Accomplish Press in conjunction with BlackandOutspoken, presents an evening of reading, conversation and inspiration with the best of new generation African Writers. The event will be a mixture of literature, poetry and spoken word performances, as well as a panel to discuss issues relevant to writers in the UK.
Topics:
- Making Money from Writing: Is it possible to make a living as a writer?
- The future of publishing in the UK: is it traditional publishing, self-publishing and collaborative publishing or hybrid publishing?
- Beyond print; moving with the digital revolution: ebooks, podcasts, audio books and short films
- Who is our audience? Our community or beyond?
- Genres: moving beyond expectations placed on African writing
Meet the Panel of Speakers:
Abidemi Sanusi
About Abidemi Sanusi
Abidemi is an author of several books (including Kemi’s Journal, God Has Daughters Too and Zack’s Story), the founder of Ready Writer, a content creation and training agency, and the editor of Ready Writer Mag. Her critically acclaimed book Eyo was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. She has written extensively for Christian magazines, The Guardian, The Cabinet Office/No 10, Unilever, Methodist Church, UN, Directgov and others too traumatic to remember. In her spare time, she loves cooking, running and photography. Born in Nigeria, now living in the UK, with dreams of emigrating to Zanzibar and never experiencing rainy weather ever again. She is represented by the fabulous Elise Dillsworth Agency.
Twitter: @Abidemitv
Website: www.abidemi.co.uk
Abimbola Dare
About Abimbola
Abimbola Dare commenced her writing career as a blogger in 2006. Her hilarious blog which documented the life of an immigrant learning to adjust to life in the UK soon became one of the most visited blogs in Nigeria at the time. In 2008, she took a maternity break-which essentially became an opportunity for her to write her first Inspirational (christian) novel, ‘The Small Print’. Having sought for, and finding no Christian fiction publisher in the UK, she decided to establish her own company. ‘The Small Print’ was released in 2011 and became one of the best selling e-books in Religious romance genre on Amazon UK-for more than six months. For a self published author in a relatively unknown genre within the UK, the success of ‘The Small Print’ was a welcomed surprise and driver for exploring a niche with potential for massive growth. She has written a number of short stories, including the hugely popular, ‘The No-nonsense wife’ which instantly became an internet sensation. In January 2013, she was nominated as author of the year by the Women4Africa panel. Her second novel, ‘When Broken Chords Sing’, peaked at number 2 spot on the kindle bestseller list for Christian Fiction in the UK. She has been featured in major newspapers and magazines across Nigeria, and juggles novel writing with working full time for one of the largest publishing firms in the world.
Irenosen Okojie
About Irenosen Okojie
Irenosen Okojie is a writer and Arts Project Manager. She has worked with the RSC, Apples & Snakes, The Southbank Centre, The Caine Prize and programmed for Duckie for their series of interactive nights. She was a selected writer for the Flight mentorship scheme for young writers run by Spread the Word and for the 30 Nigeria House Project by Theatre Royal Stratford East. Her work has been featured in The Observer and The Guardian amongst other publications. Her short stories have been published internationally and her debut novel will be published in 2015 by Jacaranda Books. She is the 2014 Prize Advocate for the SI Leeds Literary Prize.
www.irenosenokojie.com
Twitter: @IrenosenOkojie
Ola Nubi
About Ola Nubi
Ola Nubi attended intermediate and advanced writing courses at the Centerprise Literature Development project in Hackney, London before studying for an MA in Creative writing and Imaginative Practice at the University of East London. In 2008 her short story The Pink House, won first prize in the National words of colour competition and another short story of hers The Go- slow Journey, won the first prize in the fiction category for Wasafiri’s New writing prize 2009. Some of her short stories feature on African writing.com, StoryTime, This Reading Life, TheSiren.co.uk and naijastories.com . She had another short story – Green Eyes and an Old photo published in the 2013 African Roar Anthology and her short story – Illusion of Hope was published in the NS Publishing short reads series – Wiping Halima’s Tears. She is currently working on a collection of short stories based on the African experience in the Diaspora, and a novel – a cross cultural romance that explores the social, political, cultural and historical ties that bind and divide the cultures. She has a romance novel due for publication by Ankara press – the Romance imprint of Cassava Press, Abuja. Nigeria.
Website: http://www. easytowrite.wordpress.com
Twitter – @createandwrite
Kiru Taye
About Kiru
Taye
A lover of books, as a teenager Kiru Taye used to read novels under the blanket during lights-outs in boarding school. These days, with a young family to take care of, she’s still sacrificing sleep for the pleasures of a good book. After over ten successful years in the corporate rate race, she has chosen a different kind of creative challenge—transforming her wildly vivid imagination into sensual, atmospheric romance stories with passionate characters. When she’s not writing or reading, she’d hanging out with family and friends or travelling. Born in Nigeria, she currently lives in the UK with husband and children. You reach her via her blog, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or Pinterest , follow her blog for latest news and giveaways: http://kirutayewrites.blogspot.com , read book excerpts and free short stories on her website: http://www.kirutaye.com . Link to her Amazon author page
Nuzo Onoh
About Nuzo Onoh
“Every single thing created by man began with a single thought. Whatever the mind can conceive can become reality. All you need are your thoughts, faith, expectation, hard work and a damned lot of prayers.”
This amalgamation of quotes more or less sums up my philosophy in life, a belief that good things can come my way if I believe, work hard to make that belief reality and pray with everything I’ve got for a success. I wake up daily in Coventry where I reside, grateful to God for my 52 years on earth, my two wonderful daughters and good health. I’ve been given the amazing opportunity to live my dream as a writer and publisher after obtaining my Masters degree in Writing from Warwick University in 2012, where I’d also obtained my Law degree over 27 years ago!! I presently run my own self-publishing company, Canaan-Star Publishing, with writers from around the world. Best of all, I’ve finally discovered that Holy Grail of every writer…Voice!
With my last book, The Reluctant Dead (28th June, 2014), I finally found a voice and a genre that flows naturally and effortlessly, feels right and sits well with me – African/Igbo horror! As a working lone-parent, I continue to hope for literary success, inner contentment and a life finally free of stress! I believe and it shall be!
Tolulope Popoola
About Tolulope Popoola
Tolulope Popoola grew up in Lagos, Nigeria and moved to the United Kingdom in 2000 for her university education. It was assumed that she had a head for figures, so she studied BA Accounting and Business Economics and a Masters in Finance and Investment. By chance, she started blogging in 2006, which rekindled her love for writing and telling stories. She now writes short stories, flash fiction, and articles for many print and online magazines. She set up Accomplish Press in 2011 to publish her first novel, Nothing Comes Close, when she realised that there were not many mainstream publishers in the UK, willing to take a chance on “ethnic” writers like her. You can interact with Tolulope online via:
Blog: www.onwritingandlife.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TolulopePopoola
Twitter: @TolulopePopoola
Tundun Adeyemo
About Tundun Adeyemo
Tundun Adeyemo was born in Lagos, Nigeria. She studied Law at the University of Ibadan. She proceeded to England for a Masters in International law. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Human Rights Law at the University of Bedfordshire. She has written poems and short stories since she was eight years old. An avid reader, she loves reading, travelling and meeting people. She writes a column for Nigeria’s TELL magazine and ‘The Immigrant’ is her first ebook, with a collection of non-fiction articles soon to be published.
You can interact with Tundun online via:
Blog: outspokentundunadeyemo.blogspot.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TundunAdeyemo
Twitter: @TundunAdeyemo
Kemi Ogunniyi
About Kemi Ogunniyi
Kemi Ogunniyi is an author, editor and communications consultant. Her most recent project is ‘Tales of Mr Tortoise’, a not-for-profit children’s book she has published in partnership with 1Child1Book.org to improve UNESCO literary figures for Africa, starting with Nigerian children who cannot afford books. She has also written four full-length adult novels awaiting publishing and popular weekly blog fiction series.
Sade Adeniran
Sade recently completed a postgraduate degree in film at Staffordshire University run by Raindance. She’s a self-published author and her debut novel Imagine This, won the 2008 Commonwealth Writer’s Prize. A book she has adapted into a script and she is currently looking for finance to fund her feature film. Sade made her first short film last year – More Cake – also an adaptation from one of her short stories. More Cake was shown at the Molodist & Raindance film festivals in 2013. Sade has also written pieces for Radio 4, BBC World Service the Lyric and Bush theatres. In her spare time she also produces short story podcasts promoting African literature and writers (SWoSSP). The first series along with her own short story podcasts can be found on iTunes, SoundCloud, Mixcloud or her website www.sades-world.com/podcasts.
Amanda Epe
Amanda Epe writes articles, essays, poetry, fiction and self help; her work has been featured in publications and anthologies in the U.K, U.S and in Saraba Literary Magazine Ng. A Fly Girl is her debut book, an inspirational memoir of her days working with BA; travel tales through the lens of a black African perspective. She has a Masters in Education, Health Promotion and International Development and her blog focuses on promoting health and literary art for women at www.msroseblossom.org. Connect with her on social media facebook.com/msroseblossom twitter@msroseblossom
With readings and spoken word performances from:
Ola Nubi – she will be reading from her soon-to-be published novel
Amanda Epe – she will be reading a chapter from her new book, a Travel Journal titled “A Fly Girl”
Tolulope Popoola – she will be reading from her book, “Nothing Comes Close” as well as a couple of flash fiction stories.
and
Tundun Adeyemo – she will be reading from her debut collection of poems, “The Immigrant”.
There will be a variety of books for sale, and an opportunity to network and chat with the panel and other guests informally over snacks and drinks in the bar afterwards.
Date: Saturday, 8th November 2014
Time: 4.30pm to 6.30pm
Venue: The Library @ The Proud Archivist, 2 – 10 Hertford Road, London N1 5ET
Tickets: Early Bird £5, General £8
Book tickets here:
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