Kinna

The 2nd Annual Ghanaian Literature Week

Update:  The Week has begun.  Please click on Ghanaian Literature Week to for links to all the posts and activities. Thank you. 

Once again, Kinna Reads will host the annual Ghanaian Literature Week.  This year’s reading event is scheduled for Monday, November 14th – Sunday, November 20th.  I hosted the event for the first time last year and it was a lot of fun, although participation was limited to bloggers (see my posts on last year’s week here and here).  This year, I’m opening it up to the world and relaxing the rules somewhat.  First, everyone is invited to participate.  To participate:

  • Read one or more works by a Ghanaian author or an author of Ghanaian descent
  • Both fiction and non-fiction works are allowed
  • All forms and genres of fiction are allowed.  These include novels, novellas, short stories, children’s literature, poetry and drama. Literary fiction, faith-based works, romances, mysteries are also included.
  • The length or topic does not matter except that it must be connected to Ghana or touch on some aspect of Ghanaian life.
  • The material must be published as a physical book, an ebook, in a newspaper, in a journal or published online.
  • I encourage those with websites to please review the works that they read
  • Please link your reviews to the review database, which I will put up on the first day of the event
  • Join us for Twitter chats (the times will be announced later). We will use the hashtag #GhanaLit on twitter. I’m going to try to get one or two of our writers to join us on Twitter for a schedule discussion on their work.
  • The novelist and poet Nii Ayikwei Parkes will join us for a twitter chat on November 17th, 2011.  Please see this post for details.
  • Participate in chats on  Facebook (page to be announced later today)
  • If you are in Ghana, tune into radio programs (time and stations to be announced later)
  • And please have fun.  It is the most important rule.

In essence, we want to (re)discover, enjoy and promote Ghanaian writing.   For those in Ghana who have not picked up a book by a Ghanaian author since their secondary school days, reintroduce yourself to Ghanaian books.  This is also a good opportunity for parents to learn about the excellent children’s literature and young adult fiction available in the country. And there are new Ghanaian writers to discover as well.

We will also discuss the state of reading and availability of books in the country.  There are lots to say about that!

I will host a number of giveaways for our local, African and international readers and participants.  Note: if you are an author or publisher who would like to donate a book to this project please email me at kinnareads(at)gmail(dot)com.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you would like to guest post on my blog or would like to host an event (online or in Ghana) during the week.

I will put up a page with a list of suggested reading and other information related to the week in the coming days.

There will be more updates and information.  Please stay tuned.  Most importantly, start thinking about what you can read for the Ghanaian Literature Week (oh joy 🙂 )

37 comments

  5. […] This is a week long, from November 14, 2011 to November 20th, 2011, celebration of Ghanaian Literature and a discussion of book/reading related issues in Ghana.  Everyone is invited.  The rules of participation are simple:  read a literary work by a writer who is from or lives in Ghana, read a book about Ghana, discuss any issue related to reading and books in Ghana. For more detailed information, please see my introductory post, The 2nd Annual Ghanaian Literature Week. […]

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  22. Brilliant! Count me in. I’ve started stockpiling the Ghanaian Authors that I haven’t read yet. Just finished Mistress of the Game by Asabea Ashun, and the Twelfth Heart, by Elizabeth Irene Baittie. Lookig forward to the reading list.

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  26. This looks wonderful. I’m looking forward to your discussion of the state of reading and availability of books in Ghana. One of the things I’ve discovered reading your blog, Kinna, is how much I still need to learn about these things!

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  28. I was in even before you announced. I have already selected my books for the week and to work within the duration, I’ll start reading earlier. Thinking of Ayikwei Parkes’ Tail of a bluebird and Benjamin Kwakye’s The Other Crucifix. If there is time, I’ll add one or two. Interesting.

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  34. Looking forward to your list of selections! The only book from a Ghanaian author I’ve read is Bediako Asare’s “Rebel.”

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