English or French  published after January 1, 2020, written by Africans in the broad sense: living in Africa or belonging to the diasporas. The deadline for entry is October 15. After this date, the preselection committee made up of Congolese academics will meet to choose the five titles that will be submitted to the “international jury.”

    For those who want to take part in the competition your deadline is October 15; send five books to; Panel de l’Union Africaine (African Union Panel HQ)
    4854, avenue Lukusa, Immeuble Orgaman.
    Commune de la Gombe.
    Kinshasa/RDC Référence: en diagonale du Premier shopping Mall.