Nnedi Okorafor @Nnedi
This award-winning Nigerian-American novelist and professor creates epic fantasy, magical realism and science fiction tales. She writes for both adults and children. Nnedi’s works – aimed at the young and young-at-heart alike – include Who Fears Death (which won Best Novel at the World Fantasy Awards), Akata Witch, Kabu-Kabu and Lagoon. Find a full list of her books on her website.
Yvonne Owuor
Yvonne is a Kenyan writer who won the 2003 Caine Prize for African Writing for her story Weight of Whispers. Her story, The Knife Grinder’s Tale was made into a short film in 2007 and her most recent book Dust has been shortlisted for the 2015 Folio prize.
Eghosa Imasuen @eimasuen
Not only is Eghosa a medical doctor, but this Nigerian wordsmith has also written two novels – Fine Boys and To Saint Patrick, an Alternate History murder mystery about Nigeria’s civil war.
Leila Aboulela
Sudanese writer Leila won the 2000 Caine Prize for African Writing for her short story The Museum. She is also the author of The Translator, Minaret and Lyrics Alley, which was the fiction winner of the Scottish Book Awards in 2011. Learn more about her on her website.
NoViolet Bulawayo
Zimbabwean author Elizabeth Zandile Tshele writes under the pen name NoViolet Bulawayo. Her book We Need New Names won the Pen/Hemingway and the Etisalat Prize for Literature Awards. NoViolet has an MFA from Cornell University and was a recipient of the Truman Capote Fellowship. Her story Hitting Budapest won the 2011 Caine Prize for African Writing. Learn more about her on her website.
Nana Ekua Bruce-Hammond @nanaekua
Nana Ekua is the author of Powder Necklace. The young Ghanaian author was shortlisted for the 2014 Miles Morland Writing Scholarship. She was also named as one of 39 the most promising African writers under 39 and her short fiction was included in the anthology Africa39. Check out her website for information on her upcoming work.
Dinaw Mengestu @dinawmengestu
Dinaw is an Ethiopian-American writer who is the Lannan Chair of poetics at Georgetown University. He is the author of three novels; The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears, How to Read the Air and All Our Names. His writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal and Harper’s. Dinaw was the winner of the 2007 Guardian First Book Award and the National Book Award Foundation, 5 Under 35 Award in 2007.
Chibundu Onuzo @ChibunduOnuzo
Chibundu is a young Nigerian author whose book The Spider King’s Daughter was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Commonwealth Book Prize and longlisted for the Desmond Elliot Prize. She is working on a PhD on the West African Student’s Union at King’s College London. Follow her journey on her blog.
