SA PEN announces finalists for 2009 PEN/Studzinski Literary Award

The South African Centre of International PEN (SA PEN) is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2009 PEN/Studzinski Literary Award.

The award for original short stories in English by African authors attracted an unprecedented 827 entries, 625 of which met with the rules of entry. Just under 200 stories were longlisted, and 34 stories were chosen as finalists by the PEN Editorial Board comprising Shaun Johnson (Chair), Anthony Fleischer, Justin Fox, Harry Garuba, Alistair King and Mary Watson. Nobel Laureate JM Coetzee is currently judging the shortlisted stories and will choose the winners of the first (£5 000), second (£3 000) and third (£2 000) prizes. The winners will be announced in May 2009. (Details regarding the announcement will be posted on www.sapen.co.za in due course.) The finalists’ stories will be included in an anthology of new writing from Africa to be published later this year.

The writers and their stories to have been selected as finalists for the Pen/Studzinski Literary Award 2009 are:

Ken Barris – The life of Worm

Nadia Davids – The visit

Ceridwen Dovey – Survival mechanisms

Joan du Toit – An informed decision

Graham Ellis – No match for Fanie Smith

Rosemund J Handler – Strident night

Jeanne Hromnik – Love In troubled times

Karen Jayes – Where he will leave his shoes

Suzanne Jordaan – Beulah

Bobby Jordan – Metalhead and Situation Orange

Chisanga Kabinga – Display cabinet

Ken N Kamoche – A kiss in Nanjing

Yvette Kruger – What I wore

Lauri Kubuitsile – Pulani’s eyes

Beatrice Lamwaka – The star in my camp

Jennifer Lean – To each his own

Irene McCartney – Pauline’s ghost

Jenna Mervis – The lives of dogs

Kirsten Miller – Only in art

NoViolet Mkha Bulawayo – Snapshots

Wame Molefhe – Rainbow-coloured dreams

Natasha Moodley – Spirit of Madala

Isabella Morris – Bluette

Kyne Nislev Bernstorff – The last supper

Naomi Nkealah – In the name of peace

Maik Nwosu – In Leopardville

Tolu Ogunlesi – River Falling

Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi – Area boy rescue

Andrew Salomon – A visit to Dr Mamba

Alex Smith – Soulmates

Dineke Volschenk – Glorious wounds

Phillippa Yaa de Villiers – Keeping everything the same

Hayet Z – Flypapered days

The PEN/STUDZINSKI Literary Award has replaced the HSBC/SA PEN Literary Award and aims to encourage new creative writing in Africa. It is open to all citizens of African countries writing in English, and offers talented writers on the continent an exciting opportunity to develop or launch a literary career.