Outside the Lines
Q&A with Yewande Omotoso
Last year was quite a year for Yewande Omotoso. Her most recent release, The Woman Next Door, earned Yewande a spot on the shortlist for the Dublin Literary Award, and a Hurston/Wright Award nomination. We’re betting that readers will want to read more from this talented author in 2019, and so we couldn’t be more excited to be the North American publisher for her novel Bom Boy.
First released in South Africa, this novel of loss and belonging earned Yewande the South African Literary Award First Time Author Prize, and it was also shortlisted for the Etisalat Prize for Literature. She has revised the novel for its North American release on February 26. Pre-order your copy today!
We chatted with Yewande about her process, writers she admires, and what it felt like to revisit to Bom Boy after many years. This Q&A is the full version of the excerpt from our newsletter. Learn about Catalyst events, authors, giveaways, and read more author Q&As like this by subscribing to our newsletter! Continue reading “Q&A with Yewande Omotoso”
Unmaking Grace
Interview with Catalyst Founder at Bookology Magazine
First of all, bookology is a delightful word to say. Go on. Say it. We’ll wait… Fun, right? Secondly, the good folks at the delightfully-named Bookology Magazine chatted with Catalyst founder Jessica Powers to talk about our children’s/young adult offerings.
[Jessica’s] goal is to bring to Western readers books that reveal the world from different perspectives—tilting, reversing or tweaking the standard Western understanding of what’s real, true, necessary, or beautiful. Her motivation to create this press is her belief that books can be the fire and fuel for change. One book in the hands of one child can change—and has changed—the world for many.
Head over to Bookology to read the full interview, and many thanks to them and to interviewer Nancy Bo Flood!
Ahmed Ismail Yusuf at Literary Hub
After returning from his recent appearance at the Mogadishu Book Fair, Ahmed Ismail Yusuf (The Lion’s Binding Oath) shared some of his thoughts about what this literary event means for a region in transition for Literary Hub. The event marked Ahmed’s first visit back to Mogadishu since leaving in the 1990s.
Three decades or so ago, I left Somalia for the USA. In my young and somewhat innocent mind, I was heading to Heaven on Earth, but I was not sure whether I was going to make it. I was paralyzed with fear that I was going to get lost through the international flight connections before I ever got there. And for the grace of God, if I made it to the gates of Heaven on Earth, was I going to be lucky enough to be let in? I knew that my paperwork was in order, but my inability to speak English had me laden with a herculean fear that harassed me to no end. I was fearful that I was not going to be able to respond to any question addressed to me, and who was I going to blame but myself?
Read the rest at Literary Hub: At the Mogadishu Book Fair, Literature Is Hope
Coming Attractions
We’ve had a good year so far. Since January, we’ve released four books making our current catalog six books deep. We’re really proud of the work we’ve been able to do since we’ve launched, and we’re excited about what the future holds.
Let’s talk about the future.
We can’t wait for you to read our next releases. There are kid’s books, thrillers, sci-fi, graphic novels, memoirs, fiction, non-fiction, you name it. We thought we’d share some of the great Catalyst titles coming to bookstores in the next year. Some are available for pre-order right now, if that’s your thing (we hope it’s your thing). And if you’re looking for any of our current titles, they are for sale right here on this very site, if that’s your thing (we hope that’s your thing, too). You can keep up with us as we share more news about these releases by signing up for our newsletter. Continue reading “Coming Attractions”
Q&A with Futhi Ntshingila
This Q&A with the wonderfully talented Futhi Ntshingila first appeared in our newsletter. If you’d like to see more things like this, and find out about giveaways, and events, and new releases, and lots more, you should subscribe to our newsletter. We’re fun, we’re nice, and we promise not to flood your inbox. Interested? Subscribe here. Continue reading “Q&A with Futhi Ntshingila”
Women in Translation Month 2018
It’s that time of year again! Welcome to Women in Translation Month everyone! This is a great time to broaden your reading horizons by adding translated works by women authors and translators to your ‘to read’ stacks! We’ll be doing our part this month with giveaways, interviews, sales, and more! Stay tuned….
If you want to get reading now, we’re offering special prices on all of our titles all summer, but we have a few we want to spotlight:
First up, Sacrificed by Chanette Paul (translated by Elsa Silke) sends readers on a global journey from South Africa to Belgium as Caz Colijn searches for answers about her mysterious past. Sacrificed is on sale now.
And next, if you want to add even more women to your reading list, check out our special Women’s Voices bundle, which features Sacrificed, short story collection Love Interrupted by Reneilwe Malatji, We Kiss Them with Rain by Futhi Ntshingila (Futhi just recently finished an isiZulu translation of her novel!), and a sneak preview of Bom Boy by Yewande Omotoso, which is out in January.
Follow us @catalyst_press on Twitter and @catalystpress on Instagram to keep up with our #WiTMonth fun, and be sure to tag us if you’re reading one of our titles this month! And click here to read all of our WitMonth posts.
Q&A with Ahmed Ismail Yusuf
Earlier this month, we did a Q&A with The Lion’s Binding Oath author Ahmed Ismail Yusuf in our newsletter (What?! You don’t subscribe? Let us help: Subscribe here).
In advance of his upcoming Midwest book tour, we’re posting it here, too! Read on to learn more about Ahmed, his writing, and how books changed his life. Continue reading “Q&A with Ahmed Ismail Yusuf”
