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Njeri Wangari launches new book for children
Njeri Wangari’s new book for children My Colouring Book of Rhymes launched in Nairobi, Kenya on Saturday, February 8, 2025. Njeri Wangari first came to our attention when she was dazzling with her poetry stages at the monthly Kwani Open Mic in the mid-2000s. She was also an archivist of the era giving news and…
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Rentrée Littéraire du Mali 2025 starts on February 18
Rentrée Littéraire du Mali 2025 with theme “Africa’s youth” runs in Bamako, Mali from February 18 – 22, 2025. Rentrée Littéraire du Mali (Literary Return of Mali) is a festival of books, words, and ideas hosted in Bamako, Mali since the first edition in 2008. It invites writers, academics, researchers, and artists from around the…
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Atlantide Literature Festival 2025 starts March 6
The Atlantide Literature Festival 2025 with Alain Mabanckou returning as artistic director will be held in Nantes, France from March 6 – 9, 2025. The Atlantide Literature Festival has gathered dozens of international and French writers to the French city of Nantes since it was founded in 2013. For the period of the festival, the…
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A snapshot of the Inaugural Thika Book Fair
The first edition of the Thika Book Fair was held in the central Kenyan town from January 31 – February 2, 2025. Thika town, an industrial hub in central Kenya, is famous for Fourteen Falls, Chania Falls, and Thika Falls. The town of a quarter of a million population added a cultural component when the…
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LIFTed Literary Festival 2025 for Pasadena, California
The LIFTed Literary Festival 2025, with the theme “Every Story Matters”, will be held in Pasadena, California, USA from February 4 – 20, 2025. LIFTed UNITED is a literary community organization founded to promote greater support for librarians, teachers, writers, readers, and authors in Southern California and beyond founded by Karis Mcpherson. Its motto “Literacy…
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Book Digest: Hayat Kasdi, Patrice Lawrence, Kamilah Cole, Nicole Sealey
Our regular Book Digest segment spotlights new books from Hayat Kasdi, Patrice Lawrence, Kamilah Cole, Nicole Sealey, and John Murillo. Chouf…A Marseille by Hayat Kasdi Publisher: Les éditions El AmirDate: December 7, 2025Genre: FictionLanguage: FrenchWhere to find it: Amazon, FNAC Hayat Kasdi Hayat Kasdi is a writer from Algeria who writes in French. Chouf…A Marseille…
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PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction 2025 longlist announced
‘Pemi Aguda, Percival Everett, and John Vercher are on the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction 2025 longlist announced on Monday, February 3, 2025. The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, first handed out in 1981, is awarded annually by the PEN/Faulkner Foundation to the authors of the year’s best works of fiction by living US American citizens. Some…
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Iyanuoluwa Adenle wins Kofi Awoonor Poetry Prize 2024
Iyanuoluwa Adenle won the Kofi Awoonor Poetry Prize 2024 on Saturday, February 1, 2025. The Kofi Awoonor Literary Prize was established in honour of Ghanaian poet, writer and academic Prof Kofi Awoonor. The beloved Ghanaian was the author of many titles in poetry, prose, and nonfiction and was awarded prizes such as the Gurrey Prize…
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British Science Fiction Awards 2024 longlists announced
The British Science Fiction Awards 2024 longlists were announced on Saturday, February 1, 2025. Here are the writers of African descent in the running. The British Science Fiction Awards, a production of the British Science Fiction Association, have been presented annually since 1970. The awards are voted on by members of the British Science Fiction…
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Will This Be a Problem Anthology launches in Nairobi
The fifth edition of the Will This Be a Problem Anthology was launched in Nairobi, Kenya on Friday, January 31, 2025. Will This Be a Problem is a literary journal dedicated to publishing speculative fiction, science fiction, fantasy, horror, essays, and book reviews since it was established in 2014. They amplify voices from African writers…
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Prix Ahmadou Kourouma 2025 finalists announced
The Prix Ahmadou Kourouma 2025 finalists were announced in Geneva, Switzerland on Thursday, January 16, 2025. Ahmadou Kourouma was a legendary Ivorian novelist of many titles including Les Soleils des indépendances (1968), Le Diseur de verité (1972), and the most famous Allah n’est pas oblige (2000) which was translated to Allah Is Not Obliged. The…
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Opportunities for writers and poets for February 2025.
In our continuing series, we share opportunities for those who wish to submit work in February 2025, be it poetry, prose, or other related arts. These callouts are divided into education (MFAs, Fellowships, residencies), opportunity hubs, journals, and prizes. Please do us a favour and mention to whoever you applied to that you got the…
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Guinness World Record at Marrakech International Storytelling Festival 2025
The Guinness World Record for continuous storytelling was made at the Marrakech International Storytelling Festival 2025 from January 21 – 24, 2025. The Marrakech International Storytelling Festival is a free, open-access event that celebrates the art of storytelling. Founded by Mike and Lucie Wood and first hosted in 2021, it takes place in public spaces,…
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João Melo is Premio Correntes de Escritas 2024 finalist
João Melo’s poetry collection Exercícios e Linguagens was named a Premio Correntes de Escritas 2024 finalist on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. Correntes d’Escritas (English: Writing Currents) is an annual meeting of writers of Iberian expression that happens in Póvoa do Varzim in northern Portugal in February. The writers come from countries where Portuguese and Spanish…
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Literary Magazines: Weganda Review, Efiko, New Contrast, The Shallow Tales Review
New editions of literary magazines Weganda Review, Efiko, New Contrast, and The Shallow Tales Review are now available. Weganda Review The Weganda Review is a literary journal produced in Uganda as a project of the cultural nonprofit Weganda Foundation. The platform founded by Rodney Muhumuza in 2023 features writers, researchers, academics, artists, and others publishing…