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Auxilia Katongomara Entertainment Correspondent
NOVIOLET Bulawayo’s star continues to shine bright as she has once again been nominated for another prestigious award for her book We Need New Names.The award, Etisalat Prize for Literature is the first Pan-African literary prize created to recognise and reward debut fiction writers in Africa.
The winner will be presented with a cheque of £15,000, an engraved Montblanc Meisterstück and will attend the Etisalat Fellowship at the prestigious University of East Anglia, mentored by Professor Giles Foden, author of The Last King of Scotland.
Other nominees are Nigeria’s Yewande Omotoso who wrote the book Bom Boy and South Africa’s Karen Jennings of Finding Soutbek.
Interestingly, they are all women who have a strong background of literary works.
Bulawayo, real name Elizabeth Tshele is making a name for both the country and herself on the international scene as she has become a regular nominee for some of the world’s top literary awards.
Her first big breakthrough was scooping the 2011 Caine Prize for her short story Hitting Budapest. The debut novelist made history last year by becoming the first black African woman to be nominated for the Man Booker Award which she narrowly missed.
Her novel, We Need New Names has received rave reviews across the world. Bulawayo literary gurus congratulated Bulawayo for the nomination into the prestigious award.
“Shortlist for the Etisalat Prize for Literature for first books, and Bulawayo is nicely sitting there. Amhlophe again,” wrote Christopher Mlalazi who is in Germany on a writer’s residency.
Raisedon Baya wrote: “Praying NoViolet Bulawayo wins this one!!! My fingers are crossed”.
Online Reporter