Hello everyone, this week's focus is on the late greatKenyan writer and academic Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, who passed away on May 28. Enjoy. Please remember that you can support our project on Patreon, PayPal, Ko-Fi, or mobile money. You can get that informationat WritingAfrica.com/donate. We have been featured in Feedspot among the 25 Best African Literature Podcasts at https://podcast.feedspot.com/african_literature_podcasts/
Jun 10, 2025•8 min
Writing Africa is a project that celebrates writers of African descent, be it on the continent or the diaspora; this week's focus is on Kenya’s first recognised female playwright and novelist, Rebeka Njau. Enjoy.Please remember that you can support our project on Patreon, PayPal, Ko-Fi, or mobile money. You can get information on how to do that atWritingAfrica.com/donate.
May 09, 2025•11 min
Welcome to episode 43 of the Writing Africa podcast. Writing Africa is a project that celebrates writers of African descent, be it on the continent or the diaspora; this week's focus is on the award-winning novelist from Senegal, Mohamed Mbougar Sarr. Enjoy. Please remember that you can support our project on Patreon, PayPal, Ko-Fi, or mobile money. You can get that information at WritingAfrica.com/donate.
May 03, 2025•10 min•Ep. 43
This week's focus is the Writing Africa project, which started on April 24, 2013. We talk about some of the highs and achievements over the last 12 years. Please remember that you can support our project monetarily on Patreon, PayPal, Ko-Fi, or mobile money. You can get that information atwritingafrica.com/donate.
Apr 24, 2025•15 min
Our focus this week is on Rwandan-born French writer BeataUmubyeyi Mairesse, who writes in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, and is one of the most decorated Africanswriting in French today. Please remember that you can support our project monetarily on Patreon, PayPal, Ko-Fi, or mobile money. You can get that information at writingafrica.com/donate.
Apr 19, 2025•10 min
Our focus this week is the NYrobi Book Fest 2025, which runs from April 11 – 13. It is one of the fastest-growing festivals on the African continent. Please remember that you can support our project monetarily on Patreon, PayPal, Ko-Fi, or mobile money. You can get that information at writingafrica.com/donate.
Apr 11, 2025•10 min
Our focus this week is Prof Niyi Osundare who has made a name as a linguist, a critic, and an experienced journalist and teacher is a poet who gained degrees in English at the University of Ibadan (BA), the University of Leeds (MA), and York University, Canada (PhD, 1979). Previously professor (from 1989) and Head of English (1993–97) at the University of Ibadan, he became professor of English at theUniversity of New Orleans in 1997. He is an Emeritus Distinguished Professor of English at the Un...
Mar 21, 2025•10 min
This week’s spotlight is Percival Everett, the author of numerous novels, short story collections, poetry, children’s literature, and other forms. He is also a Distinguished Professor of English at the University of SouthernCalifornia (USC). He has shown his love for humanity by appending his signature to the Israel Boycott Pledge, which has been signed by many. He also showed his love for non-humans with his herd of mules, horses, and donkeys on his 14-acre ranch in Moreno Valley, California, w...
Mar 14, 2025•7 min
Welcome to episode 37 of the Writing Africa Podcast where we focus on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's return with her new novel Dream Count. Please remember that you can support our project monetarily on Patreon, Paypal, Ko-Fi, or mobile money.
Mar 07, 2025•12 min
For the Writing Africa Podcast Episode 36, we say goodbye to Kenyan publisher Henry Chakava as we speak about awards, books, and events around African letters. We also have an exclusive interview with legendary academic Carol Boyce Davies. Remember that you can support the work we do archiving African and Black literature via PayPal, Mobile Money, or Patreon starting at $3 a month. For more information please click here .
Mar 29, 2024•37 min•Ep. 36
We say goodbye to Trinidad and Tobago author Michael Anthony, talk about the NBO LitFest, as well as the awards that have been given in August. We also debut novelist Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu. Remember that you can support the work we do archiving African and Black literature via PayPal, Mobile Money, or Patreon starting at $3 a month. For more information please click here .
Sep 04, 2023•43 min
We chat with graphic novelist Chief Nyamweya on how he got into writing graphic novels and the Trust novel which incorporates blockchain in the storytelling. Get your copy of the book by clicking here . Remember that you can support the work we do archiving African and Black literature via PayPal, Mobile Money, or Patreon starting at $3 a month. For more information please click here ....
Jul 31, 2023•33 min
In episode 33, we say goodbye to Good Micere Mugo and Kole Omotoso, and talk about what has been happening is the awards and festivals in African and Black literature scene.
Jul 21, 2023•13 min
Transition Egyptian Novelist Hamdy Abu Golayyel has passed away Egyptian Novelist Hamdy Abu Golayyel passed away on Sunday, June 11, 2023. Exhibition Litafrika: Artistic Encounters II exhibition for Zurich organised by Swiss partners Litar Foundation and Strauhof Zurich. Curator Zukiswa Wanner gives a tour here; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c1_lcyLnuk&t=95s&pp=ygUJbGl0YWZyaWth Festivals Abuja Literary and Arts Festival 2023 for September, Ake Festival 2023 for November, and Feira do ...
Jun 21, 2023•8 min•Ep. 32
Welcome to episode 29 of the Writing Africa Podcast. It’s a blockbuster one as we say goodbye to author, poet, playwright, and academic Ama Ata Aidoo and South African writer, political analyst, journalist, and broadcaster Eusebius McKaiser. We will be chatting about the prize the Kendeka Prize, Arablit Short Story Prize, and the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival (BCLF) Short Fiction Story Contest as well as we recommend that you read Caribbean books this Read Caribbean Month. We have an inte...
Jun 08, 2023•30 min•Ep. 29
For the first time in a decade, we have a new identity in Writing Africa and we explain a bit about why this was so. We also talk about the winners of the Dylan Thomas Prize, Nebula Awards, Pulitzer Prize Prix Orange du Livre en Afrique as well as those shortlisted for the Island Prize. We also talk about some festivals like the 72 heures du livre Conakry which ran in April and the forthcoming Mogadishu Book Fair, Calabash Festival, and the Ake Festival.
May 16, 2023•9 min
Welcome to episode 27 of the Writing Africa Podcast. Today’s guests of Khadija Abdalla Bajaber won the Greywolf Africa Prize in 2018 and went on to write House of Rust. In this episode, we chat with the Mombasa-born and bred writer about winning the Graywolf Prize and how it changed her life, her writing influences, and loads more. This podcast has been supported by Goethe-Institute Kenya as part of the "Kenya Writes" series. Enjoy.
Oct 07, 2022•21 min•Ep. 27
Welcome to episode 26 of the Writing Africa Podcast. Today’s guest is Zimbabwe-born, USA-based Munashe Kaseke , the writer of the debut short story collection Send Her Back and Other Stories as well as the founder of independent publisher Mukana Press . In our episode, she speaks about her writing, her journey as a publisher, and how she hopes to navigate the markets both in the USA and on the continent. Enjoy....
Aug 26, 2022•29 min
The Kenya Writes guest for today is Kisumu-based lawyer and author Patrick Ochieng who was shortlisted for the 2010 Golden Baobab Prize and the NALIF Writing Competition in 2017 . He has been published in Kikwetu, Munyori, Brittle Paper, and other literary publications. He lives in Kisumu, Kenya, with his family. His debut book for children is Playing a Dangerous Game , published by Norton Young Readers. We talk about his entry into the writing business, why he writes for children, what inspired...
Aug 19, 2022•32 min•Ep. 25
The Kenya Writes guest for today is Mombasa-based writer and festival organiser Lorna Likiza whose debut literary offering is the children’s book Oi Gets Lost. She tells us their journey to her first book, working with her Ukrainian illustrator, about her festival the Heroe Book Fair, and about the writing scene in her adopted town of Mombasa. This podcast has been supported by Goethe-Institute Kenya as part of the "Kenya Writes" series. Enjoy
Apr 07, 2022•18 min•Ep. 24
Fatma Shafii is a Swahili writer who likes to write about human behaviour and emerging issues affecting the continent based in Mombasa. Her poems, fiction and nonfiction have been published in various platforms including creativewritersleague.co.ke and the online literary magazine Lolwe . She is the founder of SHIWAKI (Shirika La Waandishi wa Kiswahili), an association of writers of the Swahili language. She is also one of the authors of Water Birds on the Lakeshore , the anthology of Afro Young...
Jan 07, 2022•18 min
This week’s podcast, repurposed from the livestream that happened on November 25, 2020 featuring Mariette Tchamda Mbunpi and Annette Michael. The podcast is a production of James Murua Literary in cooperation with Frankfurter Buchmesse with financial support from the German Federal Foreign Office. Enjoy.
Aug 30, 2021•51 min•Ep. 22
This week’s podcast, repurposed from the livestream that happened on Thursday, November 18, 2020 featuring Ondjaki and Philipp Khabo Koepsell. The podcast is a production by James Murua Literary in cooperation with Frankfurter Buchmesse with financial support from the German Federal Foreign Office. Enjoy
Jul 02, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 21
This week’s podcast, repurposed from the Thursday, November 12 livestream, features Maaza Mengiste and Antje Rávik Strubel. The podcast is a production by James Murua Literary in cooperation with Frankfurter Buchmesse with financial support from the German Federal Foreign Office. This is the second part of the podcast. Enjoy
Nov 28, 2020•21 min•Ep. 20
Welcome to episode 20 of the James Murua Literary Podcast. This week’s podcast, repurposed from the Thursday, November 12 Livestream, features Maaza Mengiste and Antje Rávik Strubel. The podcast is a production by James Murua Literary in cooperation with Frankfurter Buchmesse with financial support from the German Federal Foreign Office. Enjoy
Nov 28, 2020•19 min•Ep. 20
Abubakar Adam Ibrahim is a Nigerian writer and journalist who has written the short story collection "The Whispering Trees" and the award-winning novel "Season of Crimson Blossoms." In this podcast, we talk about his newest short story collection "Dreams and Assorted Nightmares" forthcoming from Masobe Books and publishing in Nigeria,
Nov 20, 2020•27 min•Ep. 19
Abubakar Adam Ibrahim is a Nigerian writer and journalist who has written the short story collection "The Whispering Trees" and the award-winning novel "Season of Crimson Blossoms." In this podcast, we talk about his newest short story collection "Dreams and Assorted Nightmares" forthcoming from Masobe Books and publishing in Nigeria,
Nov 20, 2020•32 min•Ep. 19
Ayesha Harruna Attah is a Ghanaian-born Senegal-based writer of the books Harmattan Rain (2008), Saturday's Shadow (2015), and The Hundred Wells of Salaga (2015). Ayesha's newest title "The Deep Blue Between," which was published on October 15, 2020, is a Young Adult offering that could be considered a sequel to The Hundred Wells of Salaga. In this interview, we speak about her move to write for Young Adults, talks in-depth about the new book, and speaks about what it takes to write historical f...
Nov 13, 2020•29 min•Ep. 18
Peter Kimani is an award-winning Kenyan author and journalist. He works across a broad spectrum of genres, from fiction to non-fiction, poetry, and plays. His latest novel, Dance of the Jakaranda, was published in New York in February 2017, to great critical acclaim. It’s a New York Times Editors’ Choice, among other accolades. On this podcast, we chat with the Kenyan about his newest book and how it came to be, why he needed to go abroad before he finally got a local publisher, and the new anth...
Nov 07, 2020•22 min•Ep. 17
Chimeka Garricks is a lawyer, editor, and ghost copywriter. His fiction includes the acclaimed novel, Tomorrow Died Yesterday and the collection of short stories, A Broken People’s Playlist. The collection which he wrote with the aid of music while trying to avoid working on another novel is coming in June. The Lagos-based writer shared with us why he turned to the short form to get his writing mojo back, how the Nigerian and African literary scene has changed since his last book came out ten ye...
May 29, 2020•20 min•Ep. 16