And now for some big news, or at least something that counts as big news around here: I'm going to a writing workshop/conference in Kenya from December 14-28. It's run by the Summer Literary Seminars program, about which I've heard good things from a friend who went to their St. Petersburg program. I entered the fiction contest, and though I wasn't one of the top 3 finalists (alas), I did manage to do well enough to get a significant reduction in tuition, and so it seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up.
I've an interest in African literary culture and have been trying for a few years to remedy my considerable ignorance of both African literature and history; this program seems like a good way to continue that exploration.
With luck, I'll be able to do a bit of blogging from Kenya, but I won't know until I get there what time and resources will allow. Between now and then I hope to write a bit about some African fiction, and I'm sure that after I return I will want to share much of what I've discovered, thought about, and learned.
That sounds fascinating -and a source of great inspiration.
ReplyDeleteAw, but you'll miss the snows of New Hampshire...
ReplyDeleteFrickin' sweet!!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Matt.
ReplyDeleteThanks, all. And yes, Nick, it will be warmer in Kenya than New Hampshire. In fact, it will be the first time in my life that I have not spent the month of December in one frigid clime or another. I can't even predict the effect it will have on me...
ReplyDeleteYou will have the adventure of a lifetime. Make sure to blog about it!
ReplyDeleteHoly shit (belatedly)--very cool. Who are some of the faculty? I know that they have a Kenyan literary magazine involved, right?
ReplyDeleteThe faculty are:
ReplyDeleteARTHUR FLOWERS
STANLEY GAZEMBA
PARSALELO KANTAI
BILLY KAHORA
BINYAVANGA WAINAINA
PADGETT POWELL
M.G. VASSANJI
TERESE SVOBODA
MUTHONI GARLAND
CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE
with guest lectures by...
ROB SPILLMAN
DEREK WEBSTER
I'm familiar with the work of about half of those folks, and hope to read Adichie's new novel before heading out, because I've been told it's amazing.
Wow, how excellent! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteGood show. And keep blogging from the hotel/dorm room/guest room. Don't eat the salad.
ReplyDeleteOn the African lit bit: the issue of translation may arise in special ways. French, English and Portuguese are now entrenched as African languages for authors. What about African languages with African roots? Who writes in these and what are they writing?