18 November, 2011

YA Author Interview + Free Book Giveaway: Elizabeth-Irene Baitie

Last year, Fiction Writers of West Africa (FWoWA) posted an announcement of the 2010 Burt Award for African Literature, so I'm especially excited to welcome the winner of that competition, Elizabeth-Irene Baitie, to the blog today. 
Elizabeth at the launch of
The Twelfth Heart
Elizabeth writes books for young adult (YA) readers. Her titles include: A Saint in Brown Sandals (winner of the 2006 Macmillan Writer’s Prize for Africa)(Macmillan Education, 2010), and The Twelfth Heart (winner of the 2010 Burt Award for African Literature, Ghana) (Kwadwoan Publishing, 2006); In 2002, her novel, Lea’s Christmas, was short-listed for the Macmillan Writers Prize for Africa (Senior readers). The most surprising thing about Elizabeth isn't how successful she’s been in writing competitions, but that she juggles writing with a full-time job as a Clinical Biochemist, running a medical laboratory practice in Adabraka, Accra, Ghana, and a full-time job as a wife and mother! She lives in Accra with her husband and three children.

Elizabeth has graciously agreed to give away, not one, but TWO autographed copies of her YA novel, The Twelfth Heart. All you have to do is leave a comment or question on this blog post between now and mid-night on 27th November, 2011! Two lucky winners will be selected by Elizabeth and announced both on this blog and FWoWA's Facebook page on 30th November, 2011. Winners will have to send their contact details to fictionwritersofwestafrica@... to arrange for picking up/dropping off/postage of the book.


Interview:
Hi Elizabeth, thank you for taking this interview with FWoWA.
Always a pleasure!

To kick off things, tells us how come you write fiction. As a clinical biochemist, we’d expect textbooks or magazine/newspaper articles, certainly not literary fiction. So tell us, why fiction? And why Young Adult fiction?
I thoroughly enjoy my day job, but my first love has always been fiction writing. I couldn’t have been older than seven years when I began dreaming of writing the kind of stories that I enjoyed reading. My interest is not just in young adult fiction, but in stories for middle-grade readers as well (the nine to twelve year olds). The period spanning nine to eighteen years old is a time of great discovery (both of oneself and others) and evolution. There’s a great number of exciting issues to deal with in characters of that age range.  

You work full-time and you have a family. How in the world do you find time to write?
An elderly aunt told me a few years ago: “My dear – you cannot do everything singlehandedly. At the end of the month, sacrifice a part of your salary, and pay someone to share your chores. That way, you’ll buy yourself time to do what you love.” I took her advice and hired two house-girls instead of one. I also hired a driver, which, considering that I have a total minimum commute of three hours daily, means a great deal of time saved. At the end of the day that doesn’t leave me with much extra by way of cash, but it means when I get home with my family at the close of day, I don’t need to stand behind a stove. Or do my washing or ironing. I cook only on weekends. Daily, I do about 90 minutes writing in traffic. I do another hour after supper – I sit and write at table with my kids while they’re doing their homework. Over the weekends I’m not as regimented, and may put in more or (usually!) less writing.

That’s pretty impressive (note to self: learn from Elizabeth). What are some of the greatest challenges West African writers have in breaking into the fiction market? And how did you break out of that mould?
Empi, this is a hard one; I don’t think I’ve got the facts to adequately address this question. Can I pass please J


Well...I'll let you off the hook this time, because I have a more important question. I just finished reading your latest novel, The Twelfth Heart, and thoroughly enjoyed it. While reading, it took me back to Secondary School days when I read Enid Blyton’s Mallory Towers and St Clare’s series.  What triggered the plot for this novel?
I went to Achimota School, and enjoyed the best seven years of my life there. It was the most exciting place to be as a teenager. There was always some drama going on. Being in that kind of environment is extremely stimulating to a budding writer. Years after I left school, the memories remained. Though everything in The Twelfth Heart was pure fiction, it was easy to write the story, because I could remember what it was like to be fifteen again. However I wanted my teenage readers to have a sense of how fleeting and precious life is. When you’re young, you tend to think you’re immortal. You take things for granted. But the rules are the same for young and old – we live, we love, we die.

"We live, we love, we die." I like that--actually, no. It's morbid, depending on how you look at it, but it's true. J 

To be honest, in the beginning of the story, your main character doesn’t appear to be nice at all. She’s mean and pretentious, yet you still manage to make her likeable. How did you mould her into being?
I think despite her glaring character flaws, the reader can identify with her. We’ve all been mean to other people(to varying degrees of course). Most of us have been untruthful before.  We’ve secretly envied other people (or thought we were better than others) – particularly when we were younger. But like most of us, Mercy also has a conscience, and she suffers fear, doubt, guilt and remorse; when those begin to crowd in on her, it’s not hard to feel sympathy towards her.

Now the big one. Mercy and her friends have just entered Year one of secondary school. Can we expect a sequel?
Yes, there’s certainly going to be a sequel to The Twelfth Heart. There’ll be a total of three books, in fact. The second year in St Felice has a lot in store for the students!

Tell us about the Burt Award. How did you hear about it? Did you already have a story that fit the criteria or did you develop the idea after you heard about the competition?
I was SO excited to see the call for submissions for the Burt Award in the Daily Graphic in October 2009. You see, I had actually begun a story about a group of girls in boarding school. It was great to have a clear target to work towards and to hope that maybe, just maybe I could write it well enough to snag the prize.

How did it feel when you were informed that your book had won?
Exhilarating. I’d had a series of setbacks and challenges while I was writing it: in January 2010, my computer crashed after I’d written my first draft (after 2 months of writing) and believe it or not, I didn’t have a back-up - my computer had never crashed before! I began to re-write – and then my husband fell gravely ill in February. That set me back another 6 weeks. I picked up again in mid-April, but by the end of April I didn’t think I would make the deadline. I was overworked, disillusioned and tired. My wonderful father began to encourage me – he would NOT let go. "You can do it," he kept saying. So I stepped up the pace and submitted it an hour before the 4pm deadline on  31st May2010. I’m glad I didn’t give up. It was worth pushing myself for!

You’re a multi-award-winning author, and before you laugh it off with a casual wave of your hand, remember I’ve already tooted your horn in the intro. Does winning get old?
Are you kidding?!

LOL. I just had to ask. What is your secret? Or better still, what does it take to write a story that stands a chance of winning a writing competition?
Desire. Determination. Discipline.
Desire – really wanting to write a book that people will enjoy reading.
The determination to stick with it even when I begin to develop doubts as to whether the story is worth writing – or reading.
The  discipline to put in the hours - even when I’m tired, or have had a hectic day. I get cross with myself when I miss my scheduled writing time. I do skive off more than I should, but I always make an effort to get back on track. Of course it goes without saying that to write well you must have a love of books and reading.
I have a stack of books that provide very (and I mean VERY) helpful tips on writing. They’ve been invaluable. I’ve never been able to go on a writing course or join a writers’ circle, so these books are my tutors. They help me hone my craft.

Let’s talk about the writing process. How do you write? Are you a plotter (plan before you writer) or a pantser (decide the plot as you go along)?
A bit of both. More of a plotter, but not strictly so. I have an idea of where I want my story to go, and I usually plan an outline, but I don’t stick to it rigidly; I allow my characters to reveal themselves and have some input as to what happens in the story. It’s very important for me to have a clear picture and good knowledge of my main character(s) before the story starts (i.e. looks, age, family background, character traits, likes, dislikes etc).Once I know my characters well, the rest is easy, and the story never flounders.

Many Ghanaian writers go the self-publishing route, and so very few have experienced the editing process of publishing, contracts, etc. In your case, you didn’t have to pay for the publication of either of your two published books. What was the process like?
Pretty easy. In both cases a publisher was ready to pick up the winning titles. The publishers do have their own editors, but one must always look through your edited manuscript very carefully before it goes to print. In both cases, the contract was bog-standard. Royalties were 10% of profits.

What would you like to say to aspiring writers who are reading this interview and wondering if the whole writing business is worth it, or worry they aren’t good enough, or fear that their voices and visions don’t matter enough to share?
There’s a terrifying amount of uncertainty in the world of writing. I certainly go through phases when I wonder if all the hard work is worth it. But if you were born to write, you will be even more unhappy when you’re not writing. I say write through your fears and your insecurities and your hang-ups. Write about them. The things that make your heart quail and the things that make you angry. The things that make you cry. Write down your heart.

Keep polishing your writing; do your best to make your work excellent. Keep pushing. Look out for opportunities and platforms to get your name and your work out there. You will get noticed.

Which of your books tested your skills as a writer the most and why? 
I just finished a full-length novel for young adults, and that’s been the most challenging so far. It’s got a pretty complex story line as the main character inhabits both earth and a plane of existence above earth. Making it entertaining and believable has been a challenge, but I think I pulled it off.

You're giving away two copies of The Twelfth Heart. What would you like readers to take away from it?
People are special, and life is fragile. Live with care.

Are you an avid reader? What genres do you enjoy reading and what are you reading right now?
I am quite a reader, though I don’t have the opportunity to read anywhere as much as I would like to, what with the pressures of work, family and writing. It takes me longer to finish a book now. My tastes are eclectic, and I will read both adult and children’s fiction. I love a good thriller or stories with exploratory themes. Right now I’m reading ‘Speak’ by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Who is your favourite author, and what is it that really strikes you about his/her work?
I can’t tell you who my favourite author is – I’ve enjoyed so many. But I read Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women as a twelve-year-old, and it is a story that has stayed in my heart ever since. It was humorous, witty, touching, and oh so tragic. I laughed and wept and never forgot those special girls, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy.

What’s next? Are you working on anything at the moment?
I just finished a full-length novel for young adults – fantasy fiction. I’m doing some tweaking after the final edit and hope to find a literary agent for it.

Ah, the search for a literary agent - that's a whole other ballgame. We won't talk about it here. But I will say this: fantasy fiction is very 'in' nowadays, so it seems your new novel has been written at just the right time. I'm certainly interested in reading a fantasy fiction from an African writer (hint, hint) ;-)

Elizabeth, once again, thanks so much for the interview. Good luck with the promotion of The Twelfth Heart and on your next projects. 


As previously announced, Elizabeth is giving away two autographed copies of The Twelfth Heart. Just say hello, leave a comment or question for Elizabeth and check back after the 27th to see if you won yourself a free book. Easy as that!
And later on, you can always find Elizabeth on Facebook.






FWoWA


(Book cover pic credit: Mary Martha Booksellers)

12 November, 2011

Author Interview and Free Book Give-away: Elizabeth-Irene Baitie 18/11/11

Would you like to win this book? The author, Elizabeth-Irene Baitie, is giving away, not one, but TWO autographed copies of her YA novel, The Twelfth Heart. Did I say FREE? All you have to do is visit the FWoWA blog between 18th & 27th Nov., 2011, read her interview and leave a comment or question on the blog post before mid-night on 27th November, 2011! Two lucky commenters will be selected by Elizabeth and announced both here and on the blog.

Blurb
When Mercy came to her new school near Accra, she knew exactly the sort of friends she wanted to make: certainly no-one who reminded her of the small town she had left behind—poor, ugly and dull. She did not realize that true friendship comes from the heart, and that the least likely of the twelve girls in the dormitory would come to mean the most to them all. 


Excerpt


Ten minutes before the morning chapel bell rang, I slipped out of the house when Catherine wasn’t looking and went back to the spot where I had lost my shoe.With a stick, I rummaged through the dewy grass and weeds, then after a minute, I threw the stick away, and with bare hands, frantically pushed aside bushes, clinging creepers, stones and fallen branches. The tolling of the morning chapel bell began, and with a last desperate look around, I straightened up. My shoewas not here.
Duringthe chapel service I tried to look calm, to hide my agitation.  Why was my pump missing? Had a scavenger taken it, and if so of what use was one shoe to him? Or her? I barely listened to the scripture lesson or the sermon.Just before the end of the service, the senior housemistress, Mrs Tanko,took the podium. She was a plump woman with frizzy grey hair and rimless glasses. Following chapel, she said, some professionals would be giving us a talk on swine flu. The whole school was to proceed to the assembly hall. A collective groan arose from the school.
“There is another announcement,” she continued, her voice steely. “Last night while the school security was on patrol, some students were seen sneaking back into school from outside.”
Hot, liquid fear seared through my veins.
“We suspect that the culprits were girls of Morton House.” she continued. She turned aside and spoke to a security man beside her. He stepped forward, reached into a bag, and raised something high above his head.
My gold pump.
Keep calm, Mercy, look straight ahead.
 In front of me, Juliet sat with her arm stretched across the back of the bench and her head propped on her hand. Elinam whispered something to her and she smiled - a perfectly natural smile. Beside me Michaela craned her neck to see the exhibit. “Nice shoe,” she whispered to me.
The blood rushed to my head and I could feel the veins in my temple throbbing.  My head felt like it was going to explode. My shoe was marked with my initial - I could see the black inscription from where I sat.
“This gold size 6 shoe was found in the bushes near Morton House last night,” Mrs Tanko announced.“We suspect one of the girls was wearing it.  We would like whoever owns the other half to know that her initials are inscribed in the slipper and…”
The chapel was a silent as a tomb, as five hundred pairs of lungs held their breath -
“…and we will soon identify her.”
My stay in St Felice was over. I was going to be expelled.  In a few minutes I would be in the dorm, gathering my belongings to return in disgrace to Aboagyekrom.
But Mrs Tanko had not finished.  “There is a chance for the owner of this shoe to find mercy,” she said, and I froze hoping no-one had seen me flinch at the mention of the word ‘mercy.’
“If she will come forward, and own up we will give a reasonable punishment for what she… they…have done. If not …” she levelled a cold gaze at the whole school, running her eyes over the entire student body, “then the consequences will be severe.”
This was my chance. If I owned up now, if I begged for forgiveness then perhaps I would be suspended, not expelled. Get up now, Mercy. But the bones in my legs had softened to wet clay. I could not stand up.
“If she, or they, take the cowards option and decide to hide, we will uncoverthem. We are still investigating the situation, and when they are caught they will be brought to book. St Felice has a reputation to maintain and we will not have our name associated with wayward behaviour,” Mrs Tanko finished.
‘Still investigating’ she had just said. Investigating what? The number of Morton House girls with the initials M.T.G? There was only one I could think of: Me. Did they know the shoe was mine, and were they giving me a chance to own up?
‘Investigations…reasonable punishment…severe consequences.’ I began to feel nauseous. Breathe. Mercy breathe.


~~~

FWoWA

10 October, 2011

Poetry Competition Announcement: UNODA Poetry for Peace contest


I've only discovered this poetry competition now. There are four days for entry and voting. Please read the announcement below:
A social media Poetry for Peace contest is being held from 15th September - 14th October to share messages of peace.

Many atomic bomb survivors, called HIBAKUSHA (hi-ba-coo-sha), have dedicated their lives to peace. Although the average hibakusha is now 73 years old, they continue to work for nuclear disarmament by sharing, their first-hand accounts of the horrific effects of nuclear weapons. Take this valuable opportunity to listen to hibakusha testimonies and participate in the "Poetry for Peace" contest.

What is the "Poetry for Peace" contest?

This poetry contest is a platform to share your thoughts and feelings about the hibakusha testimonies. In their own voices, hibakusha have recorded their testimonies for you and future generations to hear. To take part in the contest, follow the simple steps below:
  1. Listen to a hibakusha story:
  2. Based on the account you heard, share your feelings through verse. It can be a haiku, a sonnet, or anything in between.
  3. Submit your poem for peace via email sent to unoda-web@un.org with "Poems for Peace" in the subject line. Selected poems will be posted on the UN website, with links to those poems on the International Day of Peace Facebook Page.
  4. Visit the posted poems through the International Day of Peace Facebook Page and vote by clicking "like" next to the poems that move you.
THREE winners will be selected among those with the most "likes" by a panel of judges from the United Nations and the Japanese Government. Their names will be read out in a commemorative event during Disarmament Week in October 2011. They will also be announced on the Facebook page and on the UN website.

Good luck to all who  intend to enter.

FWoWA

12 September, 2011

Call for submissions: The Writers Project of Ghana


The Writers Project of Ghana is calling for submission toward two anthologies of Ghanaian writing to be published in 2012--one anthology of poetry and another of short stories.


Submission deadline is 30th September, 2011.


Details
~Poetry: Send in five poems on any theme to poetry@writersprojectghana.com. Maximum length of any poem is 120 lines.
Short Stories: Send up to two short stories between 400 – 5,000 words, on any theme to story@writersprojectghana.com.

*The target readership for these anthologies is young adults and older.
*The language of choice is English, but works in other Ghanaian languages are welcome.
*E-mail submissions can be made as attachments or as text within the e-mail.
*All submissions must be of original, previously unpublished writing.


Enquiriesinfo@writersprojectghana.com.

The 2011 Anthology of Poetry, look where you have gone to sit, is available for purchase at the following places:

  • EPP bookshops
  • University of Ghana Bookshop, Legon
  • Citi FM, Adabraka
  • All Writers Project Programmes
Check out the original announcement here.


Best of luck,
FWOWA

30 August, 2011

Announcing the AfRo Writing Competition


Remember the call for submissions post for Africana Pocketbooks in July? (if you don't remember, you can click here). There's more good news where that came from. 
Africana Pocketbooks (Ghana) has launched a romance writing competition, dubbed the AfRo Writing competition (AfRo was coined from Africana Romance), with the objective of producing Ghanaian romance novels featuring locations, heroes, heroines and storylines that reflect contemporary Ghana.
The competition will run on Facebook through an interactive process where writers, readers and friends can contribute to the creative process.
If you're already polishing your manuscript in your head, then keep reading; it gets better:
COMPETITION DETAILS
  • The competition runs from 1st September, 2011 – 1stDecember, 2011.
  • There will be three stages of the competition.
  • Stories entered in the competition must be completed by 1st December, 2011, as the winner will be expected to submit a full manuscript at the end of the competition.
  • To enter the competition, leave comments or ‘like’ any entries, please join the Afro Romance Writing Competition Facebook group.

STAGE 1: Synopsis: 1 Sept. – 22 Sept., 2011
  • Post a short synopsis of for your romance on AfRo’s Facebook page by using the "create doc" function. Synopsis shall not exceed 1000 words, and should cover the entire story including the end (no cliffhangers or teasers, please). Remember: Keep it simple.
  • Entries will be subjected to peer reviews in an open, creative process taking place on Facebook.
  • The process will be overseen and moderated by representatives of Africana Pocketbooks.
  • On 22nd September, the editorial panel will select ten (10) synopses that will go through to Stage 2.
  • All ten winners will get feedback on their synopses.

STAGE 2: Get writing: 30 September – 20 October, 2011
  • The ten winners will enter Stage 2 of the competition by uploading the first chapters of their novel on AfRo’s Facebook page, using the "create doc" function. Chapters should not exceed 3000 words.
  • Entries will be subjected to peer reviews in an open, creative process taking place on Facebook.
  • The process will be overseen and moderated by representative of Africana Pocketbooks.
  • On 20th October, the editorial panel will select five (5) winners who will go through to Stage 3 of the competition.
  • All five winners will get feedback on their sample chapters.

STAGE 3: Get serious: 28 October – 18 November, 2011
  • The five winners will enter Stage 3 of the competition by uploading the next three chapters of their novel on AfRo’s Facebook page. The chapters should be posted one at a time, one week apart, i.e.:
    • Chapter two must be posted between 28th October and 3rdNovember
    • Chapter three must be posted between 4th and 10thNovember
    • Chapter four must be posted between 11th and 31stNovember
  • Chapters should not exceed 3000 words each.
  • The samples will be subjected to peer reviews in an open, creative process taking place on Facebook.
  • The process will be overseen and moderated by representatives of Africana Pocketbooks.

The Winner of the AfRo competition will be announced on 1stDecember, 2011.

THE PRIZE
The overall winner will enter into an editorial process with Africana Pocketbooks and our editor, which will result in a contract including full editorial process, publishing and printing of at least 10,000 copies, and promotion in Ghana. The finished title will be scheduled for publication in 2012.
The two runners-up will get detailed feedback on their entries with the aim of making them eligible for future publication.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE COMPETITION
  • Eligibility: The competition is open to Ghanaian writers, or writers resident in Ghana
  • Story settings: Stories must be set in Ghana and feature Ghanaian locations, heroes and heroines.
  • Guidelines: Submission must adhere to the Africana Romance (AfRo) writing guidelines.
  • Stories must not have been submitted earlier to any other publishing houses
Good luck to all

FWoWA

05 August, 2011

Cassava Republic Press calling for submissions

Cassava Republic Press is a Nigerian-based publisher 'obsessed with changing the way the world thinks about African fiction'. The publish high quality, affordable fiction, non-fiction  and children’s books that inspire young readers to develop a love of books from an early age. Non-fiction focuses on socio-cultural and historical events.


They also organise writing workshops and school writers-in-residence programmes under their RAW (Reading And Writing) Initiative. Cassava Republic Press was listed as one of the top ten brands to look out for in 2009 by the design bible Monocle Magazine.

And the good news! They are accepting submissions. But there's a little catch. They accept submission only two times a year: January and August. Submissions received outside of these months will not be considered. So you have twenty-six days to polish your manuscripts and submit...or wait four months!

They accept submissions by email only. Any hard copy submissions will not be considered.

What to submit:
For fiction, send a 500-word synopsis with three sample chapters to editor@cassavarepublic.biz.

For non-fiction, include a cover letter in your email indicating the subject and your qualifications. 

Sample chapters must sent as a word attachment saved in the following way: date of submission(dd.mm.yy).surname.firstname.book title. [E.g: 02.09.09.Yinka.Allen.To PlayWithFire.doc]. Your name should appear only on the title page, and nowhere else in the manuscript.

The subject of the email should be: Cassava Submission: [Author’s name], [book title].
[E.g.: Cassava Submission: Yinka Ishmail, The Quiet Sisters]

All submissions are logged and read chronologically. 

Cassava Republic is based in Abuja, Nigeria. For more information, visit their website or 'like' them on Facebook or 'follow' then on Twitter @CassavaRepublic.

Don't say I didn't tell you!

Cheers
FWoWA

27 July, 2011

Introducing AFRICANA Pocketbooks

If you've been following the FWoWA group page on Facebook, then you've probably already heard about them. AFRICANA is a publishing house that produces competitively-priced, popular pocketbooks for the West African mass market.

Africana concentrates on current African events, biographies on inspirational stars and leaders, African history and politics, self-help, romances and popular fiction.

And here’s the good news! Africana is currently accepting submissions from African authors and authors relevant to African readers. They are looking for good quality stories, particularly romance and crime, between 30,000 and 50,000 words. Submit to info@africanapublishing.com. They will only give feedback on publishable manu­scripts.

For more information visit them on their website, Facebook page or blog (in Danish).

Cheers
FWoWA

17 February, 2011

Can African writing be competitive in today's world?

The art of creative writing keeps evolving and the rules keep changing. Things that were done a few years ago aren't acceptable anymore. Think of it like the movies. Ten years ago, movies took time to build up and reel you in; today viewers have so many options that movie makers have to grab the audiences' attention within the first five minutes of the movie.

So it is with writing. There are still readers who appreciate the written word to the point that they'd read simply for the enjoyment of the literary word. For the most part, though, many readers want a story that will snag their attention from line one. With the number of writers (aspiring or otherwise) at an all-time high*, a writer needs to be able to grab a reader's attention quickly--and most importantly hold that attention for the duration of the story.

Unfortunately, I think this puts African writers at a bit of a disadvantage. Our storytelling seems to be the type that builds up. Many of us will remember a period growing up, when we made time for storytelling; so we were required to be patient and allow the narrator to reel us in. In fact, in the most traditional sense, there's usually an ambiance--people gathered by a bonfire as a wizened elder impart life's lessons through folktales.

So how do we compete in today's world? More importantly, how do we ensure we don't lose our African-ness in the process?

I can think of a couple of things: knowing the basic rules, and learning/applying the new trends. That way the African-ness we may be so afraid of losing will draw in both African readers who want to read more stories they can relate with, and non-African readers who will see our stories are a cultural adventure.

Any thoughts, any one?


Cheers,
FWoWA