October tends to be the busiest month for people involved in literature in Ghana. It’s a happy month of us. We attend festivals, meet ups, book launches and signings, readings and shows… you name them. With COVID-19, there was a lot of uncertainty about whether October 2020 will be the Literary October we know it to be. It is exciting to announce that despite the challenges, and also knowing that a lot will change about the literary events and activities marked for this month, October is still LIT! Literally, literary.
Here is a list of events I am aware of and hoping to attend in the LIT month.
- Pa Gya! – A Literary Festival in Accra. The 2020 edition will take place from Friday 16th October 2020 to Sunday 18th October 2020. As in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 editions, there will be readings, panel discussions, book launches, talks, poetry performances and more, with writers and academics from across Africa and beyond. Events will be in-person (with limited seating) at the Goethe Institut and virtual. All events will be available online as well. [inset picture]
- Book Date Night. The second edition of the event designed to bring book lovers and addicts, and their lovers together to network, discuss their common passion of reading and also buy books at much reduced prices. Due to constraints on how many people must be in a space, interested participants must register via this link: https://forms.gle/Wr6F1WZgzxZkHyzz5 [inset picture]
- Ghana Reads. Ghana Reads started on Wednesday, October 7. However, it will run till tomorrow. It also features a hybrid set of activities with the physical ones happening at the Korle-Gorno Community Library, Chorkor. The virtual sessions are being streamed on the e-ananse Facebook page. There is an impressive list of people earmarked to read including Prof. Lade Wosornu, Manasseh Azuri Awuni, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Dr. Gheysika Agambilla. The event I am looking forward to the most is a conversation between former second lady, Matilda Amissah Arthur and Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo. [inset picture]
- Ehalakasa Talk Party. This is a monthly event, one of few literary events that easily migrated online when COVID-19 hit. The October edition is tonight at 6 PM. The primary venue is Zoom. However, it will be streamed via Youtube and Facebook as well. Featured poets for this session include two Ghanaians – Royal King and Hope – and a Mexican – Farida Robles. See attached poster or visit the Ehalakasa social media pages for details on how to participate in the event. [inset picture]
- Young Creative Writers’ Lab. This is an initiative of Readers Truss and the Goethe Institut. The Lab – a workshop designed to train writers in the ages of 18 to 25 – will come off in November. However, the entry and selection process kicks off with this announcement and submission ends on October 15, 2020. Kindly see poster for details or visit the Readers Truss Facebook page for more information. [inset picture]
- Let me end with some recent book releases that you should get your hands on in this month. The Fear of Failure – Autobiography of JP Adjimants, Unlocking the Mystery of Dreams by Samuel Alimo, Apples In A Seed by Rose Sarpong Owens and Ashawo Diaries by Amoafowaa Sefa Cecelia. Check booknook.store for most of the books. I think I will have to make a list of books released in 2020 at the end of the year.
Thanks for making another stop on this page to read my column. If this is your first time, I hope you come again on Friday to read. I also hope to meet some of you at any of these events this month. Do well to holla at me if you see me anywhere. Until then, we can only get better and it can only get better. Cheers.
