Congratulations Clifton Gachagua!

The winner of the Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets for 2013 is Clifton Gachagua for his manuscript Madman at Kilifi. Below is a photo off the internet. He will receive a USD $1,000 prize and publication by the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal. “I was driven mostly by what was for me a quest for a fresh language—something that seemed to come out of the energy of language spoken and owned, and then transformed into a poetic force that seemed sometimes out of control, but only in the way that honest passions can seem out of control,” says APBF Series Editor Kwame Dawes. “There is cleverness aplenty here and much that is provocative and troubling. Indeed, I think it is daring, careless and at times tender and vulnerable. But above all, there is a distinctive voice here. This is a strange trait to find, but when it emerges it is striking for its originality. I believe this is an original voice. This manuscript achieves what is necessary in African poetry: it feels as African as Africanness can be, and wholly contemporary and in our moment.” Clifton lives in Nairobi, where he was born and raised. His poetry has appeared in Kwani? 06 and Saraba. He has recently finished work on a novel. Clifton is also a scriptwriter and filmmaker, currently developing a French-Nigerian feature-length film. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science. He has spent a considerable time of his life on East African highways, travelling from lake to coast and back, in search of both love and Jeffery Eugenides’s Obscure Object.

POETRY FOUNDATION GHANA POETRY PRIZE

Poetry Foundation Ghana has announced its inaugural (2013) GHANA POETRY PRIZE with $1,000 winning prize at stake. This is built on the hugely successful 2012 Online Competition which was done under the name Ghana Poetry Awards. According to organisers, the aim of this prize is to support younger emerging poets. The Prize is sponsored by Poetry Foundation Ghana and with the hope of increasing the prize when they have enough funds from other sources. "People with interest in poetry are invited to help in this direction and we will be grateful for your sponsorship." This contest is open to anyone, anywhere in the world. Interested persons are to to submit a maximum of two poems which must not be more than 30 lines long. Plus, it is free to enter. All submissions should be made to submissions@poetryfoundationghana.org with the subject 'Poetry Prize'. The deadline is June 30, 2013. Shortlisted poems would be announCed in July, while the winner will be made known by September. Viasat1NewsOnline

Article from Proggie UG-on BNN as author of the month

Any aspiring authors who missed the conversations with the author of the month Beverley Nambozo at Femrite are sorely at a loss. Her pedigree needs no recounting and to say that her advice is priceless would be an understatement. We have come to expect every event to start late and so we, at least I, never bother to set off on time. To my pleasure and disappointment this one started on time. People were already seated and Beverley was going on with the conversations. As a first time visitor I was surprised to see more than one man in the intimate gathering. When I hear Femrite, I immediately think women. It was a pleasure to find that the female author cuts across genders. It was aptly titled ‘conversations’ because that is what it was. Certainly some of the people present knew each other well, but even us first time members settled in very easily. Beverley shared and the audience asked questions here and there. Here are a few tips from Beverley for those seeking to follow in her footsteps but sadly missed talking to her. She stressed the need for research and more research. If you are writing a story about Owino market, go downtown and ‘breathe the life’. However she followed this up by saying respect to the characters and their story should always be upheld. In response to a question about if writers can be taught, the lady who asked the question mentioned that when asked the same, Chinua Achebe said that it really comes from the gut, Beverly said that ‘teaching’ might be replaced by the word ‘nurture’.’You should indeed nurture your craft’, she said. She confirmed what I have always believed by saying that writing is hard work and that you need to put in the work. You should find a space to nurture your craft. For her it was her Masters’ in Fine Art but it can be a writer’s club or through peer review. She shared the ups and downs the Beverley Nambozo poetry award has led her on. In its fifth year, it is the only one of its kind in the country. Although there were times she wanted to just give it up, she is proud of the results. Her formula? Determination and a good team. There are other spices that go into the end work but from what I surmised, these were prerequisite. The award is growing to cover East Africa and include men as well. As is the norm at this event, I was informed, the author of the month reads to the group. Beverly recited a few of her poems my favourite being ‘Kampala’, a one stanza piece that proves that truth can really be said in very few words. On encouraging writers in Uganda; Beverly believes the University(s) should build more programs that support writing and that writers should be paid-on that I agree. Her books are on sale for 10,000shs at Femrite, the National theatre or in her handbag, her words. The Beverley Nambozo poetry foundation is accepting entries for this year’s award. The deadline is 5th May. SUBMIT YOUR POEMS TO THE 5TH AND FINAL BN POETRY AWARD FOR UGANDA Theme: Innovation Guidelines for the award: • The theme is Innovation and you may submit a total of three poems under this theme • The award is open to Ugandan women above 18 years and who are residents of Uganda • The poems must be original, written in English and sent as word attachments in Times New Roman Size 12, single-spaced • Previous first winners are not allowed to participate • Submit poems by email to bnpoetryaward@gmail.com or post to P O Box 34942 Kampala, Uganda • DO NOT add your contact details to the poem, only the title of the poem. Instead, include your name, poems’ titles, email address and phone number in the body of the email • For more details, follow the facebook page, Beverley Nambozo Poetry Foundation or blog: http://bnpoetryaward.blogsot.com/ or website:www.bnpoetryaward.co.ug • Submissions will be accepted from 7 January 2013 to 5 May 2013 Prizes: • Fully sponsored trip to the Storymoja Hay Festival in Nairobi alongside cash prizes of 500 US Dollars, 300 US Dollars and 200 US Dollars respectively to use at the festival • Autographed copies of poetry• Autographed copies of Diaries of a Dead African, by Chuma Nwokolo, Jr.

SUBMIT TO THE 2013 BN POETRY AWARD

SUBMIT YOUR POEMS TO THE 5TH AND FINAL BN POETRY AWARD FOR UGANDA Theme: Innovation Guidelines for the award: • The theme is Innovation and you may submit a total of three poems under this theme • The award is open to Ugandan women above 18 years and who are residents of Uganda • The poems must be original, written in English and sent as word attachments in Times New Roman Size 12, single-spaced • Previous first winners are not allowed to participate • Submit poems by email to bnpoetryaward@mail.com or post to P O Box 34942 Kampala, Uganda • DO NOT add your contact details to the poem, only the title of the poem. Instead, include your name, poems’ titles, email address and phone number in the body of the email • For more details, follow the facebook page, Beverley Nambozo Poetry Foundation or blog: http://bnpoetryaward.blogspot.com or website: www.bnpoetryaward.co.ug • Submissions will be accepted from 7 January 2013 to 5 May 2013 Prizes: • Fully sponsored trip to the Storymoja Hay Festival in Nairobi alongside cash prizes of 500 US Dollars, 300 US Dollars and 200 US Dollars respectively to use at the festival • Autographed copies of poetry • Autographed copies of Diaries of a Dead African, by Chuma Nwokolo, Jr.

Submit you fiction to Wasafiri

Submitting fiction to Wasafiri • Fiction submissions should be no longer than 6000 words in length and previously unpublished. • Work should be submitted as a Word document or equivalent (no pdfs please, and do not paste your short story into the body of an email). • Your name should not appear anywhere on the manuscript. Instead, your name and contact details should be listed in a covering letter/email. Please be aware that we receive a large number of fiction submissions, therefore the consideration process can take up to six months. All submissions can be emailed to wasafiri@open.ac.uk and marked for the attention of the Editor. Or addressed directly to: Susheila Nasta Editor Wasafiri The Open University in London 1-11 Hawley Crescent London NW1 8NP UK