Writing about writing with Nana Elikem: Five bookish pleasures and two amazing opportunities

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Hello there!

Today’s column is what I call a mashup of thoughts. I have three exciting things to share with you and I could not spread them over three weeks so I decided to mash it up for you like mash-ke (LOL).

I’ll first share an article about (at least) five pleasures any book lover can get from their affinity to books. Then, I will tell about two opportunities you won’t want to miss. One of them comes with a hundred prize package.

Let’s get into it, shall we?

Five bookish pleasures

This article was written by a Facebook friend, Senam Aseye. It resonates with me quite well. And I thought most of you guys would like it hence I am sharing it here. I also want this to encourage many other folks to enjoy reading and the pleasures in owing books.

Here are Senam’s five bookish pleasures

  1. The Pleasure of Discovery:

When you walk into a bookshop and start seeing and touching the books. This stage is just like love at first sight.

  1. The Pleasure of Purchase:

When you pay and bring the books home. This stage feels like having an important new addition to your family.

  1. The Pleasure of Storage:

When the books are placed in ways that make you smile with satisfaction anytime you set eyes on them. This is when we take lots of photos of/with them. This stage feels like having your crush or comforter within an arm’s reach.

  1. The Pleasure of Reading:

When you actually start to consume all the experiences above. This stage the sum of all the feelings. When the material and timing is right, it hits like the climax.

  1. The Pleasure of Reference:

When you face a real-life problem, and remember a similar situation you’ve read about in the past – like a Deja vu. And you use the experience and lessons from book characters to sort yourself out. This stage feels like receiving your January salary.

The End.

Do you identify with these in anyway? Share your thoughts with me.

Now, let’s talk about the two opportunities…

The first one is about Sankofa Books – a flea market for used books. Sankofa Books give you the opportunity to get books that you have been excited about for a long time but they are out of print. The store finds people who may have those books and get them for you. Are there books you are sentimentally attached to but for some reason you have lost them? Is there a book your parents used to read to you that you would like to read to your children to continue a family tradition? Sankofa Books is just the place for you.

Used books, rare books, vintage books and previously loved books!

In addition to these, if you have any such books that you wish to trade for other books or newer books, you can do that too with Sankofa Books. You will get all the bargains there!

Check the current listings out, visit on their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/sankofabooks/

You can contact them via WhatsApp on 055 558 5890, send inbox on SankofaBooks (Facebook page) or email [email protected] to order or to get T&Cs on how to trade.

Last…

The Institute of Gender Research, Education and Development (IGRED) has launched an artistic gender advocacy project dubbed Open Mic Against Rape Culture.

The project is a unique campaign which explores the captivating power of art, in the form of poetry, music, drama, painting and the like, to spark a change in mindsets through sensitization and education on critical issues affecting vulnerable social groups such as women, girls, children and females living with disability.

IGRED has opened a call for spoken word entries in the first edition of the project. They are calling on writers to send a written piece and a one-minute audio recording of poems on the theme ‘rape culture’. The deadline for submission is July 7 and writers are to send their pieces and the recordings to [email protected]. Each person is entitled to one entry. There is a $ 100 prize package up for grabs for the most shared or most engaged recording when the institute shares the pieces on their social media pages

I think this is a fantastic opportunity and I encourage as many writers to jump on it. You will not only be winning a prize but you will be contributing to an important societal issue.

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That’s my space for this week. Thank you for making a stop on this page and reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it. Send me feedback via [email protected]. Is there anything you want me to address or write about? Say it in the mail. Until the next article, remember that it can only get better and we can only get better. 

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