Award winning Zambian author, Ellen Banda-Aaku has made the 18-person shortlist for the 2012 Commonwealth Writers Book Prize, with her award winning novel, Patchwork. Banda-Aaku is one of four African writers shortlisted for this year’s prize.
Others on the list include Denis Hirson (South Africa) for his book, The Dancing and the Death on Lemon Street (published by Jacana Media), Shelley Harris (South Africa) for Jubilee (published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson), and Jacques Strauss (South Africa) for The Dubious Salvation of Jack V (published by Jonathan Cape)
Four other African writers were shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. They were Jekwu Anyaegbuna (Nigeria), Jayne Bauling (South Africa), Edyth Bulbring (South Africa), Khadija Magardie (South Africa), and Bridget Pitt (South Africa).
The Commonwealth Book Prize is open to writers who have had their first novel (full length work of fiction) published between 1 January and 31 December 2011. Regional winners receive £2,500 and the overall winner receives £10,000. The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2000-5000 words). Regional winners receive £1,000 and the overall winner receives £5,000. The winners will be announced in June 2012.
About Daniel Musiitwa
