Say You Are One of Them - New York Times Bestseller!

This is good news. Say You Are One Of Them has made it to the New York Times bestseller list.
This, I think, has deep implications for African literature. It means that many more people have now been exposed to the riches of African literature. They will, I think, look out for more works, more good stories, that we all know, are there. As I said earlier somewhere, it means that more literary agents and editors will no longer reject your work with such flimsy excuses like this one: good story, well-written, but interest in African literature is not there.
So, this said, I should get back to work. You, too, dear friend.
By the way see the thing for yourself. ENJOY!

EC Osundu - New Book Deal

Boy, o boy! They keep pouring in. As if the akpanic Oprah book choice wasn't good enough news for African writing, EC Osondu has added smile-inducing news of his own. Yes, smile-inducing for all lovers and practitioners of African literature. Book deal, book deal! Not just one. Two book deals! Good Lord of Africa.
Okay, I'm getting carried away. My dear Nsukka friends would say "Happiness is hindering me from being happy."
Now, read what I read:
"Tim Duggan, executive editor at HarperCollins, has signed Nigerian author E.C. Osondu to a two-book deal. Duggan took North American rights to a short story collection, called Voice of America, and a novel, called This House Is Not for Sale, by the Providence College professor who won the Caine Prize for African Writing and has a Syracuse University M.F.A. The short story collection follows a variety of characters moving between Nigeria and the U.S., and Duggan described the novel as “a multigenerational saga centered around a Nigerian king and his court in Lagos.” Jin Auh, of the Wylie Agency, brokered the deal."

Here is the Source

Have you already gone back to your writing table? The next deal might be yours. Good luck.

Uwem Akpan's Big Bang!

For those who have not yet heard it, it is true. For those who have already read about in in one of the many news media outlets out there, I think that this is huge, really huge. It is huge not only because is assures that Akpan becomes an instant millionaire (well, he's a Jesuit priest), it is so because African literature has finally arrived in America. With Chimamanda, Helon Habila, Petina Gappah, Chris Abani and many others already out there, this Akpanic big bang simply burns the arrival of African literature into American consciousness. Now, let's hope that literary agents and editors will begin to consider our manuscripts seriously.
Be well, and now, good luck in your writing.

"Say You're One Of Them": Uwem Akpan Is Oprah's New Book Pick

It's official. Uwem Akpan's Say You're One of Them is Oprah's latest book pick. Congratulations, bro. This is great news for African literature. It's becoming more visible.
Here is the news outlet. ENJOY