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Beyond Spice – Book Launch

Beyond Spice coverYou are invited to the book launch of “Beyond Spice”, an art and poetry publication

Date: 25 May 2016, Time: 18h00 for 18h30

Venue: Skoobs Book Theatre, Shop 74, Monte Casino, Fourways, Johannesburg

Come and Interact with the authors (5 artists and a poet) and enjoy a live poetry reading from the book, while allowing yourself to be mesmerized by “Kinsmen”, young musicians swaying between Jazz and Indian fusion.

Limited Edition Fine Art prints of artworks from the book will be on sale.

Finger foods and a cash bar will be available

 

Purchase the book on the evening and stand a chance to win a fine art print of your choice!

Beyond Spice authors

 

BEYOND SPICE
Zena Velloo John’s Poetry accompanied by the Visual Artistic Expressions of: Jayna Mistry, Kershnee Velloo, Raeesah Mahomed, Shaskia John and Shenaz Mahomed

 

 

 

Message from the authors

Our art and poetry book “Beyond Spice” was born from an elusive ideal a year ago by women of Indian origin in Pretoria. We wished to realise our individual creative interests into a book.

We are a group of six women, the youngest being a teenager, and the oldest almost fifty. The inter-generational and inter-faith perspectives added vibrant layers to our creative work. Being descendants of a largely labour-migrant Indian group, we hope to add a creative body of work to the richness of the current South African culture.

The six authors are a teenaged university student; two business owners; a teacher; an accountant and an art curator. This alliance was initiated by a community member.

Women of Pretoria, like in other areas in South Africa, have a unique perspective on life, and this has remained partially hidden. We hope our book offers some insight into these veiled worlds, and adds to a collective understanding of human nature and all things creative.

We want to encourage artistic endeavours and provide future platforms for others to draw on their creative reserves and to share their usually reticent talents, with a focus on youth and women in particular.

“Patterns” International Call For Writers by ArtAscent – Deadline June 30, 2016

| Theme:
Patterns are a natural or accidental arrangement or sequence. Patterns can relate to behaviours, visual design, occurrences in nature, methods, and more. It can be expressed in symbolic, literal, modern, traditional, abstract, and completely unique ways. Share your interpretation of Patterns.

| Eligible Submissions:
Entries may include fiction, poetry, short stories and other written explorations (up to 900 words). Previously published or unpublished are eligible. Submissions must be the original work of the applicant(s). Open to international writers. Apply using the online form.

| Highlights:

The Gold writer will be featured in the ArtAscent Art & Literature Journal complete with an artist profile review written by our art writer. Up to ten writers in total will be published in ArtAscent Art & Literature Journal; showcased, along with website links, in an online juried exhibition on the ArtAscent website for at least two years.

| About ArtAscent:
The mission of ArtAscent is to promote artists of images and words, and connect them with art lovers. This is accomplished by calls for artists and writers, artist profiling, art magazine publication, and artist and writer online showcasing. Each call is theme based, with the intent to showcase diverse creative explorations of that theme via various media. This marketing tool is created by artists and writers, for artists and writers.

| Call application:
https://ArtAscent.com/the-call-for-artists-and-writers/

Trainstorm

Trainstorm: An International Anthology of Railway Poems and Drawings

amitabh-trainstorm

Submissions are invited for consideration by Editor/ Designer Amitabh Mitra. Only work chosen by the Editor will be published and may be subjected to mutually agreed edits. Format of book is Matte Finish, Soft Cover printed on 90gsm paper. The mission of this book is to get train poetry and art out into the world. Circulation will be worldwide mainly through Amazon.com, Amazon.in and Flipkart. Books will also be available from the Poetry Printery website. Please take into consideration the thoughts on train journeys below but you do not have to be literal about it. Both written and visual work solicited. The printing will be greyscale with cover and back in colour.

Publication Year – 2016

Publisher – Poets Printery, South Africa / Cyberwit.net India

Trains remind us of a colonial era in India and Africa when station masters, guards and train drivers were of British origins. A vast network of railway lines and train stations also brought many real life stories later made into magnum opus film productions. We are also reminded of trains to Auschwitz, Poland and Gulags in the former Soviet Union. Happiness and extreme trauma, both are associated with train and train journeys.

I welcome my fellow poets and artists in joining me in this incredible adventure – Trainstorm

All poets and visual artists are welcome to submit poems and drawings regarding trains and train journeys. Submissions to Amitabh Mitra at amitabh@amitabhmitra.com with a 50 word bio.

NB: Last Date for Submissions is 30 November 2015

“Portraits” International Call For Writers by ArtAscent – Deadline December 31, 2015

| Theme:
Capture, illustrate, write, or otherwise create your visions of people and other creatures. Portraits can be expressed in symbolic, literal, modern, traditional, abstract, or completely unique ways. What portraits can your imagination create?

| Eligible Submissions:
Entries may include fiction, poetry, short stories and other written explorations (up to 900 words). Previously published or unpublished are eligible. Submissions must be the original work of the applicant(s). Open to international artists. Apply using the online form.

| Highlights:
The Gold writer will be featured in the ArtAscent Art & Literature Journal complete with an artist profile review written by our art writer. Up to seven writers in total will be published in ArtAscent Art & Literature Journal; showcased, along with website links, in an online exhibition on the ArtAscent website for at least two years; and, promoted on the ArtAscent Facebook and Twitter feeds.

| About ArtAscent:
The mission of ArtAscent is to promote artists of images and words, and connect them with art lovers. This is accomplished by calls for artists and writers, artist profiling, art magazine publication, and artist and writer online showcasing. Each call is theme based, with the intent to showcase diverse creative explorations of that theme via various media.

| Call application:
https://ArtAscent.com/the-call-for-artists-and-writers/

wait

Here I sit and wait,
wait in hope that happiness will come my way.
Wait in hope that my troubles will disappear.
That I will be able to see the purpose of life again.
The importance of living.

Here I am, sitting and waiting.
For my turn of happiness to come.
Happiness that is meant for me.
Unforced happiness.

Here I will sit for ever .
in hope that my happiness will find its way to me, and my troubles will disappear.
I am not yet to give up, nor not ready to quit my destiny.

Because in hope I wait, wait for a brighter day to come.

Read between the lines

I pulled the book
It was Bukowski
Leaf edges dog eared
Severely, thumb woven almost
And, with a mild shudder,
I dove
The crashing words below
Threw up foamy spray
Streaking my face, like tears.
The dark cliff edge, cliff notes
A keening, plaintive wail so
Close to my body
Beseeching almost.
While I pondered, it hit
Or I hit
I couldn’t tell
Body entangled, engulfed
Wave upon wave, of words
Pounding the mind
Into the deep current,
I struggled, gasping
Memory broke in, a
Harsh, grating shout
Chastising, warning me
I forgot, Dear God, I forgot
to anchor a safety line
Too late
I’m drowning

ROYAL COURT – Call for playwrights – Zimbabwe

The Royal Court runs long-term play development projects in many different countries, helping to stimulate new writing and bringing many of these writers and plays to London for further work and sometimes productions. At any one time, the International Department will be working with dozens of playwrights through specific projects. Long-term play development relationships now exist through projects and exchanges with writers from Columbia, Brazil, Cuba, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Uganda, Nigeria, Syria and many more. The British Council has been a key collaborator and supporter of many of the Royal Court International programmes and is delighted to be in a position to extend this work to playwrights from South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Phase One – Elyse Dodgson, Head of International Department, Royal Court will travel to South Africa where the workshop will take place, accompanied by two workshop leaders to conduct a 7 day workshop for a total of 12 Zimbabwean participants. The aim of the workshop is to support each individual participant in writing a new contemporary play. The workshop will be designed for the needs of each writer, explore individual interests, and in the end each writer will be asked to propose an outline of a new idea for a contemporary and original play. The first draft of this play will be submitted three months after the end of the first workshop. The workshop will consist of group and individual sessions and there will also be time for writing.

Phase Two – Once these plays are received, they are read (in their original language by one of our readers/translators if appropriate), who will then make recommendations on how or whether to proceed with each play. The team, predominantly the same (but we try to include a director if possible), travel out to work on the plays individually with the writers and do more group work exploring some common problems. Sometimes at this stage actors are used and workshops and readings done of the plays. This again will last about a week. At the end of this phase, the writers are asked to work on a next draft.

Phase Three – The new drafts are again read, assessed and translated before the team returns for the final phase of development work. This can sometimes involve public rehearsed readings in the countries, either of extracts or of whole plays as well as individual meetings with each writer. Sometimes at this phase we attach the writers to local directors who will help to facilitate the development of the plays. The first three phases usually last between 18 months and two years.

WHAT WE WILL PROVIDE

THE SPACE & ACCOMODATION & CATERING

The workshop will take place at Mokoya Lodge www.mokoya.co.za South Africa. Accommodation, food and workshop spaces will be provided.

LOGISTICAL SUPPORT

The British Council office in Harare will book and pay your travel as well as pay for visas to get you out to South Africa for the workshop. Please be aware that you will be required to have a valid passport in order to attend the workshop. The British Council will not be in a position to help pay for any costs related to obtaining your passport.

THE TIMELINE

8 March 2013 – disseminate open call
19 April 2013 – application deadline
10 May 2013 – announce participants

26th June 2013 – Fly to Johannesburg, South Africa

27th June – 5th July 2013 – Workshops

6th July – departure from South Africa

There will also be further activities as described in the 3 phases above, by applying you are committing yourself to being involved in the project for up to two years.

 

http://eliotmoleba.com/2013/04/04/royal-court-call-for-playwrights-zimbabwe/

Bocas Lit Fest- 25 to 28 April 2013, Port of Spain, Trinidad

This year’s NGC Bocas Lit Fest promises to be chock-full of activities and events, a true whirlwind book lover’s paradise of people to meet and any number of happenings to attend. If you haven’t yet, do stop by our official programme page, www.bocaslitfest.com where you can find an overview of highlights, as well as a detailed schedule for each day of the festival. Here’s just a cross-section of what you can expect from the 25th to the 28th of April:

The Edinburgh World Writers Conference makes its long-awaited stops at the NGC Bocas Lit Fest, bringing together authors from around the globe to engage in pertinent, button-pressing topics on reading and books

A line up of immersive, engaging workshops, for a nominal fee — full list of registration details available on our official workshop tab at www.bocaslitfest.com

The launch of CaribLit, an integrated platform of resources for Caribbean writers, publishers and all members of the conversation on regional reading and writing, the brainchild of the Caribbean Literature Action Group

The New Talent Showcase, which shines a spotlight on some keen literary up and comers;
The KFC Children’s Bocas Lit Fest, a veritable festival within the festival itself, a series of readings and interactive sessions devoted to fostering an appreciation for reading and writing in even the youngest bibliophiles amongst us

The second annual NGC Bocas Lecture: this year’s speaker is neuroscientist Professor Ian Robertson, who will elaborate on his paradigm-altering publication, The Winner Effect — How Power Affects Your Brain.

A hearty salute to spoken word: The Verses Bocas Poetry Slam, co-hosted by the 2 Cents Movement, wherein the fiercest, freshest voices in spoken word battle it out for cash prizes and glory!

Appearances, talks, panels and discussions from a plethora of Caribbean and Caribbean-based writers, as well as special international guests: just a sampler of the list includes Olive Senior; Oonya Kempadoo, Hannah Lowe; Teju Cole; Irvine Welsh; Ian McDonald; Marlon James; Vahni Capildeo — and many others. For a full list of participating authors, have a look at the official participants page www.bocaslitfest.com

The announcement of the winner of the 2013 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, from our distinguished shortlist, which features the category-winning work of Monique Roffey for fiction (Archipelago); Kendel Hippolyte for poetry (Fault Lines) and Rupert Roopnarine for non-fiction (The Sky’s Wild Noise).

The inaugural announcement of the Hollick Arvon Prize winner, an award presented to one emerging Caribbean writer in the interests of helping her/him complete a manuscript in progress, awarded this year for fiction work.

Further details of the 2013 NGC Bocas Lit Fest programme, a full list of participants, and a comprehensive breakdown of information is available right here at www.bocaslitfest.com — so feel free to peruse the site, as well as our frequently-updated Facebook and Twitter pages.

The four-day 2013 NGC Bocas Lit Fest is principally sponsored by The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago, with supporting sponsorship from One Caribbean Media and KFC. Other sponsors include First Citizens, Courts, and Flow.

Workshops on Creative Writing With David Chislett

WITS Writing Centre is pleased to announce a 4-session series of workshops with David Chislett. David has published 6 books since 2001, both through publishers and independently. In this 4-week programme with WITS Writing Centre he shares his knowledge and experience in a series of 2-hour sessions.

The 4 sessions run from 4pm to 6pm as follows:
March 19 Basic intro to Creative writing: where does it come from?
April 9 Planning a book… some structural tips
April 16 Dealing with Publishers: Where are you at?
April 23 Marketing yourself as an independent

The series of seminars will run on Tuesday evenings from 16:00 to 18:00 at the WITS Writing Centre, Ground Floor, The Waternweiler Library, WITS East Campus. Attendance of the seminars is FREE but seating is limited. To pre-book your place please email a sample of your work to Pamela.Nichols@wits.ac.za and we will respond with a seat confirmation

“The sessions are not intended as writing master-classes per se,” Explained David of the events, “But rather to help equip writers with structural and procedural know-how that will help them leverage their writing by understanding their own processes and the way the industry works.”

Issues covered will include:
• So I have an idea, where do I start writing?
• How do I approach a publisher?
• I am good, but nobody knows my work
• How can I tap into my creativity to write more consistently?
• How do I know where to take my story next?

David won the Ernst Van Heerden Prize for creative writing in 1998 and began his career in publishing in 2001 with the release of Urban 1, a collection of short stories for previously unpublished writers that he compiled and contributed to. This series ran to 3 volumes before being discontinued. Then in 2009 he released his debut solo volume of short fiction entitled, A Body Remembered. In 2010, the music industry textbook, 1,2,1,2: A Step By Step Guide To The SA Music Industry and in 2012, For You Or Someone Like You, his debut collection of poetry.

In addition, Chislett has worked in all facets of the South African media and ran his own PR agency for four years. In these sessions he combines his craft and practice in writing with his knowledge and experience in marketing, publishing and creativity to bring a 4 part series of sessions together that will equip any aspiring writer to not only write better but also to navigate the challenges that come before and after writing.

Attendance is not limited to students and is open to the public and is FREE but seating is limited. Please pre-book your place by sending an email with your query and a sample of your work to Pamela.Nichols@wits.ac.za and we will respond with a seat confirmation.

A writer’s process – third session

Everyone is requested to think about their writing process. How would you define that process? When you say that you are waiting for a ‘spark’ to ignite the creative juices, do you know what that spark is? How it looks like? Feel like? Taste like? What are you waiting to understand before you can unleash your ink on the page? Is it an imagine of a character? A specific setting? A line? A face?

Whatever it is, do you understand why it is so important to your writing? To your process? Do you want to understand it? Do you want to control it? Take charge? Or at least make an attempt? If yes, I’d like to you to think of a metaphor that would explain the process. How does the metaphor capture the different stages of your writing? How does it communicate that process to someone? Can you give a parallel analysis of how the metaphor not only mirrors but gives a detailed breakdown description of the process? This information should enable me to follow step-by-step instruction of how you work. Is this possible? How detailed can you be? How much can you unlock? I.e. Someone once told me that their writing process is like a kite (metaphor). When they begin a new writing they envision the process to be like building a kite. First you need material; plastic, sticks, string, pins, etc. These in their writing process mirrors research. For instance, you need your grounding data or evidence – sticks hold or provide the basic structure for a kite. So they will look for them first to build the skeleton of a kite. In their writing, this could mean key grounding literature. If you are writing a book about Zombies, what are the basic elements which you must adhere to or establish for your story to hold? Etc… One can go on to explain how the metaphor reveals how and where the writer places themselves in their writing and defines a sense of direction.

If you’ve never did this before, take the challenge and you will see it will start to show you, at the very least, how well you understand or have taken some things for granted in your writing. This process might be spontaneous and mysterious for many but within that there is great room for a writer to
understand the workings behind it. Try new things, learn how to stimulate yourself and your writing. We might not have figured out the secret to teach writing but we know how to enable the process. So take a chance. Write a metaphor you think would best explain your process and post it here. You might be amazed at something small you discover about your writing.

Is this important?
Well, you decide.

Date: 4 March 2013

Venue: The Wits Writing Centre

TheWritersClu

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