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URGENT Call for submissions: Africa39

Dear Friends, Writers, publishers and African Literary organisations,

My name is Binyavanga Wainaina. I am the coordinator of the Africa39 Longlist.

I write to you with some urgency. I have recently been contracted to put together a long-list of 120 of

most promising fiction authors under the age of 40 from Africa South of the Sahara and diaspora.

This is a huge undertaking and will lead to an announcement of 39 of the most promising African

writers under the age of 39 in April 2014. Time is of the essence.

I have to submit this longlist by the 15th of December 2013. I would like to encourage all published

fiction writers who qualify to apply.

As many of you may have heard, Port Harcourt City in Rivers State, Nigeria has been conferred the

status of UNESCO World Book Capital in 2014. It is thefirst African city south of the Sahara to be

given such status.

The Port Harcourt Book Fair(PHBF) is an initiative of the Governor of Rivers State, Nigeria and is

an event for writers, book sellers, literary connoisseurs and all major players in the book industry.

The PHBF in 2014 with Port Harcourt as the World Book Capital City will therefore be a major

pan-African and international literary event which will significantly advance the state of literacy,

literature, and publishing in Africa.

I am asking you please to distribute this application document to your contacts, mailing lists,

writers, media, and other relevant networks and forums.

PLEASE refer all replies & queries ONLY to: africa39project@gmail.com or on Twitter

@africa39list.

What is Africa39 Project?

The Africa39 Project has been set up as a key part of the programs and celebrations of Port

Harcourt UNESCO World Book Capital 2014. In April 2014, Africa39 will announce 39 of the most

promising African writers of fiction under the age of 40.

The Africa39 Project is a partnership between the Hay Festival of Literature & the Arts Ltd., UK and

the Rainbow Book Club (Port Harcourt, Nigeria).

The Africa39 Project will contact and liaise with African literary prizes, writers groups, literary

magazines, and literary festivals.

I understand this is coming to you at short notice. As you imagine this undertaking is huge,

and I have only recently become involved in this project. This is a huge opportunity for a

new generation of writers, and I urge you to encourage as many as possible to submit an

application consideration. Details below.

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mailto:africa39project@gmail.commailto:africa39project@gmail.comhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portharcourtbookfestival.com%2Findex.php%2Fabout-us&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE_4fAxzZw2dXHJU2a4EBK8wz739Ahttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portharcourtworldbookcapital.org%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D96%26Itemid%3D183&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGrkZ-uIsBaxz3Fl0CLmYCXYGfVTgmailto:africa39project@gmail.comhttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portharcourtbookfestival.com%2Findex.php%2Fabout-us&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE_4fAxzZw2dXHJU2a4EBK8wz739Ahttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portharcourtworldbookcapital.org%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D96%26Itemid%3D183&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGrkZ-uIsBaxz3Fl0CLmYCXYGfVTghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portharcourtworldbookcapital.org%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D96%26Itemid%3D183&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGrkZ-uIsBaxz3Fl0CLmYCXYGfVTg

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Rules for Applicants.

Writers may apply on their own behalf

Agents and publishers can apply on behalf of writers in their stable.

Writers must be under 40 years of age (born after January 1st, 1974).

Writers must have published at least one work of fiction.

We are keen to promote writers who show promise.

The judges decision is final and they will not enter into any correspondence with entrants

regarding their decisions.

This prize is open only to African writers.

By African writer we mean that you are a resident of or were born in one of the countries

listed below. By African writers, we also mean that any writer who has one or more parents

from any of these countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon,Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic

of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana,

Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania,

Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Runion, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda,

Saint Helena, So Tom and Prncipe Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South

Africa South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia,

Zimbabwe.

Writers from the Diaspora(s) of any one or more of the countries listed above are

encouraged to apply.

The author must provide the following essential information on the cover page: full name, date of birth, country of origin.

contact details: e-mail, telephone number (including country-code), twitter handle.

a 200 word biography.

a short bibliography of your published literary work.

The author must also attach:

a scanned copy of the biographical page from one of the following: your passport,your

official national identification card,or your drivers licence.

a square author photograph in .png format minimum of 180x180 pixels.

The deadline for ALL submissions is midnight (East African Time/GMT+3) Dec 10th,

2013.

ALL applicant submissions should be made VIA EMAIL ONLY TO:

africa39project@gmail.com.

All questions should be directed ONLY to this email address: africa39project@gmail.com

or on Twitter @africa39list

Pleaseensure your submissions keep strictly to the guidelines and application criteria we

have provided in this document.

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mailto:africa39project@gmail.commailto:africa39project@gmail.com

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