The two anthologies Let Us Conspire and Other Short Stories and Bald Dandelions With Their Wishes Blown Off launched at Cheche Books, Nairobi on August 15, 2024.
Cheche Books was the site of launching the two anthologies Let Us Conspire and Other Short Stories (Jahazi Press) and Bald Dandelions With Their Wishes Blown Off (Huza Press). Let Us Conspire and Other Short Stories resulted from workshops hosted by Jahazi Press in conjunction with the creative writing teaching platform Saseni! in May 2022. Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, Peter Kimani, Mikhail Iossel, and Prof Mohamed Bakari led the sessions. From the workshopped stories, the short story writers who made it to the anthology were Noella Moshi, Vera Kabushemeye, Gladwell Pamba, Ndegwa Nguru, Munira Hussein, Florence Onyango, Florence C Waita, Danielle Malinda, Mumbi Macharia, Ndungu Njeru, and Imou Eparis. Idza Luhumyo, Dennis Mugaa, and Buke Abduba didn’t take part in the workshops but were roped in later by anthology editors Billy Kahora and Stacy Hardy as commissions.
Bald Dandelions With Their Wishes Blown Off also had a workshop complement with one run by Nadifa Mohamed and Billy Kahora at the Hargeysa International Book Fair. Those who successfully went through that process, unlike the other anthology which is Kenyan, were more regional in their nationality. They included Mona Liban, Aisha Ali Haji, Hamdi Ali, Nebila Abdulmelik, Lucky Grace Isingizwe, Jimcale Abdi Faarah, Salma Ismail, Abdihakin Ubahle, Gary Layn, and Alexis Teyie. Their short stories then went through a similar funnel first with Saseni! followed by editing by Stacy Hardy and Huza Press associate editor Lucky Grace Isingizwe.
The two anthologies were presented with a conversation on the craft and the exciting evolution of the short story in a trademark full-house event at Cheche Books. In an event masterfully (mistressfully?) conducted by Njahira Gitahi, editor Billy Kahora as well as contributors to the two anthologies Daniella Malinda, Florence Onyango, Florence Mwaita, Imou Eparis, Ndegwa Nguru, Alexis Teyie, Buke Abduba, and Denis Mugaa spoke about their experiences either with the workshop process or with the editing process where they were commissioned.
Here are some images from the event;
The books are now available where good books can be gotten. Consider buying a copy.
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