A Deep Bow to Mombasa (and Sea Monsters): A Conversation with Khadija Abdalla Bajaber, by Anderson Tepper

Interviews Khadija Abdalla Bajaber’s astonishing debut novel, The House of Rust, winner of the inaugural Graywolf Press Africa Prize, arrived in October as if on a magical wave, imbued with an assortment of creatures—human and animal, real and imagined—that populate the city of Mombasa and its surrounding waters. Aisha, fierce and adventurous, sets off on a boat made of bones in hopes of rescuing her fisherman father who has disappeared at sea. What she encounters on her search—and return home—will enthrall and amaze. “On the surface this is a limpid tale,” writes author A. Igoni Barrett, the prize’s judge, “but it is eddied and enriched by what lurks beneath the surface of both the sea and the prose. Everything in this story sparkles.” I spoke with Bajaber about Mombasa, sea monsters, and Aisha’s journey of self-discovery, among other things. Anderson Tepper: Congratulations, Khadija. I’m curious about the story of your book’s path to publication. Did it change much since being awarded Graywolf’s Africa Prize in 2018? Khadija Abdalla Bajaber: Thank you very much. Well, it definitely changed and grew. When I’d first finished working on the book, it ended at what is now actually the midpoint. I was quite happy with that ending at the time but was already beginning to rethink things. There were subplots I’d set up at the beginning that needed resolving. So then I started developing everything more; and toward the end, when... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'

[ World Literature Today | 2021-11-15 21:42:08 UTC ]
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Frankfurter Buchmesse Stages a Conversation on AI During SXSW

Taking a talk to Texas, the Frankfurter Buchmesse's Holger Volland will be in conversation with Martina Mara of the Austrian Council on Robotics and Artificial Intelligence during SXSW on March 10. The post Frankfurter Buchmesse Stages a Conversation on AI During SXSW appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Anderson and Beastie Boys on shortlist for Penderyn Music Book Prize

Suede frontman Brett Anderson and members of the Beastie Boys are among the authors shortlisted for this year’s Penderyn Music Book Prize. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Andy Anderson, former drummer with the Cure, dies at 68

Veteran drummer Andy Anderson, who recorded and performed with the Cure and went on to do session work with Iggy Pop, Peter Gabriel and others, has died after battling cancer. He was 68. Anderson announced on Facebook last week that he was battling Stage 4 cancer, saying, “There is no way of... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Adeyemi and Anderson make Waterstones Children’s Prize shortlist

Authors and illustrators including Tomi Adeyemi, Sophie Anderson, Jessica Love and Onjali Q. Raúf are on the shortlist for this year’s Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, which is now in its fifteenth year. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bodley Head makes a splash with Urbina’s seas exposé

Bodley Head will publish Pulitzer Prize-winner Ian Urbina’s exposé of the criminal world of the high seas in October. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ross’ Monster sales lead illustrator ranking

Tony Ross has yet again topped The Bookseller’s chart of the bestselling children’s illustrators, with his books earning almost twice the total of his closest rival, Axel Scheffler, in 2018. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Darley Anderson children's wing moves to new office

The Darley Anderson Children’s Book Agency has moved to a new office, following the appointment of a new agent. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-12-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Monster sales continue for Walliams

David Walliams and Tony Ross’ The Ice Monster (HarperCollins) has skated into a fourth week in the UK Official Top 50 number one spot, selling 76,945 copies. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Ice Monster snaps up a third week at number one

David Walliams and Tony Ross’ The Ice Monster (HarperCollins) has once again racked up mammoth sales to hold the UK Official Top 50 number one spot for a third week running. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Conversation Series Gets Cable TV Debut

Live Talk Los Angeles has launched on Spectrum Networks, turning an author event series into a weekly primetime TV show for 1.8 million subscribers in Southern California. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Marine, novelist, dad: a conversation with Elliot Ackerman

Three-time novelist Elliot Ackerman's latest book, "Waiting for Eden," explores the multiple dimensions of veterans’ lives after war, and what it means to love someone despite limitations and challenges. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2018-11-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Walliams racks up mammoth sales as The Ice Monster skates into number one

David Walliams and Tony Ross’ The Ice Monster (HarperCollins) has blasted into the UK Official Top 50 number one spot, selling 111,057 copies in its first three days on sale—up 20% on 2017 title Bad Dad’s first three days. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reading the small print: rural papers defy the odds in a sea of job losses

While large publishers are cutting staff and coverage, some regional independents are thrivingSince 1869, the Herald and Weekly Times has been the paper that regional Australia has turned to. But in the last two weeks, the paper run by News Corp out of the Melbourne office has cut four... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Suede's Brett Anderson pens sequel to memoir

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Canongate wins auction for Monster debut

Canongate has won a debut novel inspired by Robinson Crusoe from Katie Hale, a Penguin Random House WriteNow mentee. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Liverpool University Press partners with The Conversation

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Black Light Printing in "Find Monsters"

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Latest Omarosa Recording Proves Trump Campaign Duo Lied About “N-Word Tape” Conversation

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[ Slate | 2018-08-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Monsters,’ and ‘Monstress’ Win Big at 2018 Eisner Awards

In an awards ceremony dominated by women, creators of color and LGBTQ-themed works, Emil Ferris’ 'My Favorite Thing is Monsters,' won three Eisner awards including Best New Graphic Novel; and writer Marjorie Liu and artist Sana Takeda’s 'Monstress' won a total of five Eisner Awards. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Who Is the Monster? Spotlight on Ezra Claytan Daniels

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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