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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/

Our goal is to spotlight colored writers of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds in the fields of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction; professionally published or seldom seen; international or from around-the-way; writers who 'bask in the glow' or 'lay under rocks' - if you fall under any of these categories, then we are here to let you represent yourself!

Guidelines:

• Submissions accepted year round, but know that reading periods are generally closed from 2 to 3 months following submission deadlines.

• Manuscripts must be typed or printed in proper format on white paper, in English, one side only, double-spaced for prose. Cover letters should be brief.

• Fiction and creative nonfiction manuscripts must be limited to 5,000 words. Novel and memoir excerpts are acceptable.

• Poetry submissions will be limited to up to five poems, twenty pages total.

• Simultaneous submissions are acceptable. Please notify us immediately if something has been accepted elsewhere.

• Entrants may submit only one submission per category until you have been notified of acceptance or non-acceptance of submitted material.

• Please note genre of your submission in the cover letter (fiction, poetry or CNF).

• Please include a SASE for results. Manuscripts will be recycled and will not be returned.

• Payment is in 1 copy of the issue in which the author's work appears.

NOTICE

Submissions are accepted all year round; acceptance deliberations may take 2-4 months. Please send inquiries by way of email if you have questions or concerns.

Submissions should be sent appropriately via snail mail to:

ATTN: Poetry Editor
or ATTN: Fiction/CNF Editor
Mythium Literary Journal
1428 N. Forbes Rd
Lexington, Ky 40511

ONLY ATTACHED WORD PROCESSING FILES (DOC/TXT/WORD/PAGES/etc.,) WILL BE ACCEPTED! Please, Do not send manuscripts or poems in the body of your email! Poets, please send each individual poem as its own digital file!!! No single file attachments with multiple submissions!

Mail all electronic poetry submissions to poetry@mythiumlitmag.com

Mail all electronic fiction/creative non-fiction submissions to fiction@mythiumlitmag.com

Direct all other questions/non-submissions to editor@mythiumlitmag.com

Deadline: 1 March 2011

The Fashion Issue

To interrogate fashion and what is fashionable, we are publishing #8 of Saraba. As usual, our concerns are beyond the superficial details of everyday life. We are asking previously unasked questions, contemplating questions about art and life that may remain unasked were we silent.

There is so much to write about ‘Fashion’ that it is impossible to make a list. So we ask you to draw the line yourself.

Send us work that interrogates fashion in ways that we wouldn’t have contemplated – let this be as much about dress as it is about life.

See an example in Suzanne Ushie’s “The Serious Guide to Becoming a Seriously Unfashionable Writer.”

We’ll accept entries until 1st of March 2011. If you’ll feel better, let us into your head before you submit.

Please use our Submission Manager.

Guidelines:

Entries are received only for the e-magazine and chapbooks. Our site is improved continually to represent and reflect the best of emerging writing from Nigeria, Africa and the world. Interested contributors should read the following guidelines carefully.

Saraba’s staff is a small number of committed and enthusiastic but busy professionals. As such, entries that do not conform to these guidelines would not be considered. Our goal is to give emerging writers a voice and confidence, to give them the opportunity of having their works published.

For the magazine, we would, from the June Issue, publish content in two ‘portfolios.’ The first portfolio would be theme-based. Please see our themes for the year. We would publish, also, content of a general literary nature, but this portfolio would be smaller in size than the first.

Please send your work in an attachment in any of our three major categories: Fiction, Poetry and Non-Fiction. Send no more than one work at a time, and wait for our response before you send another. Word count for fiction works is 5,000, except otherwise announced. We’d accept no more than 3 poems at a time. For Non-fiction, we expect a broad range of new creative writing, including short memoirs, interviews, reviews, creative non-fiction, creative journalism, etc. Word count for this is 2,500.

We are also open to digital art including photographs, illustrations, paintings and so forth. Please send in high resolution jpeg files (not larger than 4 MB).

Please send alongside a bio of not more than 50 words (in third person).

Unsolicited poetry would not be considered for the chapbooks. If interested, please send a query and we would reply accordingly. Poems submitted would be generally considered for the magazine, on either of the portfolios.

Although we strive to highlight the talent and hard work of contributors, please note that we cannot afford to pay contributors.

Our new Submission Manager is helpful, cutting out all the email uncertainty. Please submit here: http://saraba.submishmash.com/

Saraba, an electronic literary magazine, currently based in Ile-Ife, Nigeria is in its 8th Issue. In these issues, we have exlpored themes as diverse as Family, City Life, Economy, Niger Delta,
Religion/God,Technology, and Fashion.

Our goal, from the onset, has been to encourage young emerging writers - although our contributors have ranged from unknown writers to well-known ones. We are proud to assert that our contributors are mainly young writers, whose writing are previously unknown, and whose talent and promise are overt in their works.

We have published writers mostly from Nigeria. But in addition, our contributors are writers resident in London, Paris, South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Kenya, India, USA, Zimbabwe, Russia, Cameroun, Australia, and so forth.

Our 8th Issue, which is our most recent, was released on 15th April 2011. It is our proudest effort till date. In the Issue, we explore the knotty issue of fashion, and state that "... we failed in securing a unanimous perspective for fashion; how we succeeded in multiplying the richness, the effusiveness, the feverishness and sometimes agonizing details of fashion."

Writers in the issue include Yemi Soneye, Donald Molosi, Michael Lee Johnson, Chitzi Ogbumagba, Emmanuel Uweru Okoh Luso Mnthali, Lauren Henley, Victor Olusanya, Yolanda Mabuto Sokari Ekine, Damilola Ajayi, Tola Odejayi, Emmanuel Iduma Karen Chandler, and Kesiena Eboh.

The issue can be downloaded from http://sarabamag.com/featured/issue-8-fashion/

Our Issue and Chapbooks are published on www.sarabamag.com and can be downloaded free. We call on literary enthusiasts and the general reading public to explore the wide talent on offer. More importantly, we encourage readers to subscribe to the magazine. From our next issue, only subscribers would have access to the full content of the magazine. Subscription is free.

Submissions

Entries are received only for the e-magazine and chapbooks. Our site is improved continually to represent and reflect the best of emerging writing from Nigeria, Africa and the world. Interested contributors should read the following guidelines carefully.

Saraba’s staff is a small number of committed and enthusiastic but busy professionals. As such, entries that do not conform to these guidelines would not be considered. Our goal is to give emerging writers a voice and confidence, to give them the opportunity of having their works published.

For the magazine, we would, from the June Issue, publish content in two ‘portfolios.’ The first portfolio would be theme-based. Please see our themes for the year. We would publish, also, content of a general literary nature, but this portfolio would be smaller in size than the first.

Please send your work in an attachment in any of our three major categories: Fiction, Poetry and Non-Fiction. Send no more than one work at a time, and wait for our response before you send another. Word count for fiction works is 5,000, except otherwise announced. We’d accept no more than 3 poems at a time. For Non-fiction, we expect a broad range of new creative writing, including short memoirs, interviews, reviews, creative non-fiction, creative journalism, etc. Word count for this is 2,500.

We are also open to digital art including photographs, illustrations, paintings and so forth. Please send in high resolution jpeg files (not larger than 4 MB).

Please send alongside a bio of not more than 50 words (in third person).

Unsolicited poetry would not be considered for the chapbooks. If interested, please send a query and we would reply accordingly. Poems submitted would be generally considered for the magazine, on either of the portfolios.

Although we strive to highlight the talent and hard work of contributors, please note that we cannot afford to pay contributors.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: publishers@sarabamag.com

For submissions: http://saraba.submishmash.com/

Website: http://sarabamag.com

Deadline: 18 April 2011

The Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation at the University of California-Berkeley invites applications from unpublished as well as published writers-of-color--anyone dreaming of writing as a serious pursuit.

The Voices Workshop is a special gathering of writers who spend 1 week working with authors s of color. This workshop honors the literary traditions of heritage and culture and promotes the styles, voices, forms and concerns of writers-of-color and their connections to the literary world. All workshops are intimate gatherings of writers who take their writing seriously and are looking for an experience that will nurture them as writers; heighten their awareness of writing as a political, social and literary tool; and provide a community that supports each writer as they explore issues that require a profound sense of trust and professionalism.

The Workshops for 2011

This year, we offer workshops for everyone in: Poetry, Fiction Writing, Memoir, and Political Content in Story, Memoir and Poetry

For workshop descriptions, go here

Workshops for Alums in: Fiction, The Poetry Collection, Memoir.

We also offer two Residencies which are directed to writers who are interested in a one-on-one mentorship and concentrated writing time. The week is spent with the master writer who guides them through rewrites and toward a greater awareness of the writing process and their identities as writers.

When applying, specify the workshops you'd like to attend in order of preference. The workshops are limited to ten writers chosen on the quality of their work, their commitment to and their enthusiasm for the direction of the Voices mission.

All participants are encouraged to consider staying on campus in the housing facilities to deepen their experience of exchange.

Deadline: April 18, 2011

To be considered for admission to the Voices Writing Workshops please submit the following:

Poetry: 5 - 10 poems (not to exceed 20 pages)

Fiction Writing: up to 20 pages of short fiction

Memoir: up to 20 pages of a non-fiction narrative

Residency: up to 15 pages of a non-fiction, novel, short fiction or 5-10 poems (not to exceed 20 pages)

Political Content : up to 15 pages of any genre

Building a Poetry Collection: Up to 30 pages of poetry

All applicants should email their application manuscript (as an attachment) to apply apply@voicesatvona.org with your name and the workshop name in the title of the document. (please use .doc or .pdf) and include a page number as the footer.

For example: Abinaderalummemoir.doc

Completed Application: Please provide contact information, history, experience, vital statistics and personal essay in response to the questions, including information on scholarships

The application deadline is April 18, 2011--only completed applications are eligible for review--please contact us regarding late applications.
When you are accepted

Participants are notified of their acceptance by May 6 and have ten days to confirm their attendance.

Send a Deposit of $100.00 within ten days of notification. (Accepted participants will receive an invoice via email.)

Manuscripts to be used in the workshop will be uploaded to the virtual classroom site by May 23, 2011.

All fees are due by May 31, 2011.

Indicate if you will be in residence in campus housing, on application, so we may reserve a spot for you.

Scholarship recipients will be notified of their award amount and balance due. All fees are due by May 31, 2011 and will be made through PayPal.

Thank you for your interest in publishing with third world press. Third world press is an African-centered publishing house dedicated to the creation and dissemination of written work of the highest quality.

A progressive publisher of black and African-centered material for more than forty years, our goal is to be the best provider of material to expand the mind and reach to all backgrounds especially the African American community, and other African communities in the diaspora. Third world press promotes maximum effect of creative expression and cultural enlightenment in all the written genres, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, young adult and children's books which other wise may not have an outlet.

POETRY

Third world press has published poetry works from noted writers including Gwendolyn brooks, sterling plump, Haki R. Madhubuti, and Amiri Baraka. We value and support the talents of poets who wish to contribute to the literary world and showcase their poetics.

Third world press welcomes the opportunity to review both solicited and unsolicited poetry manuscripts that explore African-centered life and thought. When submitting poetry manuscripts for consideration, please adhere to the following guidelines.

Poetry manuscripts must be:

- at least fifty pages to be considered
- typed and double-spaced
- do not include more than one poem on a page
- proofread for typographical and grammatical errors unless otherwise noted
- send only copies of any related artwork, photographs or layout boards. Keep all originals.
- send only copies of any other manuscripts-related materials. Keep all originals.

Please include the following material with the submitted manuscript:

- the subject of the manuscript, in a one-page synopsis form.
- reasons why you, the author, are best qualified to write a book and why it needs to be published (what unmet needs in the literary market the book meets.)
- identify competition for your prospective book, and how your manuscript differs from those already existing.
- an identified market, and at least a preliminary outline of how your manuscript can be marketed to this segment.

FICTION

Third world press welcomes submissions of quality and commercial fiction focusing on African American themes by published and first-time authors. In submitting a fiction manuscript for consideration, your proposal should include:

- a one page query letter
- single spaced
- include
- contact information
- genre (mainstream, paranormal, historical, thriller, young adult, children\'s, etc.)
- working title and length of manuscript (100,000 actual word count maximum)
- status (complete or incomplete)
- 1-2 paragraph blurb about plot of book
- 1-2 paragraphs about the author and marketing the book
- please remember that we are a publisher of black and african-centered materials, thus your characters should reflect that.
- a synopsis (8 pages max)
- double spaced
- written in present tense
- detail the manuscript\'s main plot from beginning to end
- a copy of the first 2 chapters (30 pages max)
- double spaced - courier new or times new roman 12pts
- sample chapters will not be returned.
- requested full manuscripts are returned if proper postage is included.
- a self-addressed stamped envelope (size 10) for our response.
- a self-addressed stamped acknowledgement postcard (optional).
- this card will be returned to you once your proposal has been received
- a copy of these guidelines

NON FICTION

Manuscripts must be:

- typed and double spaced
- proofread for typographical errors and grammatical errors
- complete, including accurate bibliographical references, if applicable

When sending manuscripts:

- send copies of original work, artwork, photographs, layout boards, or other manuscript-related materials. Keep all originals.
Include the following supporting documents:
- a synopsis (8 pages max)
- double spaced
- written in present tense
- chapter-by-chapter detail of the manuscript's main focus/plot from beginning to end
- complete table of contents
- a copy of the first 2 chapters (30 pages max)
- double spaced
- courier new or times new roman 12pts
- sample chapters will not be returned.
- SASE #10 envelope for manuscript status response.

Mail all pertinent documents to:

Assistant to the Publisher
Third World Press
P.o. Box 19730
Chicago, il. 60619

We only accept submissions during the month of July.

Failure to adhere to the submission guidelines will result in the immediate elimination of your manuscript.

Please remember the following:

- manuscripts submitted for review will not be returned.
- once your manuscript has been mailed, allow anywhere from four to six months for a written response. We will not accept telephone calls regarding the status or review of a manuscript.
- please include SASE #10 envelope for manuscript status response.

Deadline: 31 October 2010

Young Writers issue of Sable LitMag.

We invite young writers of colour from all over the world to submit work from all genres and styles, for our Young Writers issue of Sable, including Fiction, poetry, memoir and essays written by writers between the ages of 16-25.

The editor for this issue is Warsan Shire, a 22 year old writer and poet based in London. Her poetry has been translated into Italian and Somali. She has performed internationally in North America, South Africa and all over Europe. Her first collection Teaching mother how to give birth is soon to be published with Flipped Eye. Her work will appear in the forthcoming Black British edition of Wasafiri magazine.

Deadline for submissions - 31st October 2010.

SABLE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Must include a short bio (maximum of 150 words)/ high res photograph.
• Work submitted must be attached in the email and not in the body of the email.
• ALL work must be labelled clearly with your full name and the title of work.
• Work must not exceed the word limit.
• All work must be in this format or will not be accepted
• Times new roman font
• size 12 font
• double spaced
• one side of A4 paper
• Your full name must be on each page of your work (Header or footer)

Fiction

Short stories, extracts from a novel or flash fiction.
Other styles within fiction also welcome.
Length- 2500 words

Poetry

Send up to 15 poems (no more than 15 pages)
Any style, any length
Poetry must be 1 1/2 inch spaced

In Translation

All veteran and budding translators or writers who produce work in their native language and in English, (fiction or poetry) should send translations and other information including a brief write up on author and translator. For translators, what qualities attracted you to the work? We will give ten pages to each writer featured to publish some of their best pieces along with a photo, biography and any other images that illustrate their work. A sample of your work will also appear on the SABLE website in the future. In Translation submissions should follow the same guidelines for poetry and prose in both their chosen languages of submission and in English.

Memoirs

Memoirs of home, family, or country. Childhood memories, coming of age, change of life. Complete pieces or excerpts. Stimulating, exciting, informative, experimental. Any or all of these are welcome within your piece. Length: 3000 words.

Travel Narratives

There are no boundaries in terms of place or style. Complete pieces or excerpts. Stimulating, exciting, informative, experimental. Any or all of these are welcome within your piece. Length: 3000 words

Essays

We are looking for contributions on historical or contemporary aspects of literature or culture. The work should reflect original thought of work by writers of colour. It can be a piece of deconstruction, post-structuralism, post-modernism, feminism, post-colonialism (or a combination of these and other theoretical frameworks). Length: 3,000 words.

Expressions

Expressions is our opinion section - a debatable literary or cultural issue that you wish to voice. As Sable is diasporic in nature, your piece has a better chance of being accepted if it reflects this, or if it is educational and informative of a particular culture or community that a global readership will find instructive and illuminating. Length: 1000 words (flexible).

Classic Review

What's in a classic? We're seeking submissions of literary reviews for this review essay section of classic reviews. If you've read a body of work by a non-Western writer that moved you, we are interested in receiving a piece on it. Sable Classic Reviews are opinionated, critical, and to the point. More casual than scholarly, they cite text and summarise plot to convey a sense of the author's purpose and the impact of the work itself. Poetry, fiction and Non-fiction are all
acceptable. Please make your piece as concise as it is expressive. For completed pieces, we need you to supply titles of books featured, their ISBN's and publisher details. Length : 1000-1500 words.

Note: Please email if you would like to present something new and exciting within the context of literature and poetry, if you are a photographer or artist who also writes, we welcome your work in the form of comic strips, anime, photo journalism ect.

All submissions and queries should be sent by email to sableten@gmail.com by 31st October.

Deadline: 30 September 2010

Young Writers issue of Sable LitMag

Sable invites young writers of colour from all over the world to submit work from all genres and styles, for our Young Writers issue of Sable, including fiction, poetry, memoir and essays written by writers between the ages of 16-25.

The editor for this issue is Warsan Shire, a 22 year old writer and poet based in London. Her poetry has been translated into Italian and Somali. She has performed internationally in North America, South Africa and all over Europe. Her first collection Teaching mother how to give birth is soon to be published with Flipped Eye. Her work will appear in the forthcoming Black British edition of Wasafiri magazine.

Deadline for submissions - 30th September 2010.

SABLE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Must include a short bio (maximum of 150 words)/ high res photograph.
• Work submitted must be attached in the email and not in the body of the email.
• ALL work must be labelled clearly with your full name and the title of work.
• Work must not exceed the word limit.
• All work must be in this format or will not be accepted
• Times new roman font
• size 12 font
• double spaced
• one side of A4 paper
• Your full name must be on each page of your work (Header or footer)

Fiction
Short stories, extracts from a novel or flash fiction.
Other styles within fiction also welcome.
Length- 2500 words

Poetry
Send up to 15 poems (no more than 15 pages)
Any style, any length
Poetry must be 1 1/2 inch spaced

In Translation
All veteran and budding translators or writers who produce work in their native language and in English, (fiction or poetry) should send translations and other information including a brief write up on author and translator. For translators, what qualities attracted you to the work? We will give ten pages to each writer featured to publish some of their best pieces along with a photo, biography and any other images that illustrate their work. A sample of your work will also appear on the SABLE website in the future. In Translation submissions should follow the same guidelines for poetry and prose in both their chosen languages of submission and in English.

Memoirs
Memoirs of home, family, or country. Childhood memories, coming of age, change of life. Complete pieces or excerpts. Stimulating, exciting, informative, experimental. Any or all of these are welcome within your piece.
Length: 3000 words.

Travel Narratives
There are no boundaries in terms of place or style. Complete pieces or excerpts. Stimulating, exciting, informative, experimental. Any or all of these are welcome within your piece
Length: 3000 words

Essays
They are looking for contributions on historical or contemporary aspects of literature or culture. The work should reflect original thought of work by writers of colour. It can be a piece of deconstruction, post-structuralism, post-modernism, feminism, post-colonialism (or a combination of these and other theoretical frameworks).
Length: 3,000 words

Expressions
Expressions is our opinion section - a debatable literary or cultural issue that you wish to voice. As Sable is diasporic in nature, your piece has a better chance of being accepted if it reflects this, or if it is educational and informative of a particular culture or community that a global readership will find instructive and illuminating. Length: 1000 words (flexible)

Classic Review
What's in a classic? We're seeking submissions of literary reviews for this review essay section of classic reviews. If you've read a body of work by a non-Western writer that moved you, we are interested in receiving a piece on it. Sable Classic Reviews are opinionated, critical, and to the point. More casual than scholarly, they cite text and summarise plot to convey a sense of the author's purpose and the impact of the work itself. Poetry, fiction and Non-fiction are all acceptable. Please make your piece as concise as it is expressive. For completed pieces, we need you to supply titles of books featured, their ISBN's and publisher details.
Length : 1000-1500 words

Note: Please email if you would like to present something new and exciting within the context of literature and poetry, if you are a photographer or artist who also writes, we welcome your work in the form of comic strips, anime, photo journalism etc.

All Submissions and queries should be sent by email to sableten@gmail.com by 30th September. Any work sent in later than this date will not be accepted.

Deadline: 13 April 2011

ANNOUNCING A COMPETITION FOR WRITERS 35 AND UNDER! Win a chance to participate in ‘WRITE IN THE VINES’, A RETREAT FOR NON FICTION WRITERS with Barbara Nussbaum in Franschhoek, MAY 2011

An invitation to all young writers to enter a competition to win four inspiring days in Franschhoek – combining the quiet focus of a 2-day writers’ retreat with the exciting stimulation of the Franschhoek Literary Festival.

A CHANCE IN A LIFETIME TO FOCUS ON A WRITING PROJECT IN THE BEAUTY OF FRANSCHHOEK’S WINELANDS IN THE WESTERN CAPE.

Each morning writers will meet for an hour’s inspirational input from author, mentor and coach, Barbara Nussbaum and again towards the close of day. In between, there will be ample time to think, to walk, to write, to let your imagination soar and creativity expand amidst breathtaking scenery. As writers vary in their desire for solitude and community so this retreat is designed to accommodate various tastes and preferences.

Gather with fellow writers for lunch together every day – dinner together is optional! On the final day, meet with Louise Grantham, CEO of Bookstorm (a non-fiction publishing company), who will offer practical insights and tips on how to get published.

THE PRIZES FOR THE TWO TALENTED WINNERS INCLUDE:

• 4 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATION COURTESY PORCUPINE RIDGE WINES at Boekenhoutskloof Winery Manor House, a 17th century farm house overlooking vineyards
• FULL PARTICIPATION IN BARBARA NUSSBAUM’S ‘WRITE IN THE VINES’ RETREAT
• at Auberge Chanteclair 11 -13 May including 2 one-on-one mentoring sessions
• COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS TO THE FRANSCHHOEK LITERARY FESTIVAL 13-15 MAY
• COMPLIMENTARY LUNCH AND DINNER VOUCHERS for Allora, Elephant & Barrel Pub, Reuben’s to Go, SalmonBar
• CNA WILL SPONSOR ONE WINNER TO A ROUND TRIP AIR TICKET TO CAPE TOWN!
  

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES APRIL 13 – WINNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED APRIL 26.

Barbara has authored three books and is a coach with a particular gift in working with creative people including writers. Louise is previous publisher at Penguin Books and past co-ordinator of the Wits Publishing Honours Degree course.

Deadline: 30 November 2010

Entries are now being invited for the maiden Africans in Ireland Writing Competition (AIWC), organised by The African Voice Newspaper.

The AIWC, which will be an annual competition, is devoted to unpublished works of Africans writers and aspiring writers in Ireland. It aims to celebrate literary achievements of African immigrants and promote the culture of reading among children and young people. The competition will also showcase the rich diversity of African cultures and offer a platform for African writers to interact with writers from different nations and culture. We therefore aim to increase appreciation of various literary traditions and build understanding among cultures.

The Competition focuses specifically on African adults, youths and children in Ireland. This is a great opportunity for the African community to make their ideas and skills known and get greater exposure.

Please email your story to editortheafricanvoice@gmail.com and include:

Title of Entry: -
Name of Entrant: -
Address: -
Email: -
Occupation: -
Age: -

Winner's stories will be published in the African Voice Newspapers and Website. The deadline for entries is 30th of November 2010

The Competition is open to entrants in three Categories:

I. Junior 12- 15 years (1000 words)
2. Senior 16-18 years (2000 words)
3. Adult 19+ years (2500 words)

Prizes will be awarded in each of the above categories. Entries can include, but not restricted to, short stories, non-fiction, fiction, feature stories, etc.

Junior 12- 15 years (1000 words)
- First prize: €150
- Second Prize: €100
- Third Prize: €50

Senior 16-18 years (2000 word)
The deadline for entries is 30th of November 2010
- First prize: €200
- Second Prize: €180
- Third Prize: €150

Adult 19+ years (2500 words)
- First prize: €200
- Second Prize: €150

Download the entry form here.

Deadline: 1 February 2011

The Arab American National Museum (AANM) is proud to announce that submissions are now being accepted for the 2011 Arab American Book Award.

Established in 2006, the Arab American Book Award honors significant new works by and about Arab Americans.

Books submitted for consideration must be written or illustrated by an Arab American or address the Arab American experience. The portrayal or representation of Arab Americans should be accurate and engaging, avoid stereotypes and reflect rich characterization.

Submissions must be original works published in English between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010. Submissions must be postmarked no later than February 1, 2011. An award will be given to an author or illustrator in each of the following categories:

* Adult Non-Fiction in the areas of the Social Sciences and Humanities
* Adult Fiction, including Arts and Literature
* Poetry
* Children or Young Adult, Fiction or Non-Fiction

The submission form can be downloaded HERE. A list of past winners can be found HERE. For additional information regarding the Book Award, please contact Kristin LaLonde of the AANM Library & Resource Center at 313-624-0223 or klalonde@accesscommunity.org.

The Arab American National Museum documents, preserves, celebrates and educates the public on the history, life, culture and contributions of Arab Americans. It serves as a resource to enhance knowledge and understanding about Arab Americans and their presence in this country. The Arab American National Museum is a project of ACCESS, a Dearborn, Michigan-based nonprofit human services and cultural organization.

Deadline: 31 January 2011

(Note: 2010 fellows included Ret'sepile Makamane from Lesotho/ South Africa)

The Charles Pick Fellowship is dedicated to the memory of the distinguished publisher and literary agent, Charles Pick, whose career began in 1933 and continued until shortly before his death in January 2000. He encouraged young writers at the start of their careers with introductions to other writers and offered practical and financial help.

The Fellowship seeks to continue this spirit of encouragement by giving support to the work of a new and, as yet, unpublished writer of fictional or non-fictional prose. Its purpose is to give promising writers time to devote to the development of his/her talents. The Fellowship will be for six months, starting on 1 October. The award is £10,000.

Terms and Conditions

Applicants for the Fellowship must be writers of fictional or non-fictional prose in English who have not yet published a book (please note that for the purposes of this Fellowship non-fiction prose includes, for example, biography, memoir and travel writing, but not critical or historical monographs based on academic research). The Fellowship would be for the purposes of completing a major work. Applicants can be writers of any age and any nationality.

(Please visit the UK Border Agency Website at: http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/inf27pbstempworker in order to ensure that you are able to score the requisite number of points in order to apply for entry clearance. This only applies to individuals subject to a certificate of sponsorship currently living outside the UK.)

The successful candidate will be selected by a distinguished panel of writers. There will be no interviews, and candidates will be judged on the quality and promise of their writing, the project they describe, and the strength of their referee's report.

The Fellow will be a member of the School of Literature and Creative Writing and will be required to reside at the University of East Anglia for the period of the Fellowship. Accommodation will be provided on campus and is paid for by the Fellowship Award. Shared office space and computer facilities will be made available for the Fellow in the School.

During the residential period, the Fellow will be required to submit written work to a nominated mentor and take part in Creative Writing Research Seminars. No teaching duties attach to the Fellowship.

Completed application forms should be submitted together with a typescript of an original unpublished piece of fiction or non-fiction of not more than 2500 words (please include word count on first page), written in English. This must be a sample of the project the applicant would undertake if awarded the Fellowship. The typescript should be a hard copy, printed as a singlesided, double-spaced document.

Please do not staple or otherwise bind the sheets of your typescript together. Handwritten work, fax or email applications will not be accepted. All submissions must be accompanied by a completed application form and reference (see below). Do not include any additional documentation or materials. Work submitted cannot be returned to applicants.

Applications should be posted to:

Fellowship Administrator
The Charles Pick Fellowship
School of Literature and Creative Writing
University of East Anglia
Norwich, NR4 7TJ
United Kingdom

Deadline: All applications must be received by 31 January 2011

Late or incomplete applications will not be considered

Reference

All applicants must provide a reference from an editor, agent or accredited teacher of creative writing. The reference, on the official reference form, must be sent by the referee directly to The Charles Pick Fellowship at the above address. Please note that any application without a reference will not be considered, nor will any application be considered if the reference arrives after the deadline.

Links:

* 2011 Information, Terms and Conditions
Please note: if the successful applicant is currently living outside the UK and requiring certificate of sponsorship, he or she will need to meet the UK Border Agency's requirements. Please visit the UK Border Agency website in order to ensure that you are able to score the requisite number of points in order to apply for entry clearance.
* 2011 Application Form (MS Word 2011 Application Form(PDF)
* 2011 Reference Form (MS Word) 2011 Reference Form (PDF)
* Read news from former Charles Pick Fellows
* Email the Fellowship Administrator

We invite submissions in English from authors around the world. Authors from countries/regions, such as Africa, Bangladesh, mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Middle East, Pakistan, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, are encouraged to send submissions.

AMZ Publications’ scholarly and academic books fall under the categories of history, social sciences, humanities, and political science. These publications are typically historical non-fiction and include books for the mainstream as well as materials (e.g. chronologies) which facilitate scholarly research.

AMZ Publications is a USA based publisher. Our books are printed and published in the USA in hard cover. We also have the ability to produce books in soft cover. AMZ’s books meet the high quality standards of the American publishing industry.

AMZ uses the world's largest distribution channels of wholesalers and retailers, which market our publications. AMZ’s books are cataloged in the largest databases of published books, which enables any book supplier or retailer (with access to these databases) located anywhere in the world to order our books. In addition, AMZ Publications’ books are made available via numerous online book stores and can be ordered through any major retailer.

TYPES OF PUBLICATIONS

International Business and Trade

AMZ Publications produces materials which are designed to promote and develop international trade in various industries. Our currently published books include guides on import and export, which serve as great resources for entrepreneurs in a number of industries.

The audience for these professional publications is worldwide, and customers include start-up import and export companies, export promotion agencies, trade associations, Chambers of Commerce, and libraries.
Scholarly and Academic

AMZ Publications’ scholarly and academic books fall under the categories of history, social sciences, humanities, and political science. These publications are typically historical non-fiction and include books for the mainstream as well as materials (e.g. chronologies) which facilitate scholarly research.

The audience includes research institutions and libraries, individual researchers (e.g. historians, authors, professors, students, journalists, and so on) as well as mainstream readers with an interest in history. Our books can be found in many world-renowned research libraries.

SUBMISSION PROCESS

AMZ Publications invites manuscripts in English. We invite submissions on business and trade and in the areas of history, social sciences, humanities, and political science. We also consider submissions on other subjects.

We invite submissions in English from authors around the world. Authors from countries/regions, such as Africa, Bangladesh, mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Middle East, Pakistan, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, are encouraged to send submissions.

Guidelines for Proposal Submission

If you would like AMZ to consider your work for publication, please send us a detailed proposal including the following:

* Author information: curriculum vitae
* Manuscript information: proposed title, length, format, thesis/abstract (500 words or less), outline of each chapter, information on illustrations (number and black/white vs. color)
* Proof of copyright permission (if works of other author(s) are used)
* External review(s) of manuscript
* Reviewer(s) information: name, credentials (curriculum vitae, or at minimum, title, affiliations, and relevant experience), contact information (address, phone, and email)

In your proposal, please also provide brief answers (200 words or less) to the following application questions:

1. Please tell us why your book is different from other books published on your subject. What market interest does it have and what new features does it offer? Why should we publish your work? Please include a list of competitive titles with names of their publishers.
2. Please describe what research methods and resources have been used in your book.
3. Do you already have an idea of the size of the market of your proposed publication; if yes, share your assessment and include the basis for your judgment.
4. Which journals, magazines, newspapers, etc., in your opinion, would be willing to review copies of your work?
5. Do you think your subject is important enough that it will draw media attention and invitations for media interviews with you? If yes, name the media.
6. Which local/domestic book wholesalers or major retailers do you think would express high demand for the subject of your book? Provide name, contact, and web site address.
7. In your opinion, for which award can your work be nominated?
8. How do you plan to promote your book? (media contacts, speaking engagements, book launching ceremony, etc.)

Please Note: Proposals may only be submitted for completed manuscripts. Prior to submitting a book proposal, an author must get his/her manuscript reviewed by at least one relevant expert in the field.Proposals may only be submitted if the manuscript has not been published previously and is not under review for publication elsewhere.

Please send your proposal in one MS Word file to the attention of Acquisition Department via e-mail: amzpub@yahoo.com

Proposal and Manuscript Review

Upon review of the author’s book proposal, we will let you know if there is further interest. If an author’s book proposal fits AMZ Publications’ criteria, the author will then be invited to submit the full book manuscript for final evaluation.

The review and evaluation process will be based on many factors, including the nature, quality, and credibility of the content; the review and number of reviews are also essential components of our decision.

Please Note: Submission of a proposal or manuscript does not mean that AMZ Publications will definitely accept the submission for publication. Additionally, the author must retain copies of all submissions; we are not responsible for loss or damage (for any reason) to submitted work.

Deadline: open

Editorial Staff—Kensington and Citadel:

Selena James, Executive Editor, Dafina Books (African-American fiction and nonfiction, including inspirational, young adult, romance, and pop culture). sjames@kensingtonbooks.com

Mercedes Fernandez, Assistant Editor, Dafina Books (African-American and multicultural fiction, including young adult, romance and inspirational). mfernandez@kensingtonbooks.com

Submission Guidelines

For fiction, send cover letter, first three chapters, and synopsis (no more than five pages). Note that we do not publish science fiction or fantasy.

We do not publish poetry.

For non-fiction, send cover letter/query, including the author’s qualifications and connections relevant to the book’s content and marketing, and summary or outline of book’s content.

All submissions should be double-spaced, paginated, cleanly printed and readable. Do not bind pages together.

If you need material returned, you must enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope large enough to hold the submission. If we may recycle your pages, you can receive a response by enclosing a letter-size, stamped, self-addressed envelope. MATERIAL WITHOUT RETURN POSTAGE WILL BE DISCARDED.

You may QUERY ONLY by e-mail. Do not attach manuscripts or proposals to e-mail queries. An editor will respond if he or she is interested in seeing your material based on your query.

SUBMIT TO ONE EDITOR ONLY. From the list of editors and their areas of interest, determine which editor would be best suited to or most interested in the type of book you are proposing. Address the submission to that editor’s attention.

Deadline: 15 March 2011

Our website is http://asymptotejournal.com

The current issue of ASYMPTOTE features Mary Gaitskill, Thomas Bernhard, Aimé Césaire, Ludwik Sztyrmer, Du Fu, and Gozo Yoshimasu among others. The upcoming April issue will feature a despatch from Afghanistan, a memoir from Cuba, alongside an hitherto unpublished
fiction excerpt from Imre Kertész and an interview with Edith Grossman. If you do translations in any genre (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama) and like to be a part of this lineup, see our full
submission guidelines here:

http://asymptotejournal.com/guidelines.html

DEADLINE: 15 Mar 2010

We also take critical essays and book reviews in the Criticism section, as well as visual poetry. Take note of the call for submissions for our Special Feature section, open to the writers among
us who are not translators:

For the upcoming issue, we invite submissions of English-language original fiction, poetry, and memoir/non-fiction (written in English) that features an "encounter between languages" as its crux or as a significant plot point. Those matters that are "lost in translation", to use a cliché: the misread sign, the foreign significant other, the Japanese obstetrician delivering a Swedish baby, etc.

We continue to invite, as always, essays (written in English, passionately, in less than 1500 words) about a relatively unknown author writing in a language other than English (in any genre) that deserves more attention from the English-speaking world.

Deadline: 15 November 2010 (list), 8 December 2010 (books)

Rules and Procedures

1. Any full-length non-fiction work relating to Southern Africa and published between December 1 2009 and December 1, 2010 and written by a South African citizen – at home or abroad – or someone who has been resident in South Africa for more than three years is eligible for the prize.

2. Academic textbooks and business directories will not be considered.

3. The work must be written in English and must not be self-published.

4. The criteria set for the work are:

The illumination of truthfulness, especially those forms of it that are new, delicate, unfashionable and fly in the face of power; compassion; elegance of writing; and intellectual and moral integrity.

5. Works translated into English must have appeared within five years of the original, and, in the event of a translated work winning, the prize will be split equally between the writer and translator.

6. Publishers are asked to email a list of all titles that they wish to enter to Mantombi Makhubele – makhubelem@avusa.co.za by no later than MONDAY NOVEMBER 15 2010. This list will be checked by the Sunday Times and those books that do not meet the criteria will be removed. Following this, the list will be sent back to the publishers who are asked to send 7 copies of each title eligible for consideration to Tymon Smith c/o Manthombi Makhubele SUNDAY TIMES 4 BIERMANN AVENUE ROSEBANK 2196 by no later than WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 8 2010. The Sunday Times is not responsible for failures on the part of publishers to deliver the books to us by this date. Books received after the due date will not be eligible for consideration and will not be considered for the following year’s awards.

7. Publishers are also required to affirm that the nominated authors have agreed to the submission of their works, and that the authors will be available for promotional purposes for award-related events at no cost to The Sunday Times or other Avusa titles. Extracts and interviews which form part of the Sunday Times Lifestyle Magazine’s coverage of the shortlist are provided by publishers at no cost to the Sunday Times. Beyond the coverage in Sunday Times Lifestyle Magazine, authors may also be required to submit pieces for publication across Avusa titles during the course of the coverage of the awards. The content and number of these pieces is up to the editorial staff involved in the commission of these pieces and these pieces will be paid for by the newspapers concerned.

8. The judging panel will be convened by the Sunday Times.

9. A shortlist will be published in the Sunday Times.

10. The awards dinner will take place in Johannesburg in July 2011 at a date to be confirmed by The Sunday Times .

11. Publishers are asked to submit seven copies of each of the nominated works by WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2010.

These should be delivered to:

TYMON SMITH
C/o MANTOMBI MAKHUBELE
Sunday Times, 4 Biermann Avenue, Rosebank, 2196

Submission Guidelines

TU BOOKS, an imprint of LEE & LOW BOOKS, publishes speculative fiction for children and young adults featuring diverse characters and settings. Our focus is on well-told, exciting, adventurous fantasy, science fiction, and mystery novels featuring people of color set in worlds inspired by non-Western folklore or culture.

We are looking specifically for stories for both middle grade (ages 8-12) and young adult (ages 12-18) readers. (We are not looking for picture books, chapter books, or short stories at this time. Please do not send submissions in these formats.)

Manuscript Submissions:

* Manuscripts should be typed doubled-spaced.
* Manuscripts should be accompanied by a cover letter that includes a brief biography of the author, including publishing history. The letter should also state if the manuscript is a simultaneous or an exclusive submission.
* Please include a synopsis and first three chapters of the novel. Do not send the complete manuscript.
* We're looking for middle grade (ages 8-12) and young adult (ages 12 and up) books. We are not looking for chapter books (ages 6 to 9) at this time.
* Be sure to include full contact information on the cover letter and first page of the manuscript. Page numbers and your last name/title of the book should appear on subsequent pages.

Only submissions sent through regular post will be considered. We cannot accept submissions through email or fax.

We will respond to a submission only if we are interested in the manuscript. We are not able to return manuscripts or give a personal response to each submission, so please do not include a self-addressed stamped envelope or a delivery confirmation postcard, or call or email about the status of your submission. If you do not hear from us within six months, you may assume that your work does not fit our needs.

PLEASE SEND ALL SUBMISSIONS TO: Submissions Editor, Tu Books, 95 Madison Avenue, Suite 1205, New York, NY 10016. If you require confirmation of delivery, please send the submission with a U.S. Postal Service Return Receipt.

Resources for Writers:

For examples of the kinds of novels we're looking for, check out this list of multicultural science fiction and fantasy novels. Note that there is a gamut of historical, contemporary, futuristic, alternate-world, and other kinds of speculative fiction.

For writers who are writing from a perspective not their own, see Nisi Shawl's excellent article on the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America site about Transracial Writing for the Sincere. )

For guidance on word counts and other requirements for middle grade and young adult novels, check out Harold Underdown's The Purple Crayon and SCBWI.org, which should lead you to more information. Also keep an eye on the LEE & LOW blog and Tu Editorial Director Stacy Whitman's blog, and the Web sites and blogs we link to, because these experts have great advice for writers.

Purpose

These Awards reward the translation of science fiction, fantasy and related fiction from other languages into English. They exist both to promote the fiction of non-English-speaking authors and to highlight the valuable work done by translators.

Jury

The award Jury shall consist of five persons selected by the Board of Directors for their knowledge of and standing in the field.

The Jury shall be assisted by an Award Administrator appointed by the Board.

Awards

Two awards will be presented: one for long form literature (40,000 words and above) and the other for short forms.

The awards will consist of a trophy and a cash prize [value to be determined]. A copy of the trophy and an equal share of the cash prize will be given to both the author and the translator. In the case of multiple authors or translators, or a tie, multiple trophies will be awarded but the size of the cash prize will not be increased.

In addition to the winners in each category the jury will provide a short list of honorable mentions in each category, which shall be no more than 10 works, and no less than 3. No prizes other than publicity will be given for these works.

Determination of the winners and short lists, subject to the award rules, will be the sole responsibility of the current year’s Jury.

Eligibility

Works will be eligible in the calendar year in which the English language versions are published.

All forms of science fiction, fantasy and related literature are eligible, including work written for children and work published online. The work may be published anywhere in the world. Illustrated works such as graphic novels, comics and children’s picture books are eligible, but the Jury will generally consider only the text as art does not necessarily require translation and could therefore give an illustrated work an unfair advantage. (Exceptions to this may occur – for example if art has been altered for culture-specific reasons as part of the translation.)

Works may be suggested for consideration by the Board, the Jury, the Advisory Group or any member of the public.

The Award Administrator will keep a list of works considered by each year’s jury. A work which is not considered in its normal year of eligibility, for whatever reason, may be considered in the following year if it is suggested. Works may not normally be eligible in more than two years. However, if a work is not made known to any Jury until more than two years after publication it may be considered by special dispensation of the Board .

The Jury may choose to consider works from the previous year’s short lists as potential winners. This would normally be done if there is a shortage of high quality candidates, or if the previous year was known to have produced more than one outstanding candidate.
Timeline

The current intention is to present the awards at the Eaton Conference which takes place at UC Riverside in California in the spring. The first set of awards will be for works published in the calendar year 2010.

Deadline: 30 April 2011

Exclusive Books, in association with IBBY SA, is once again delighted to announce its sponsorship of the Exclusive Books IBBY SA Award, for the best original children’s picture book or illustrated children’s story book published in South Africa.

For the Exclusive Books IBBY SA Award 2011, we invite submissions of books published between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2010. The rules and conditions are detailed below.

Please send submissions (two copies of each title) to Exclusive Books Head Office before the 30 April 2011.

Colleen Whitfield
Corporate Social Investment & Children’s Books Manager
Exclusive Books
1st Floor | Rivonia Village | 3 Mutual Road | Rivonia
Tel: 011 798 0000 | Fax: 086 682 8794 | colleenw@exclusivebooks.co.za

The Rules of the Exclusive Books IBBY SA Award

1 The name of the award is: ‘The Exclusive Books IBBY SA Award’.
2 It is awarded to the illustrated literary work for children (i.e. picture book or illustrated children’s story book or illustrated book of poems) adjudged the best in the period of adjudication.
3 Books that are clearly works of non-fiction are not eligible.
4 The award is R5 000.00 for the writer and R5 000.00 for the illustrator.
5 If the writer is also the illustrator, the award is R10 000.00.
6 If there are two or more writers or two or more illustrators, the respective award is shared equally.
7 The writer and illustrator must be South Africans, whether living in South Africa or not; or non-South Africans living and working in South Africa.
8 The book must be an original work written in any of the official South African languages.
9 The book should not be a re-issue or a re-working of a previously published book.
10 The book must have been published in South Africa.
11 The award is given to a book that is recognisably South African in character.
12 The award is made every second year, from 2007 onwards.
13 The two-year period for eligibility shall be the previous two calendar years.
14 The sponsor of the award is Exclusive Books, and the judging of the award is entirely in the hands of IBBY SA.
15 The jury will ideally consist of a non-practising publisher of children’s books, an academic in Fine Art with specialisation in design and book illustration, the Chairperson of IBBY SA, the IBBY SA Executive members responsible for the awards portfolio, and any members co-opted from the areas of design, public and school libraries, academic librarianship, and book-selection for children.
16 The jury is to be convened and chaired by a member of the IBBY SA Exec.
17 No staff-member of a participating publisher may sit on the jury; no writer or illustrator of a book that is entered may sit on the jury; no one who has contributed in any way to the production of a book that is entered may sit on the jury.
18 No correspondence concerning the adjudication or the award may be entered into.
19 A shortlist of five (or fewer) titles may be published some weeks before the final award is announced.
20 The award will be announced at an Exclusive Books event in September or October in a major South African city, the date, venue and details of the event being at the discretion of Exclusive Books.
21 Exclusive Books will invite all South African authors, illustrators and publishers to submit two copies of eligible titles between 1 February and 30 April of an awarding year.
22 The publisher of the winning book must be prepared to donate a minimum of ten copies for review and promotional purposes.

Dates: 22 - 26 July 21011

REDSEA-ONLINE Cultural Foundation, in collaboration with other Somaliland cultural organizations, is eager to announce the Fourth Hargeysa International Book Fair (HIBF) which will take place from 22 to 26 July 2011 in Hargeysa.

HIBF is the main cultural event in Somaliland and one of the largest public celebrations of books in East Africa. Every July, HIBF brings writers, poets, artists and thinkers from Somaliland and from all over the world to share and discuss their art and literary productions with the audience. The main aim of the festival is to promote a culture of reading and writing in the country, by producing and publishing high quality Somali literature and translating international classical literature, (including fiction, poetry and drama) into Somali. We aim to enable young people to access a range of cultural heritages; our intention is to stimulate the revival of all forms of art and human expression, including painting, poetry reciting, story-telling, drama composition and of course, writing. The Book Fair is linked to its sister London's Somali Week Festival which takes place in 22-26 October.

HIBF targets not only to young audience, but to a wider sectors of the society, and it aims to help foster cultural understanding, tolerance, democracy, and an appreciation of the diversity of Somali culture and literature. In the past few years, our festivals raised the profile of reading and writing and also the integration in Somaliland of youth from different regions around the country. The main aim of the book fair in fact is to promote critically thinking culture and creative writing, to facilitate the habit of reading, to display books, from both local and writers abroad, to encourage members in the public to browse, read, engage with authors, be inspired to young people, and wider society.

Each year a theme, associated with and relevant to the issues surrounding youth and citizenship, is selected. The overall cultural programme this year will revolve around the theme of “Collective Memory.” Somaliland will be celebrating its 20 years of independence and hence the theme will touch upon events and processes that have shaped Somalilanders’ collective memories of the country. Our aim is to reflect on but also contribute to the creation of a national collective memory, through the arts. The project, this year, aims to produce its own culturally rooted literature on this theme by publishing different books, and to write a monologue drama on Somaliland's recent history: Topics such as the peace negotiation process, de-militarization, democracy and the growth of political parties, will be touched upon. Furthermore, the diversity of individual’s experiences of the new nation-state will also be captured through discussions, testimonies and different artistic genres, thus contributing to the creation of a collective memory.

The theme: Collective Memory

Contemporary usage of the term collective memory is traceable to Emile Durkheim (1858 – 1917) and to his student Maurice Halbwachs (1877 – 1945). Distinct from individual memory, collective memory is shared, passed on and also constructed by a group or modern society to shape their national identity. Parts of the collective memory for a nation can be represented in a physical monument, commemorative symbols, rituals, story-telling or media production, including literary creating, fiction and non fiction production, oral poetry and so on. Both “history” and “collective memory” are publicly available social facts. The difference is, while the classical history is something “dead” and confined to the past, the collective memory is something “alive” and it can be viewed as real or current history hidden in the people’s memories, experiences, testimonies, and human stories. Whilst history can explain the actors and times (who and when) of an event, it cannot capture the original emotion caused by the event. Preserving and archiving collective memory will afford people an opportunity to revisit the event and prolong its presence. We want people of different ages, different backgrounds, writers, thinkers and youth to focus on a common and shared collective memory that creates the foundation of the nation and of a national identity.

The format

The basic idea of the Book Fair is to celebrate and promote the culture of reading and writing, to create a platform where authors and other artists meet their readers and the general audience. We intend to create and facilitate an atmosphere of dialogue where ideas circulate and constructive and educational debates take place. There will be book launching events, readers clubs work presentations, meeting with authors, creative writing lessons, joyful and relaxing moments with Somali lyricists, video-screening, and poetry reciting. There will also be other parallel cultural events, covering other art genres, such as a photo exhibition and an art exhibit showcasing talented young painters in Somaliland. The overall programme will be carefully crafted to stimulate and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds.

CORE EVENTS

• A high profile debate and discussion forum, organized and attended also by young people, is one of the main events of the book fair. These series of debates cut across generations, and each year youth delegations from different regions across the country gather to create a unique forum through which audience and authors meet to exchange thoughts and opinions.

• Another highlight of the cultural program is the presentation of the yearly Sheeko iyo Shaahid literary award, reserved for young short story writers. Whilst this competition is aimed at young people, we have opened it to anyone under the age of 40. We believe some older writers never had the opportunity to develop their literary skills, as the country was at war for 15 years. This year we expect even more participation, based on the trends set in the past three years. Books containing the winning stories of the past years have been published and the event has been created and followed by many young people. The 4th edition of the under-40s short story writers will be launched and an award will be presented to the authors of last year’s Sheeko iyo Shaahid competition. Volume three of the series, comprising the winning stories from last year’s competition, will be distributed to the participants of the 2011 competition, the winners of the previous competitions and all the participants of the 2010 competition.

• HIBF-2011 will introduce the “moving library” tour, which will commence a week prior to the Festival. A bus carrying books and representatives of 9 regional Readers Clubs will tour all major cities in the country prior to the festival (members of these clubs work throughout the year presenting books to local communities). In every city there will be an event in which the readers clubs and the other youth organizations will promote the books, and encourage participants and local citizens to embrace reading as a hobby. There will be “darandoorri” (reading together) sessions in which selected national and international renowned literature will be read by young people e.g., some members of the readers clubs will read excerpts of George Orwell's “Animal Farm” translated by late Mohamed Yusuf Arten and re-published by Ponte Invisibile as well as other books by authors participating on the tour. Books will be distributed to the cities and villages along the routes of this tour, and lyrical composition, specifically commissioned for event, will be performed in every city. After the tour, the regional youth and readers clubs representatives will go to Hargeysa, and showcase their work at the book fair. They will also be asked to make their work relevant to the theme of collective memory.

• Short courses: writing and photography. Due to a lack of adequate training available to young journalists and the new members of the reading clubs we intend to organise short writing courses for those struggling with the language. Our aim is engage a small group of 18 young writers and reporters (1 member from each of the Reading clubs, 5 from Somaliland press and the 12 winners of the Sheeko iyo Shaahid) to provide language, grammar and creative writing workshops. As our idea is to promote different forms of arts among the young people, and to create artistic skills, we identified this year the necessity to promote also skill in photography. Thus, an intensive photography course for 7-10 young people will be also be organized before the book fair. The course attendees will volunteer as photographers of the book fair.

• Book launching. A number of new books published specifically within this year's book festival will be launched and world-renowned authors will be invited. We will also invite and encourage the launch of other new books authored by local writers. Over four days sessions, books will be on display and people will have an opportunity to read, review and purchase books from the publishers/books sellers/authors who may want to take their literary production in the book fair. The books launched throughout the festival will touch on various aspects relating to the theme of collective memory. Exploring experiences both within Somaliland and across the Diaspora, the books will investigate a range of topics including historic events, socio-economic changes, citizenship, identity and modernity and tradition. The programme of the events will include all books that will be launched during the HIBF. If you know about a book suitable to be launched or you are author of one, please contact to the organizers before 1 April 2011 so I can be included into the programme.

• Video screenings. Last year’s video documentation will be screened. The video shows how young people in Somaliland think on about the theme of citizenship. They explained with their own words and definitions.

SPECIAL EVENTS

• Opening and closing events with music and poetry reciting. To enhance the books fair's festive and educational atmosphere, poets and lyricists will be invited to entertain the audience in a great festive yet educational event on the opening and closing days. There will be a stage event both in opening and closing day.

• Commemorating Madar: a young and talented painter. Madar Osman was young artist and a teacher, who only last year demonstrated a unique talent. Unfortunately Madar died in a car accident soon after the Hargeysa International Book Fair and Mooge Festival of 2010. This year we will showcase his art production and some of his most interesting works will be displayed during the book fair.

• The Science Awareness Day. The Science Awareness Day is significantly important to Somaliland's development in the long terms. Somaliland needs to move shift its emphasis on manufacturing nation rather than the notion of relying on other nations' gift aids. With the motto "Science for Sustainable Development', the Day hopes to mobilise the energy and resources of the diaspora community to effectively contribute to development of Somaliland.

• Photo exhibition: Somaliland faces. Professional photographers and photojournalists will be invited to display their photographs of the people and the land.

PRE AND POST LITERARY PRODUCTION

A number of books will be published and/or translated into Somali before the Hargeysa International Book Fair, and they will be delivered to Hargeysa in time in order to be launched during the book fair. These include books specifically related to the theme of the year and commissioned by the organizers (see in the programme of events the list of books being published this year).

After the book fair, several materials will be published, including:

o Proceedings book on the Book Fair, including all the papers presented
o Educational material for the Creative Writing course.
o Volume four of Sheeko iyo Shaahid winning stories collection. This competition is a flagship asset for our cultural program, and is intended to inspire the youth to get involved in critical thinking and in composing, storytelling, preserving and participating in Somali culture and arts.
o Audio-visual: A DVD Documentary Film containing the Moving Library Tour, the drama and lyrics produced for the reading promotion, and the major events of the HIBF-2011.

All materials produced during and for the Book Fair, including the documentary film and printed literature, will be presented in our sister Somali Week Festival 2011 in October and then in several other European countries including Denmark (November 2011), The Netherlands (December 2011) and January 2012 (Italy).

Guest of honour country

As in the past years, HIBF will host a guest country by inviting writers and publishers of that country. Literature from and on that country will be displayed during the book fair. For this year’s festival, we are exploring the best option among a set of guest honour countries.

Keynote speakers, guest authors and artists

HIBF-2011 will feature prominent national and international authors, artists and speakers, including Somaliland based authors, diaspora based authors as well as internationally celebrated authors who will present their literature. The invited keynote speakers will be announced soon. In the meantime, the organizers invite all authors and publishers who may want to present their literature to contact them before 1 April 2011. Please send your inquiry to jama@redsea-online.com.

Venue: Guriga Shaqaalaha, Hargeysa, Somaliland.

Event dates: July 22 - 26, 2011

Event hours: 09:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M.