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  • LittWorld 2012: Christian Publishers Worldwide to Convene in Nairobi, Kenya

    Dates: 28 October - 2 November 2012

    MAI is pleased to announce LittWorld 2012 will take place in Nairobi, Kenya, October 28 to November 2, 2012. “MAI returns to Africa with the goal of building on momentum from the 2009 conference, which ranked among the best so far, and to increase our training support on the continent,” said MAI president John Maust.

    Every three years, MAI convenes LittWorld, the only international conference of its kind, providing intensive training on strategic, publishing-related topics. The conference gathers more than 150 publishers, editors and writers from 30-plus countries.

    Barine Kirimi, chair of the local host committee, welcomes Christian publishing colleagues worldwide. “Jambo! You will find empowerment and encouragement as you fellowship with a global community, united with one purpose. You can't afford to miss Littworld 2012 in Kenya. Mark the date now. Karibu!

    LittWorld 2012 will include a weekend pre-conference exclusively for Africa’s French-speaking Christian publishing staff and writers. Confirmed speaker Daniel Bourdanné, general secretary of IFES and former publisher said, “I feel very encouraged to know you are planning to come back to Africa in 2012. This will certainly help build momentum for the publishing work in Africa, which remains fragile.”

    The African Church increases annually faster than anywhere else in the world. But many African believers lack Christian literature written by Africans. The continent is also the world's youngest region; children under 15 make up more than 40 percent of its people. Enormous potential exists to bolster the Church and reach a new generation via life-giving books and articles.

    Men and women from 94 countries have participated in the conference since it began in 1986. Through LittWorld, MAI has seen publishing houses born, new books conceived, and skills refined for more effective publishing. Inevitably, participants take away a new or reinforced commitment to publish books and articles by local authors in the heart language and culture of readers.

    James Kwok, a psychologist and writer from Singapore, said, “What a great privilege for me to attend LittWorld 2009 Kenya, and share in the joy of Jesus with brothers and sisters in Christ from around the world, while being equipped to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ through the written word.”

    Contact Information:

    For inquiries: info@littworld.org or call (630) 260-9063.

    Website: http://www.littworld.org

  • The Nigeria International Book Fair 2011 Opens May 9th

    The Nigeria International Book Fair 2011 Opens May 9th

    Dates: 9 - 14 May 2011

    The book fair will hold from Monday, 9 to 14 May, 2010 at the Multi-Purpose hall of the University of Lagos between 9 a.m and 6 p.m daily. One of the objectives of the book fair is to showcase Nigerian books and present books from other countries, thus increasing the variety of books available to the Nigerian reading public at affordable rates.

    Publishers, Printers, Booksellers, Librarians/Libraries, Schools, student, general public, etc are invited to the 10th edition of Nigeria International Book Fair. It is an annual event where stakeholders in the publishing industry in Nigeria and other countries gather for networking and marketing of their products and services.

    The Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT) is a coalition of the major stakeholders in the Nigerian book sector, comprising the Nigerian Publishers Association, Nigerian Book Foundation, Nigerian Booksellers Association, Association of Nigerian Printers, Nigerian Library Association, Association of Nigerian Authors and the Association of Non-Fiction and Academic Authors of Nigeria. NBFT is the organiser of the annual Nigeria International Book Fair (NIBF) and National Book Fairs in Abuja, Enugu and Ife.

    Contact Information:

    For inquiries: Nigeria Publishers Association GPO Box 2541, Ibadan, Nigeria, Tel: +234 (0)2/2413396, Fax: +234 (0)1/3453646

    Website: http://www.nibfng.org/

  • Apply for the Cave Canem Fellowship (African American Poetry) at Vermont Studio Center

    Apply for the Cave Canem Fellowship (African American Poetry) at Vermont Studio Center

    Deadline: 15 June 2011

    VSC awards a number of fellowships for 4-week residencies throughout the year. In addition to VSC Awards, a variety of special fellowships are also available for full or partial funding as well as specific international fellowships with deadlines on April 1st. To apply for a fellowship, please use our brochure or download an application. To apply for a special fellowship award,
    applicants should note any additional award name(s) for which they are eligible.

    Cave Canem Fellowship

    This annual fellowship provides one 4-week residency to a poet who is a Cave Canem fellow. Home for the many voices of African American poetry, Cave Canem is committed to cultivating the artistic and professional growth of African American poets. The $25 application fee is waived for Cave Canem applicants.

    How To Apply:

    1. Print a copy of the residency application form >>

    2. Fill out the form and mail it to us with the following:

    * Manuscript or Portfolio

    * Current Resumé

    * References (On a separate page, please provide names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three people who are familiar with your work and would be willing to supply a reference if asked.)

    * Financial Status [If you would like to be considered for assistance based on financial need as well as merit, include financial documentation (a copy of the first page of your most recent income tax return, a recent W-2, a statement of need, etc.)].

    * Self-Addressed Stamped Postcard (Optional)
    Returned to you as confirmation of receipt of your application.

    3. Applications may be submitted at any time. Applicants who wish to be considered for a fellowship must submit their applications by the fellowship application deadlines (4/1 for specific international fellowships, 6/15, and 10/1 and 2/15 for all others); applications must be received, not postmarked, by the application deadline. For each deadline, applications are reviewed by a revolving jury of professional artists and writers, and the fellowship determinations made.

    Portfolio/Manuscript Guidelines

    Include THREE (3) copies of your manuscript: For poets, maximum of 10 pages, no more than one poem per page. All other genres, maximum of 15 pages. Please use a standard typeface (e.g. Times, Palatino, Garamond, Courier), minimum 10–point type. Print on one side of the page only. Prose manuscripts should be double–spaced. Manuscripts must be submitted in an unpublished format. The first copy of the manuscript should include a cover sheet with your name, address, and title of the manuscript, and be bound with a paper clip. The second and third copies should be corner stapled and include no cover sheet. Your name should not appear anywhere on the manuscript itself. Manuscripts will not be returned.

    TO SEND APPLICATION, VIA U.S. MAIL: VERMONT STUDIO CENTER • P.O. BOX 613 • JOHNSON, VERMONT 05656 USA

    VIA PRIVATE CARRIER (FEDEX/UPS): VERMONT STUDIO CENTER • 80 PEARL ST • JOHNSON, VERMONT 05656 USA

    Contact Information:

    For inquiries: info@vermontstudiocenter.org

    For submissions: Vermont Studio Center, PO Box 613, Johnson, Vermont 05656 USa

    Website: http://www.vermontstudiocenter.org

  • The 2011 King Faisal $200,000 International Prize for Arabic Language and Literature

    Deadline: 1 May 2011

    The General Secretariat of King Faisal International Prize is pleased to announce nomination for the 1433H / 2012G King Faisal International Prize (KFIP) for Arabic Language and Literature in the topic:

    COMPUTER PROCESSING OF THE ARABIC LAGUAGE: INDIVIDUAL AND INSTITUTIONAL ENDEAVORS

    CONDITIONS:

    1. Nominations should be from universities, research centers and other learned circles. Nominations are also accepted from previous winners of King Faisal International Prize. Nominations are not accepted from individuals or political parties.
    2. Nominated works must be published, benefit mankind and enrich human knowledge.
    3. Dissertations are not accepted.

    REQUIREMENTS FROM EACH NOMINEE:

    1. A typed curriculum vitae of each nominee with a list of his/her publications.
    2. One original or high quality photocopy of each nominated paper. The total number of nominated papers should not exceed 10.
    3. Six copies of each nominated book and/or book chapter. The total number of nominated books and/or book chapters should not exceed 6.
    4. One high resolution color photo of each nominee (10 X 15 cm).

    Nomination documents and nominated works will not be returned

    REQUIREMENTS FROM NOMINATING BODY:

    1. An official letter of nomination for each nominee separately, adequately justifying the nomination and outlining the nominee's achievements in the prize field.
    2. A list of nominated works.
    3. A general information form filled by the nominee; this form can be duplicated if more than one candidate is nominated.

    PRIZE COMPONENTS:

    1. A certificate written in Arabic calligraphy, describing the work for which the winner is awarded the Prize.
    2. A Commemorative 24-carat, 200-gram gold medallion.
    3. SR 750,000 (US$ 200,000).

    REMARKS:

    1. Nominations are judged exclusively on the basis of merit, regardless of nationality, race, religion or gender.
    2. Any nomination not fulfilling all conditions and requirements shall be excluded.
    3. More than one nominee may share the Prize.
    4. The decision of the Prize's Selection Committee is final.
    5. Winners will be announced in Safar 1433H occurring January 2012G and honored at an official ceremony later in Riyadh.
    6. All the required documents must be received no later than Sunday 27 Jumada I 1432H occurring May 1 2011G at the following address.

    Please send nominations by airmail to the following address:

    The General Secretariat
    King Faisal International Prize
    Al-Khairia Building, King Fahd Road
    P.O. Box 22476 Riyadh 11495
    Saudi Arabia

    Contact Information:

    For inquiries: KFIPinfo@kff.com or call +(966-1) 465 2255

    For submissions: The General Secretariat, King Faisal International Prize, Al-Khairia Building, King Fahd Road, P.O. Box 22476 Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia

    Website: http://www.kff.com/

  • Crossed Genres Publications Seeks Novels with Characters of Color/ Set Outside North America

    Crossed Genres Publications Seeks Novels with Characters of Color/ Set Outside North America

    Crossed Genres Publications is currently OPEN for submissions of completed novels to publish in print and ebook formats.

    What to include in your submission:

    * Your personal contact information, including applicable credits (in the email’s body)
    * A cover letter containing a detailed yet concise synopsis of your novel
    * The first ten (10) pages of your novel. DO NOT send the entire novel!

    To submit your novel, please use the submissions form. Write the title of your novel and your name in the Subject line. Submission attachments must be .doc, .docx or .rtf. NOTE: Crossed Genres Publications does NOT accept Multiple or Simultaneous submissions for novels.

    Manuscript format

    * 12 pt. Times New Roman or Arial (Courier is evil)
    * Single-spaced, line between paragraphs
    * Italics for italics, Bold for bold, etc.

    Beyond the above we’re not picky, but please don’t get too “creative”: no blue paper/fonts, 18-pt Copperplate Gothic chapter titles, or 2-inch margins. (Yes, we have seen these.)

    What are we looking for?

    Manuscripts between 50,000 and 100,000 words (Firm). The story must be Science Fiction and/or Fantasy; blending of other genres is fine, but not required.

    We tend to favor character-driven stories, but that doesn’t mean we won’t appreciate a strong action piece. Make your characters fascinating and your plot engaging. Read some of our previous publications to get an idea of what we like. Things we want to see MORE of:

    * Queer characters
    * Characters of Color
    * Women MCs
    * Disabled characters
    * Science saves the day!
    * Far future
    * Stories set outside North America

    Beyond that, there is no hard-and-fast rule; any story that follows the above guidelines will be considered.

    What are we NOT looking for?

    While Crossed Genres will consider any submissions, we’re unlikely to be interested in concepts which seek to build on currently popular themes. If you’ve described your novel as “[Bestselling Novel #1] meets [Bestselling Novel #2]“, it’s probably not what we’re looking for. The below will be very hard sells:

    * Vampires, zombies or werewolves
    * “Science-as-villain”
    * Weak women being rescued by macho guys
    * Arthurian retellings
    * Eurocentric faeries
    * Time travel
    * Ghost stories

    Though it should go without saying, any submissions promoting discrimination, bigotry, and/or hatred will be deleted without notice or consideration.

    Compensation:

    Crossed Genres will pay an advance of $250 for accepted novels, paid on publication. After the novel has earned out the advance, the author will receive royalties based on sales.

    Rights:

    Crossed Genres takes first worldwide print and ebook rights for two (2) years.

    Crossed Genres magazine

    Payment: $10 ($25 for cover art), free E-Book, discounts

    Short Stories

    * 1,000-8,000 words (FIRM)
    * Science Fiction and/or Fantasy and/or Horror combined with the current genre
    * We no longer accept simultaneous submissions.

    (We do not accept stories above 8,000 words.)

    Articles

    * 500-3000 words
    * Articles focused on Science Fiction, Fantasy, and/or the current genre

    Contact Information:

    For inquiries:

    For submissions: click here

    Website: http://crossedgenres.com

  • Call for Book Submissions from Women of Color: Puddletown Publishing

    Puddletown Publishing Group has modeled itself to be a part of the digital publishing revolution. They are influencing the industry as an early adopter of the digital delivery system and creating a market for new and established authors. They sell cross platform and cross genre. They are securing the e-publishing rights of author-branded backlists and getting out-of-print books back into the hands of readers.

    Puddletown Publishing Group is accepting submissions for books by lesbians and/or women of color. They are interested in all genres, including Young Adult, especially mysteries. Email susanls@puddletowngroup.com for guidelines.

    Contact Information:

    For inquiries: susanls@puddletowngroup.com

    Website: http://www.puddletowngroup.com

  • Sentinel Nigeria/Jude Dibia Fiction Review Competition 2011

    Deadline: 30 September 2011

    1. Buy any novel written by a Nigerian published between June 1, 2010 and May 31st 2011

    2. Read the book and write a critical review not less than 1,000 words but not more than 1,500 words.

    3. Submit the review to sentinel@sentinelpoetry.org.uk make sure that in the subject line you specify SENTINEL NIGERIA/JUDE DIBIA FICTION REVIEW COMPETITION 2011

    4. Deadline for submission is 30th September, 2011.

    5. Sylva Ifedigbo, Sentinel Nigeria’s Features & Reviews Editor will judge the reviews and shortlist 6 reviews. All shortlisted reviews will be published in the November 2011 issue of Sentinel Nigeria.

    PRIZE MONEY & CERTIFICATES OF ACHIEVEMENT:

    Out of the 6 shortlisted reviews, there will be 3 small cash prizes and Certificates of Achievement issued.

    First Prize: N4,000.00
    Second Prize: N2,500.00
    Third Prize: N1,000.00

    Terms and Conditions

    1. You may review as many novels as you wish.
    2. This competition is absolutely FREE to enter.
    3. These reviews will be judged blind. At the Sentinel international administration centre, we will replace the reviewers’ names with ID Numbers before forwarding the reviews to the judge.
    4. Sylva Ifedigbo’s decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
    5. The winners will be notified and paid on the 10th of November, 2011.

    This competition will be held again in 2012 for books published between June 1, 2011 and May 31st 2012.

    Contact Information:

    For inquiries: sentinel@sentinelpoetry.org.uk

    For submissions: sentinel@sentinelpoetry.org.uk

    Website: http://sentinelnigeria.org/

  • Apply for M Literary Residency 2012 - 2013 in India/ China

    Apply for M Literary Residency 2012 - 2013 in India/ China

    Deadline: 1 July 2011

    M Literary Residency 2012-13

    There are no nationality restrictions for applications. However, applicants should be over 21 years old and be writing in English.

    The M Literary Residency Program has been established to disseminate a broader knowledge of contemporary life and writing in India and China today and to foster deeper intellectual, cultural and artistic links across individuals and communities. Applicants are invited to apply for three month residencies in India or China.

    Applications for the 2012 Residency are now being accepted. Application deadline is Friday, 1 July 2011, and decisions will be announced 31 October.

    The M Literary Residency Programme ~ 2012-2013 Residency Guidelines

    The M Literary Residency Programme has been established to disseminate a broader knowledge of contemporary life and writing in India and China today and to foster deeper intellectual, cultural and artistic links across individuals and communities.

    The intent of the residency is to provide space and time primarily for writing and location-specific research. It is not to be used as base for travel in order to undertake research further afield.

    Writers may apply for ONE of two M Literary Residencies:

    Bangalore, India

    A three-month residency in a rural setting near Bangalore, South India from late 2012 to early 2013. The successful applicant will have his/her transportation costs to and from Bangalore covered by the M Residency. Accommodation (a single room) and three meals a day will be provided.

    Shanghai, China

    A three-month residency in Shanghai. The residency must be taken up before March 1st, 2013. The successful applicant will have his/her transportation costs to and from Shanghai covered by the M Residency. Accommodation (a studio-style apartment) and a stipend towards the cost of
    meals will be provided.

    Stipend

    Both successful applicants will receive a total sum of US$1,000 to cover additional living costs during their stay in India or China.

    HOW TO APPLY

    All applicants are required to submit the following information and supporting materials:

    1. A completed M Residency application form.

    2. A synopsis and statement of intent totaling no more than 1,500 words detailing the project that you intend to work on during the residency. Applications will be accepted in the following genres only: fiction, nonfiction, poetry or dramatic prose.

    Note:

    • Statement of intent: this should detail how and why the location will benefit your project, and how the residency itself will be of benefit to you.

    • The intent of the residency is to provide space and time primarily for writing and location-specific research and not as a base for travel to undertake research further afield.

    3. Two samples of your work in the genre of your chosen project for the residency. Short stories, essays, novel extracts, drama and poetry are all welcome. The total word count of the two pieces
    combined should not exceed 2,500 words.

    Note:

    • Applications that do not include support material in the genre of the nominated project will be at a disadvantage.

    • If poetry samples are less than 30 lines long, they can be grouped with 1-2 other poems to form one sample. The total line count of the poetry group should not exceed 100 lines or the word count.

    • Applicants may be asked to submit additional samples of their work.

    4. One of the following proofs of identification: copy of passport, driving licence or ID card.

    5. Two referees, including their contact details, to whom the residency administrator may write to. The referee does not need to work in a literary capacity but needs to know the candidate well.

    PLEASE NOTE

    • Please send applications by email only to the Administrator at mliteraryresidency@googlemail.com. We will notify you immediately on receipt of your application.

    • Applications must be received by Friday, 1 July 2011. Applications received after this date will not be considered.

    • Applicants must cover their own travel and medical insurance.

    CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

    • Participation in two (2) events:

    The M Literary Residency aims to encourage interaction between talented artists and local communities, and to foster an interest in the arts within the local communities of the host countries. It is therefore a condition of entry that the successful candidate must agree to participate in at least two events within the local community during their stay. This could be a talk or workshop at a school, college or bookshop. Details will be worked out between the fellow and M Residency staff. All expenses will be met by the M Literary Residency.

    • Remaining in Residence

    It is expected that fellows will remain in residence throughout the threemonth fellowship. Fellows must notify M Residency staff at the earliest opportunity if they expect to have to leave the residency for a period of more than one week.

    • Dates / Length of Residency

    • India: 10-12 weeks, commencing late 2012

    • China: 12 weeks and must be taken up before March 1st, 2013.

    • It is a condition of entry that applicants agree to these terms by marking the relevant box on the application form.

    IMPORTANT NOTES

    • It is NOT a condition of entry that the applicant must already be a published author. Unpublished writers are welcome to apply.

    • There are no nationality restrictions for applications. However, applicants should be over 21 years old and be writing in English.

    • Applications may only be submitted electronically.

    • In the interest of fairness, applicants’ names must not appear on samples, synopses, or statements of intent.

    • The residency judges and administrators will not enter into private correspondence with applicants nor will they be able to offer specific feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

    • The accommodation provided in Bangalore and Shanghai is suitable only for single occupancy. We regret that we are unable to accommodate partners or family.

    • In the case of the Indian residency, accommodation may be isolated so applicants should be seeking a period of quiet, sustained work. The residency is not a base from which to travel from.

    • In the case of the Shanghai residency, accommodation will be centrally located and in the thick of a noisy city. Whilst it is intended that the writer should be seeking a period of sustained work, it must be noted that this will probably not be happening in very quiet surroundings.

    Download application form >>

    Contact Information:

    For inquiries: mliteraryresidency@googlemail.com

    For submissions: mliteraryresidency@googlemail.com

    Website: http://www.m-restaurantgroup.com/

  • Bogliasco Fellowships in Literature and the Arts (international applicants welcome)

    Deadline: 15 January and 15 April 2011

    About Bogliasco Fellowships:

    Bogliasco Fellowships are awarded to qualified persons working in the various disciplines of the Arts and Humanities without regard to nationality, age, race, or gender.

    To be eligible for the award of a Fellowship, applicants should demonstrate significant achievement in their disciplines, commensurate with their age and experience. The Foundation gives preference to persons whose applications suggest that they would be comfortable working in an intimate, international, multi-lingual community of scholars and artists.

    The following materials are required of all candidates for Fellowships. The written documents may be submitted in English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish.

    (1) The completed application form.

    (2) Three letters of reference, which must be sent to the Foundation as digital files.

    (3) A short-form curriculum vitae, three pages in length.

    (4) A one-page description of the project that the applicant would pursue during her/his stay at the Liguria Study Center.

    (5) A sample of the applicant’s work that has been published, performed, exhibited, or otherwise publicly presented during the last five years.

    Specific information for each page of the application may be opened by clicking the [Information] buttons at the bottom of the pages. We suggest that you read carefully this information as you complete your application.

    Bogliasco Fellows may be accompanied by their spouses or partners during their stay at the Liguria Study Center. Spouses/partners who intend to pursue a project in one of the disciplines, and who wish to be designated as Bogliasco Fellows, must submit separate and complete applications.

    There are certain practical issues that may influence the granting or scheduling of a Fellowship:

    Reapplications: Persons who have previously been awarded Bogliasco Fellowships are eligible to reapply for subsequent Fellowships, but only after a period of three years has elapsed. For example, Bogliasco Fellows who were in residence during the winter-spring 2009 semester are eligible to reapply for winter-spring 2012.

    Practical Restrictions: Before preparing an application you should consult with an officer of the Foundation (info@bfny.org) if you or your spouse/companion have either of the following:

    — food allergies or other dietary restrictions,
    — problems walking up and down stairs or steep inclines.

    If you decide to submit an application for a Bogliasco Fellowship, and have questions, please feel free to contact the Foundation office (see below).

    Deadlines for the submission of applications are as follows: January 15, 2011, for residencies during the fall-winter semester beginning in September 2011, and April 15, 2011, for the winter-spring semester beginning in February 2012.

    Notification dates for the award of Fellowships are as follows: April 1, 2011 for Fellowships during the fall-winter semester beginning in September 2011; July 1, 2011 for Fellowships during the winter-spring semester beginning in February 2012.

    The Bogliasco Foundation
    10 Rockefeller Plaza (16th Floor)
    New York, NY 10020-1903
    1 212 713-7628
    info@bfny.org

    Accommodations:

    The cost of transportation to and from Genoa is the responsibility of Fellows or their accompanying spouses/companions. So also are all other personal expenses incurred during the fellowship period, including the purchase of materials and equipment.

    Special Fellowship: John Burroughs Bogliasco Fellowship in Literature

    Established by George Capen Bitting, this Special Fellowship is named in honor of the American naturalist and essayist who was active in the evolution of the U.S. conservation movement. Along with Henry David Thoreau, John Burroughs was an important practitioner of the American literary genre, the nature essay. This Special Fellowship is awarded, without restriction on nationality, to persons working in creative writing. In addition to reimbursing travel expenses to and from Genoa, this Fellowship provides a cash stipend.

    Contact Information:

    For inquiries: info@bfny.org

    For submissions: click here

    Website: http://www.bfny.org/english/fellowships.cfm

  • Call for Submissions: Nelson Fiction Series (Nelson Publishers, Nigeria)

    Ibadan-based Nelson Publishers, a subsidiary of Evans Publishing, last year launched the Nelson Fiction Series. Nelson Fiction will be aiming to publish works of Nigerian writers and are looking to publish six books annually. They welcome manuscripts for consideration.

    Works may be on any subject matter, which should be typed and double spaced with the writer's info; name, address, telephone number and email address, included on the first page of the manuscript. The manuscript should not be bound, but paginated. Short story anthology writers could send in as many as six examples of their works. Good writing is a requirement.

    Manuscripts should be sent by post to Nelson Publishers, Jericho road, Ibadan, Oyo State or emailed to nelsonfiction@gmail.com.

    Contact Information:

    For inquiries: nelsonfiction@gmail.com

    For submissions: nelsonfiction@gmail.com

    Website: http://nelsonfiction.blogspot.com/

  • Next Deadline for Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Creative Artist Residency: May 2

    Next Deadline for Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Creative Artist Residency: May 2

    Deadline: 2 May 2011

    The Bellagio Experience

    The Bellagio Center is located on a peninsula adjacent to Lake Como, two hours north of Milan, Italy.

    The Bellagio Residency program offers scholars, artists, thought leaders, policymakers and practitioners a serene setting conducive to focused, goal-oriented work, and the unparalleled opportunity to establish new connections with fellow residents, across a stimulating array of disciplines and geographies. The Bellagio Center community generates new knowledge to solve some of the most complex problems facing our world and creates art that inspires reflection, understanding, and imagination.

    The Center sponsors three kinds of residencies—for scholars, creative artists and practitioners. Creative Artist Residencies last four weeks. We are especially interested in applicants whose work connects in some way with the Rockefeller Foundation’s issue areas, and we also select each cohort for diversity to ensure that interdisciplinary and international connections remain an integral part of the Bellagio experience. In addition, the Center offers collaborative residencies for two to four people working on the same project.

    Collegial interaction with other residents is an essential dimension of the Bellagio experience. Meals and informal presentations of residents' work afford an opportunity for dynamic discussion and engagement within and across disciplines. During special dinners, residents often interact with participants in international conferences hosted in other buildings on the Center's grounds.

    Selection Process and Criteria Selections are based on:

    * the quality of the proposed project,
    * how innovative the project is and how likely it is to have broad impact or influence,
    * the ability of the applicant to articulate the project’s purpose and goals,
    * the professional qualifications and achievements of the applicant, and
    * the feasibility and value of the Center for the proposed activity.

    In addition, reviewers will consider:

    * the match between the project and the Foundation’s mission,
    * personal qualities that are likely to make an applicant a contributing member of an international, interdisciplinary community—curiosity, breadth of interests, ability to honor other viewpoints and sensitivity to other cultures.

    Because the Center aims to host an international mix of residents, the geography and nationality of those invited may be taken into account.

    Facility and Travel Information

    Residents are housed in two main buildings and each resident is given a private room with a bath and a study/studio, either adjoining the bedroom or on the grounds. High-speed Internet access is available free of charge in all bedrooms and most studies. A small library includes basic reference books and online research tools; the works of many former residents and those resulting from Bellagio meetings are also available. The visual artist studio is quite small, and not suited for large works or installations. There is no kiln or darkroom at the Center.

    Spouses/life partners may accompany residents. Accommodations are not available for children, other family members, friends or pets. Room and board are provided to all residents and their spouses/partners, but they are responsible for their airfare and local transportation to and from Bellagio. However, the Foundation does have a limited travel assistance program, based on income level of invited residents.

    Several resident suites are available for those with restricted mobility, and several of the buildings now include an elevator. Nonetheless, prospective applicants should be aware that the hillside setting of the facility and the surrounding area restricts the mobility of people who have difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

    The Center is not equipped to provide medical services or assisted care. The nearest major hospital is in Lecco, a 40-minute drive away.

    All creative artist residencies must comply with the following requirements:

    Disciplines

    The Foundation seeks applications from outstanding creative artists at all career stages with a record of significant achievement in their fields. Videographers, filmmakers, novelists, playwrights, poets, visual artists, and artists in performance art and multimedia from any country are welcome to apply. Projects in all fields are eligible, but there is particular interest in innovative endeavors that address one or more of the Rockefeller Foundation’s five interconnected issue areas: basic survival needs (such as food, water, and housing), global health, climate and environment, urbanization, social and economic security.

    Type of Work

    Bellagio Center Residencies cannot be used for doctoral dissertations or textbooks.

    Length of Stay

    Creative Artist Residencies last four weeks.

    Team Residencies

    The Center also offers collaborative residencies for two to four people working on the same project. The Bellagio Center prefers team projects that bring residents together from different geographies, institutions or disciplines since this reinforces the Center's goal of establishing new connections.

    Repeat Applicants

    Applicants are not allowed to re-submit any unsuccessful proposals, but they are permitted to submit revised versions.

    Unsuccessful applicants may apply no more than three times.

    Those who have held residencies (or spouses who accompanied residents for more than one week) must wait five years before reapplying. There is a lifetime limit of two residencies.
    Spouses/Children

    Spouses/life partners may accompany the resident, or may apply for a concurrent residency. However, children, even adult children, are not allowed to accompany recipients of residencies.

    Instructions

    Your application must be in English.

    If your work samples are not in English, please follow the instructions given on the form.

    Requirements and selection criteria are different for each type of residency; therefore, we strongly recommend you read our website before beginning your application.

    We do not accept incomplete applications

    All materials must be submitted together. We will not follow-up with you to request missing materials.

    All application materials must be submitted online, unless you are a visual artist, composer or filmmaker who needs to send work samples via post. We accept Word and PDF documents. If you are applying from a developing country, you may contact us to discuss alternate ways of submitting materials, if necessary.

    The online form allows you to save and edit information.

    You do not need to finish your online application in one session. You will be able to save the form and return to revise, edit and add information at a later date. Once you begin your application, an access code will be sent to your preferred email address. You may access your application and edit as many times as you wish using the code and your email address.

    Click here to see a PDF example of a Creative Arts Residence application >>

    You must go through the form page by page.

    Each page must be completed before you can move to the following page.

    Contact Information:

    For inquiries: bellagio_res@iie.org

    For submissions: click here

    Website: http://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/bellagio-center/

  • Currently Accepting African-American Fiction Submissions: Life Changing Books

    LCB offers a variety of African-American literature including Contemporary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Urban/Street Literature, Er0tica, and a host of other fiction categories.

    At this time Life Changing Books is accepting all submissions.

    Query letters are not necessary but a synopsis and the first four chapters are required.

    Mail Manuscripts to:

    Life Changing Books
    PO Box 423
    Brandywine, MD 20613

    Formatting:

    • Double-space, on one side of the paper only.
    • 8.5x11 with a one inch margins on all four sides of the page.
    • Font must be 12 point of greater.
    • Times New Roman or Courier is acceptable.
    Please allow 8-12 weeks to receive feedback on submissions. Submissions will be not be returned.

    Contact Information:

    For submissions: Life Changing Books, PO Box 423, Brandywine, MD 20613

    Website: http://www.lifechangingbooks.net

  • South African Literary Awards (SALA) 2011

    South African Literary Awards (SALA) 2011

    Deadline: 30 June 2011

    Now in its sixth year of existence, the South African Literary Awards will open for the 2011 Call for Submissions on the 8th April and close on the 30th June 2011. Both fiction and non-fiction writers are invited to submit their work for these prestigious accolades. SALA has become one of the major literary awards in South Africa, having honoured over 90 South African authors. The recipients include Prof. Keorapetse Kgositsile, who was crowned the National Poet Laureate, succeeding the late Professor Mazisi Kunene. Others are Miriam Tlali, Professor Lewis Nkosi, Nontando Helen Jabavu, Phyllis Naidoo, Andre Brink, Chris van Wyk, Modikwe Dikobe, Maureen Isaacson, Victor Dlamini, Dr. Wally Serote and many more.

    Founded by the wRite Associates, in partnership with the national Department of Arts and Culture, supported by the National Arts Council, Sowetan Aggrey-Klaaste Nation Building Projects, The SABC and Nutrend Publishers, the main aim of the South African Literary Awards is to celebrate literary excellence in the depiction and sharing of South Africa’s histories, value systems, philosophies and arts as inscribed and preserved in all the languages of South Africa, particularly the official languages. The Awards aim to become the most prestigious and respected literary accolades in South African literature.

    Since its inception in 2005, these literary awards have grown in leaps and bounds. To date, the awards boast 8 categories:

    1. National Poet Laureate Prize

    2. Lifetime Achievement Literary Award

    3. Posthumous Literary Award

    4. Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award (for writing in African Languages in the RSA)

    5. k. Sello Duiker Memorial Award

    6. Literary Translators Award

    7. Literary Journalism Award

    8. First-time Published Author Award

    9. Poetry Award

    10. Chairperson’s Award

    “We are very excited about the extension of the Awards criteria to include non-fiction work. Selections are made from published authors whose primary input is in imaginative writing - fiction as well as creative non-fiction, i.e. biographies/ autobiographies, letters, speeches and memoirs. This will go a long way in acknowledging and honouring writers in the non-fiction space who were hitherto not accommodated in SALA”, said Morakabe Raks Seakhoa, the SALA Project Director and Managing Director of the wRite associates.

    Submission can be posted to PO Box 4488, Randburg, 2125 or delivered at 74 Mimosa Road, Randpark Ridge, 2165.

    Download 2011 nomination form >>

    Contact Information:

    For inquiries: info@sala.org.za, or call 011 791 3585 or 011 791 4102

    For submissions: PO Box 4488, Randburg, 2125; or delivered at 74 Mimosa Road, Randpark Ridge, 2165

    Website: http://www.sala.org.za/

  • The £1,000 Random House - Harvill Secker Young Translators’ Prize 2011 (Arabic to English)

    The £1,000 Random House - Harvill Secker Young Translators’ Prize 2011 (Arabic to English)

    Deadline: 29 July 2011

    This year’s prize is for translation from Arabic to English

    The Harvill Secker Young Translators’ Prize was launched in 2010 as part of Harvill Secker's centenary celebrations. It is an annual prize, which focuses on a different language each year, with the aim of recognising the achievements of young translators at the start of their careers. For the 2011 prize Harvill Secker has teamed up with Foyles, and the prize is kindly supported by Banipal. This year’s chosen language is Arabic, and the prize will centre on the short story ‘Layl Qouti' by Mansoura Ez Eldin.

    Egyptian novelist and journalist Mansoura Ez Eldin was born in Delta Egypt in 1976. She studied journalism at the Faculty of Media, Cairo University and has since published short stories in various newspapers and magazines: she published her first collection of short stories, Shaken Light, in 2001. This was followed by two novels, Maryam's Maze in 2004 and Beyond Paradise in 2009. Her work has been translated into a number of languages, including an English translation of Maryam's Maze by the American University in Cairo (AUC) Press. In 2010, she was selected for the Beirut39, as one of the 39 best Arab authors below the age of 40. Her second novel Wara’a al-Fardoos (Beyond Paradise) was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (the Arabic Booker) 2010. She was also a participant of the inaugural nadwa (writers’ workshop) held by the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in Abu Dhabi in 2009 and was a mentor at the second nadwa in October 2010.

    The winning translator will receive £1,000, a selection of Harvill Secker titles and Foyles tokens.
    How to enter

    Deadline for entries: Friday 29th July 2011

    You must be between 18 and 34 years of age on the submission deadline. For further terms and conditions please see the entry form.

    Download and print the entry form here (you will need Acrobat Reader to do so)

    Download or print the Arabic text here (you will need Acrobat Reader to do so)

    Simply send your completed entry form with your translated text to the postal address provided on the entry form. Please note that we are unable to consider entries submitted by email.

    If you have any queries, please contact us on: youngtranslatorsprize@randomhouse.co.uk

    The judges

    Anthony Calderbank (translator)

    Anthony Calderbank has been a translator of Arabic literature since the early nineties. He has translated a number of Egyptian novels including Rhadopis of Nubia by Najib Mahfouz, Zaat by Sonallah Ibrahim, and The Tent, Blue Aubergine and Gazelle Tracks by Miral Al-Tahawy, and two novels by Saudi author Yousef Al-Mohaimeed, Wolves of the Crescent Moon and Munira’s Bottle. His translations of short stories include a collection by Nubian writer Haggag Hassan Odoul entitled Nights of Musk: Stories of Old Nubia, and have appeared in a Palestinian collection edited by Nur and Abdulwahab El Messiri entitled Land of Thyme and Stone.

    He has contributed to a number of anthologies of modern Arabic Literature including Unbuttoning the Violin (Banipal 2006), the collection Madinah, edited by Joumana Haddad (2008), and the Beirut 39 project. He has also translated numerous pieces for Banipal Magazine. In 2010 he translated an excerpt from Abdo Khal’s novel Spewing Sparks as Big as Castles, which went on to win the Arab Booker Prize.

    He has spoken on translation and translation theory at international conferences and cultural gatherings and has conducted translation workshops for the British Council and the Emirates Airline International Festival of Literature. His translation of Yousef Al-Mohaimeed’s novel Wolves of the Crescent Moon was shortlisted for the 2010 Jan Michalski Prize. He has lived in the Middle East for many years and is currently based in Riyadh Saudi Arabia where he is Deputy Director of the British Council.

    Maya Jaggi (journalist)

    Maya Jaggi is an award-winning cultural journalist and an influential critic on international literature. Her arts profiles in the Guardian Review over a decade are credited with enhancing understanding of world writers, from Günter Grass, Umberto Eco and Jose Saramago to Chinua Achebe, Toni Morrison and Mario Vargas Llosa – as well as British figures such as Jeanette Winterson and Sir Tom Stoppard. The late critic Professor Edward Said described her interview with him as 'in a class of its own'. Her work has appeared widely in periodicals including the Guardian, Independent, Sunday Times Culture, Financial Times, Daily Telegraph, Economist, TLS and BookForum (New York), and in books such as Lives and Works, Writing Across Worlds and Women of the Revolution. She contributes to BBC radio (including Radio 4’s Any Questions?, Front Row and Open Book) and television.

    She has interviewed 12 Nobel prizewinners in literature – as well as Arab writers including Mahmoud Darwish, Hanan al-Shaykh, Elias Khoury, Alaa al-Aswany, Tahar Ben Jelloun and Amin Maalouf. She has been a judge of literary awards including the Orange prize, the David Cohen, the Caine, the Commonwealth Writers prize and the Saif Ghobash-Banipal prize for Arabic literary translation. She was educated at Oxford University and the London School of Economics, and is an Associate Fellow of Warwick University and a member of English PEN’s Writers in Prison committee.

    Penelope Lively (author)

    Penelope Lively was born in Cairo, Egypt and spent her childhood there. She came to England at the age of twelve, in 1945, and went to boarding school in Sussex. She subsequently read Modern History at St. Anne's College, Oxford. In 1957 she married Jack Lively (who died in 1998). They had two children, Josephine and Adam. Jack Lively's academic career took the family from Swansea to Sussex and Oxford, and eventually to Warwick University, where he was Professor of Politics. Penelope Lively now has six grandchildren and lives in London.
    Briony Everroad (editor)

    Briony Everroad is an editor at Harvill Secker, where she publishes authors Jo Nesbø, Karin Fossum, and Andrey Kurkov, among others. She studied English literature at University College London and in 2002 began working at Random House. Always keen to explore new languages, she spent a term studying French at the Sorbonne in 2006 and is currently learning Spanish. In 2010 she founded the Harvill Secker Young Translators’ Prize.

    Entry Guidelines:

    To enter: complete the entry form and submit it with one translation of the story ‘Layl Qouti’ by Mansoura Ez Eldin to the following address:

    Harvill Secker Young Translators’ Prize
    Harvill Secker
    The Random House Group Limited
    20 Vauxhall Bridge Road
    London SW1V 2SA
    England

    Note: entrants submitting a joint translation must complete and include separate forms in the same envelope.

    1. T&Cs – By entering this competition you agree to accept and be bound by these terms and conditions.

    2. Entrants – This competition is open to anyone aged 18 to 34 years on 29th July 2011 except for employees of Harvill Secker (‘promoter’), Foyles, their families or any other company connected with the competition. The promoter will accept one entry per entrant subject to point 5(c) below. The entrant must not have previously translated (or currently be contracted to translate) more than one full-length work for print or online publication.

    3. Dates – Entries must be submitted by Friday 29th July 2011 (‘closing date’). The winning entrant will be notified by telephone in September 2011.

    4. Prize – A prize of £1000.00 (one thousand pounds sterling) (‘prize’) will be awarded to the winning entrant.

    5. Entry Specifications – Entrants are advised to retain a copy of their translations as the promoter will be unable to return any submitted entry. Each entry must be:

    (a) an English translation of the story entitled ‘Layl Qouti’ by Mansoura Ez Eldin (‘story’).
    (b) the entrant’s own original work, completed entirely without assistance from professional translators or academic staff. Joint entries involving one translation of the story by a maximum of two translators in accordance with these terms and conditions will be accepted.
    (c) submitted as a typeset hard copy with the following specifications: double-spaced, set in 12-point type, with numbered pages and no staples.
    (d) Entrants are advised not to include their name on the translation. This is to ensure anonymity.

    6. Copyright – The copyright and publishing rights in the story are expressly and fully reserved by Mansoura Ez Eldin. Each entrant undertakes to obtain written permission from Mansoura Ez Eldin before selling, making available or otherwise publishing his/her translation of the story in any form throughout the world.

    7. Unacceptable Entries – Entries which do not comply with point 5(c) above, are illegible, submitted electronically, or received after the closing date will not be accepted. The promoter is not responsible for delayed, undelivered or lost entries.

    8. Events – Events may occur which render the awarding of the prize impossible due to reasons beyond the control of the promoter and the promoter may, at its absolute discretion, vary, amend, or suspend the prize with or without notice.

    9. Judges – The competition will be judged by four judges looking for emerging talent and seeking to identify the most faithful translation of exceptional literary quality of the story. The judges’ decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into in relation to their joint or individual decisions or this competition.

    10. Winning Entrant – The winning entrant grants the promoter and Foyles all necessary and relevant rights and permissions in relation to the marketing, publicising and publication of the winning entry on www.youngtranslatorsprize.com. The winning entrant agrees to the promoter’s use of his/her name and photograph in relation to any publicity material relating to this competition and the winning entry.

    Contact Information:

    For inquiries: youngtranslatorsprize@randomhouse.co.uk

    For submissions: Harvill Secker Young Translators’ Prize, Harvill Secker, The Random House Group Limited, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA, England

    Website: http://www.vintage-books.co.uk, www.youngtranslatorsprize.com

  • Call for Applications from African Writers: Africa Centre Artist in Residency Program

    Deadline: 1 June 2011

    The Africa Centre, together with artist in residency programmes in Australia, Brazil, Ethiopia, Finland, Netherlands, Turkey and the United States of America have partnered to launch a new Artist in Residency Programme (AIR). The programme has been conceived to support artists from Africa who are provocative, innovative, relevant and highly engaged with both social issues and their art forms.

    AIR manifests through existing artist-in-residency partnerships around the world that are prepared to select an artist from a short list provided by the Africa Centre, created from a Continental search, for one of their 2011 or 2012 residencies. The costs of the residency and roundtrip airfare are included in each residency award made as part of this programme.

    Each of the seven residencies on offer have different durations, structures and requirements. We are taking applications between 1 April and 1 June 2011. If you have any queries please email robinj@africacentre.net

    Please ensure that the Residency you are applying for caters for your means of artistic expression.

    • Bundanon Trust – Australia: Professional Artists from all disciplines.
    • Sacatar – Brazil: Artists from all disciplines, particularly interested in choreographers and performers.
    • Zoma Contemporary Art Centre – Ethiopia: The Architectural Residency: mid-career and established artists with building experience. The other residencies cater for artists across all disciplines and level of experience.
    • KulttuuriKauppila – Finland: Professional visual artists focused on environmental issues or sculptors focused on anything.
    • Thamgidi Foundation – Netherlands: Artists from all artistic disciplines will be considered.
    • Caravansarai – Turkey: Performing Arts, Music, Literature, New Media and Film Making, other disciplines will also be considered.
    • 18th Street – United States of America: Visual and Performing Artists - must have at least 5 years of exhibition and/or professional experience (no students).
    Artist in Residency Application Methods

    1. Online Application Form: Click here to apply online
    2. E-mail Application: If you would rather use e-mail, download the application form and then send your application directly to our project manager Robin at robinj@africacentre.net. Please do not send attachments larger than 5MB. Please be sure to add your full name and contact details in the email message field.

    If your attachment is larger than 5MB, you can upload it using www.yousendit.com. This is a free service that will allow you to upload your file directly to us. To upload a file, fill in the fields under the green text, "Send a File". Please be sure to add your full name and contact details in the YouSendIt message field. The email address for delivery is: robinj@africacentre.net
    3. Submitting via Post: If you cannot use any of the above methods, you are always welcome to post your application directly to us. Click here to download the application form. Be sure to include an e-mail address and phone number where we can contact you.

    Postal Address:

    THE PROJECT MANAGER:ARTIST IN RESIDENCY PROGRAMME
    C/O THE AFRICA CENTRE, 1ST FLOOR, 44 LONG STREET
    CAPE TOWN, 8000, SOUTH AFRICA

    AIR APPLICATION DEADLINE: 1 June 2011

    Shortlist and Award Process

    The Africa Centre will select three candidates for each of the 7 residency awards on offer from the applications received. These shortlisted candidates will be forwarded to our various Residency Partners; it is from these lists that they will select the 7 artists to be granted the Artist in Residency Awards.

    The Africa Centre will announce the recipients of the Artist in Residency programme on the 1 July 2011. If you have any questions, please direct them to Robin Jutzen at the email address above or on +27 21 422 0468.

    Download application form >>

    More information about the participating residency programmes here.

  • Call for Applications: National Arts Council of South Africa Grants 2011 (for literature/ theatre)

    Call for Applications: National Arts Council of South Africa Grants 2011 (for literature/ theatre)

    Deadline: 29 April 2011

    The National Arts Council invites individuals and registered organisations active in theatre, dance, crafts, literature, music, multi-discipline and visual arts to submit their applications for project funding. Applications are invited for projects that will impact on the arts in the society/ communities.

    Post- graduate students wishing to pursue arts studies overseas are also invited to apply. Please note that the NAC will have only ONE funding session for project funding in 2011.

    Conditions for funding:

    * All relevant sections of the application form must be filled in completely;
    * All requested documentation must be submitted with the application form;
    * Applications must be submitted on or before 29 April 2011.

    Closing Date: 29 April 2011

    Outcomes Date: 14 August 2011

    Please note that late and incomplete applications will not be considered at all and no exceptions will be made.

    For more information, contact the Arts Development Officers at the NAC office.

    Download Application Form >>

  • Ajman Culture Department's Shehanda Award for Literature

    Ajman Culture Department's Shehanda Award for Literature

    THE Ajman Culture and Media Department (ACMD) has announced the opening of the Shahenda Award contest.

    The door is open for writers, thinkers, artists and intellectuals to apply for the award, which is granted once every year to honour the cultural and humanitarian achievements of members of the UAE nationals, GCC, or Arabs. Candidates of the award must have contributed in providing an outstanding service to the community of the UAE and the Arab world in general in the areas of literature, arts, literary criticism and related studies.

    To apply for the Shahenda Award for Novelist Creativity, the candidates must have issued two literary works such as story, novel, poetry, theater, or literary criticism and studies related to the narrative arts. Also works translated into foreign language will be taken into account. Candidates should submit two copies of each work or any critical writings on literature, a CV, a photograph, and the application form that is available on the ACMD website (http://ajman.5thring.co.uk/en/) or in the department’ new headquarters.

    (Note: We will post detailed guidelines when available.)

  • The Franschhoek Literary Festival Opens May 13th (South Africa)

    The Franschhoek Literary Festival Opens May 13th (South Africa)

    Dates: 13 - 15 May 2011

    FLF 2011 will again celebrate the magic of words from 13 to 15 May with a gathering of over 90 authors, poets, editors, illustrators and chairpeople taking part in 70 events.

    With a continuing focus on good accessible writing and diversity, the many Southern African writers range from renowned to little-known, and the topics from biography, history and politics to poetry, literary fiction and love stories.

    The FLF was started in 2007 by a committee of six volunteers who aimed to create a festival of mostly English-speaking local writers, with a few coming from overseas. The ultimate goal was to raise funds for a new community library where it is most needed. They weren’t sure if fifty or five hundred people would come – and well over a thousand seats were sold.

    In four years, attendance has more than quadrupled and it is now one of the leading literary events on the South African calendar. Thanks to the people who buy tickets and generous funding from sponsors, the FLF Library Fund has also swelled to the point where a new library is being discussed with the local municipality. FLF associates and sponsors Porcupine Ridge Wines and the Sunday Times continue to emphasise that their involvement is specifically to promote reading and encourage writing.

    This year book lovers will once more flock to Franschhoek in the third weekend of May and hurry from venue to venue through village streets which buzz with book talk. All the destinations are within a few minutes’ walk, including the bookshop and booking facilities in the Town Hall and a great range of cafés and restaurants, small hotels, guest houses, interesting shops and more bookshops.

    Publishers do book launches and hold dinners. Poets bring their work to a rousing open mic session. Within a short distance by car are mountain walks, wine farms, wineries and wine-tastings – notably at Boekenhoutskloof, makers of Porcupine Ridge wines.

    FLF events are informal, often spirited discussions between several writers, with some one-on-one conversations. People in the news like Jonathan Jansen, Max du Preez, Karabo Kgoleng, Justice Malala, Jenny Crwys-Williams, Peter Harris and John Maytham will rub shoulders with academics, struggle stalwarts, poets, publishers, journalists and first-time novelists still hoping to make their names.

    Winging in from America are Zakes Mda, Peter Godwin and Douglas Rogers. Barbara Trapido will come from Oxford, to be joined by Anna Trapido, our first mother and daughter team. Arriving from Scotland, courtesy of the British Council, are top Scottish writer Janice Galloway and Jamaican poet and novelist Kei Miller of Glasgow University. Making his way from Doha will be satirical blogger Azad Essa. From Nairobi will come prizewinning author Doreen Baingana, courtesy of the African Arts Initiative. The French Institute will be bringing out (a French writer).

    Friday 13 May will be of special interest to new-generation readers with events about graphic novels, speculative and cellphone fiction, satirical blogs (notably Holy Cows to Beefburgers) and work in progress. Half-price tickets will be available to those with student cards.

    FLF 2011 will pay tribute to the King James Bible on its 400th anniversary in a special language event that will celebrate its magnificent English. Other events of special interest to writers will be On Being Edited with Ivan Vladislavić and Tim Couzens, Mindfields, The Write Honourables, Men of Letters, and Do I Give Up The Day Job?

    Madiba fans will enjoy Writing Mandela, and more of South Africa’s favourite topics will be addressed by Jonathan Jansen and others in Leadership And Innovation, How To Fix Our Schools, and Healing Our Nation. Controversies may erupt in 1994 And All That, Conspiracy Theories, Mzansi, Outcasts, and Zimbos. Doctors who write will feature in Blood, Guts, Sweat And Tears.

    And as usual, there will also be performances by Youth Affair, a group of talented youngsters directed by a local rising star of TV soaps, Jeremy Davids, now working on a PhD in Drama.

  • Third Edition of Dh1 Million Etisalat Prize for Arabic Children's Literature

    Third Edition of Dh1 Million Etisalat Prize for Arabic Children's Literature

    The UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) yesterday announced the launch of the third edition of the Eitsalat Prize for Arabic Children's Literature, on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF).

    The AED1 million Prize is awarded each year to the best Arabic children's book, with 50 percent of the prize money going to the winning publisher, and the remaining 50 percent being divided between the author and illustrator as per the decision of the Jury, which comprises experts in the fields of children's literature and publishing of children's books This year's winner will be announced during the Sharjah International Book Fair in November 2011. Entry is open to Arab and international publishing houses that are dedicated to producing Arabic-language books for children up to 14 years of age.

    UAEBBY President Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi said that the launch of the 2011 Eitsalat Prize for Arabic Children's Literature was scheduled to coincide with the cultural extravaganza accompanying ADIBF.

    Speaking of the importance of the award, Shaeikha Bodour said, "The key aim of the Etisalat Prize is three-fold: to support and promote the children's book industry in the Arab world, to encourage creativity and innovation among publishers, authors, illustrators and professionals in the field of Arabic children's literature, motivating them to keep up with children's literature on the global stage, and to improve the overall quality of children's books, in terms of both form and content".

    She underlined the important role played by UAEBBY, which has succeeded, through the Prize, in continuing to produce the highest quality literature, and to promote Arabic children's literature.

    "We are proud of the remarkable development the Eitsalat Prize for Arabic Children's Literature has undergone over the past couple of years, and we pledge to ensure that it continues to develop over the years to come until Arabic children's literature enjoys the status it deserves," she added.

    Sheikha Bodour referred to the transparency and high level of professionalism embraced by the Jury when selecting entries - something that has added significantly to the Prize's value, and serves as an incentive for participants to produce the best children's books. Jury selection is kept strictly confidential, and no members are named until a winner has been announced.

    She also praised Etisalat's commitment to supporting children's books through sponsoring this prize, in line with the firm's leading role in development of the UAE and boosting humanitarian and cultural projects, which reflects its high level of community awareness and corporate social responsibility.

    Abdul Aziz Taryam, Etisalat's General Manager: Northern Emirates, said that the Prize puts Etisalat's vision and commitment into action by promoting Arabic children's literature and culture, as well as laying a strong foundation of literary works and encouraging reading among youngsters.

    In order to qualify for entry, books must comply with the 17 terms and conditions, which include: the book must be written in Arabic; must be original (not translated, quoted or reproduced); and must have been published within the past three years. The book may not have received any previous local, regional or international awards, and the content must not violate the values, traditions and customs of Arab communities. Entry is open to children's books that target the age group from 0 to 14 years, and each publishing house is entitled to nominate a maximum of three titles.
    The UAE Board on Books for Young People
    P.O. Box 5424, Sharjah, UAE
    Tel.: +9716 5542111
    Faz: +9716 5542345
    Email: info@uaebby.org.ae

  • Call for African Romance Manuscripts: Ankara Press

    About us

    Ankara Press is devoted to publishing easy-to-read, purse-size romantic fiction titles with African settings, storylines and characters. We believe that one way to get young people reading is to introduce them to short, snazzy, fast-paced stories about the life they live or yearn to live. The stories will be engaging, and above all, they will allow women to see the best version of themselves in print. These purse-novellas will be issued at regular monthly intervals.

    Women of all ages have always enjoyed romance. They ask for it in their movies, their music, from their lovers and in their books. But in Africa, they have had to find it in the pages of Western series like Mills and Boon, Silhouette and other Harlequin titles. It is time that the continent’s rising consumer class gets romances that reflect the complexity of their modern lives.

    Our reader

    She is young, single and confident with some money in her purse and time to read. She is (or wants to be) financially independent, ambitious and interested in challenging boundaries and going beyond expectations. She enjoys fashion, Nollywood films, contemporary African pop music and she wants to see herself reflected in what she consumes in her leisure time.

    What we are looking for

    We are looking for strong, original voices to write romance novels for the African market. But we don’t want stories that simply recreate traditional romances. Often, these rely on dangerous notions of male dominance, control and manipulation that have done great harm to women all over the world. Many women tolerate abusive situations because they wrongly believe that this is what romance should look like.

    We are looking for a new kind of romance. One in which the thrill of fantasy is alive but realized in a healthier, more grounded reality. One that gives women the tools to shape their own destinies. We want romances in which strong, capable female characters meet handsome, charming men who are secure in their identities and respectful of a woman’s choices.
    The novels should be 40,000 – 45,000 words long (they should not exceed this word limit) and should be divided into about 10-15 chapters.

    Characters

    The main character should be an African woman between 20-30 years old who comes from a middle or lower-middle class background, and who because of her intelligence, ambition and hard work has a bright future ahead of her. She must be realistic - with both good and bad qualities - but not so complex that the reader won‘t be able to relate to her. The heroine should be wholesome, likeable and assertive. She should not be shown to be helpless, or wholly dependent on anyone. Even when she finds herself in situations beyond her control, she should always have an optimistic and proactive attitude.

    The heroine’s love interest should be an African man. He is attractive and successful in his own field. While standard careers such as doctors, lawyers and businessmen are welcome, alternative careers such as the arts and in skilled labour (mechanics, carpenters, taxi drivers etc.) should be explored and are encouraged. He should be sensitive and realistic without conforming to the romantic hero stereotype (i.e. domineering, arrogant, and dismissive).

    He and the heroine should have a genuine connection beyond physical attraction. They should have something in common. While they may have differences which may be the source of the story’s conflict, they should remain respectful of each other. More importantly, they should be passionate about their desire for each other and everything else they do.

    Plot and Setting

    The novels should be set in an urban environment. They can feature international locales, but a real (not fictionalised) African city should be where the primary story takes place. The story should reflect contemporary speech patterns and expressions without being pretentious or too localized.

    The plot should be fast-paced and entertaining. It should focus on the development of a central romantic relationship while the heroine struggles to realize her ambitions. Don’t dwell too much on her trials and tribulations, rather frame them in terms of how she relates to the people in her life. In other words, no sob stories!

    No matter what else goes on, the novels should end on a positive note. Major plot threads should be resolved. The heroine should be or about to be in a promising love relationship by the end, but not by giving up her ambitions or her values.

    Point of View

    The novels should be written in the third person, preferably from the point of view of the heroine. Other points of view may be employed to add depth and insight to the narrative, but should be used sparingly.

    Sub-Plots

    Authors are advised to keep sub-plots to a minimum. Interesting minor characters are welcome, but they should not dominate the story.

    Don’ts

    Profanity, explicit sex scenes, religious or ethnic intolerance are not acceptable. There can be a strong physical attraction between the heroine and her Mr. Right, but it should not be the focus of their relationship. They can sleep together during the course of the novel, but if they do, it should be done tastefully and they must practice safe sex at all times or be able to discuss it.

    What to do next?

    Email a 500-word synopsis outlining the characters and the plot of the novel and attach the first 3 chapters of your story as a Word document. Be sure to pay attention to punctuation, spelling and grammar before submitting your sample.

    Please include your name (aliases and pen names will only be considered once the manuscript has been accepted), the title of the book, your phone number and email address on a separate cover page. Your name or identity must not appear on the manuscript itself. Please include the title of the manuscript and page numbers at the top of each page. Submissions will not be accepted without this. There is no limit to how many or how often submissions can be made. Please note all rights sold will include print, electronic, film, audio and digital rights.
    If your sample is selected, you will be contacted and asked to submit a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of the novel. If that is satisfactory, you will be asked to sign a legal contract and submit a completed manuscript within approximately three to four months. So please indicate your availability to start writing with your response.

    If you have an existing work you want to adapt, please send a synopsis along with a chapter of the work as your submission. All finished manuscripts will be paid for on our acceptance of a completed manuscript.

    To email your sample and synopsis or for further information, please contact Chinelo Onwualu at: AnkaraSubmissions@gmail.com.

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