This month, two of our authors— Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu and Sifiso Mzobe— had events. In the before-times, when you missed a great event, that was it; you saw some pictures, and your friends told you all about the fantastic time you missed. But that was then, and this is now. Now you have a second chance to check out these authors in person (or, you know, virtually, on your couch, in your pjs). Continue reading “Watch: Events with Catalyst Authors Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu & Sifiso Mzobe”
This Week in Literary News: Week of April 18
First things first – Catalyst news! Niki Daly’s illustrated children’s book You’re a Star, Lolo got a starred review in Kirkus, and Luke Molver accepted his award for his graphic novel Shaka Rising, which was named an Honor Book for Older Readers by the Children’s Africana Book Awards last year. Two of our novelists, Young Blood author Sifiso Mzobe and Theory of Flight author Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu, were featured in virtual talks this week – and both talks are now available to watch online! Join Sifiso on Stony Brook University’s Writers Speak Wednesdays and Siphiwe in conversation with Mercer University’s Dr. Vasile Stanescu.
And in honor of Earth Day this week, we’re offering a major discount on two of our titles, David Muirhead’s essay collection on South African animals Cat Among the Pigeons and Bridget Krone’s middle-grade novel Small Mercies. Use the code EARTHDAY at checkout on our site for 30% off both titles, only available until the end of April!
Tomorrow is Independent Bookstore day! Check out IndieBound’s indie bookstore finder and go buy yourself a book (or two, or twelve–we won’t judge!) to celebrate. UK bookstores have reopened just in time to take part in the revelry, and book sales went up a third in less than a week.
Continue reading “This Week in Literary News: Week of April 18”
New This Month: Young Blood by Sifiso Mzobe
This month, we’re pleased to release Young Blood by Sifiso Mzobe! When it was released in South Africa, the novel was praised throughout the continent, earning Sifiso the South African Literary Award, the Sunday Times Literary Award, the Herman Charles Bosman Prize, and the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa. Here in the U.S., the praise continued as it was named one of the Most Anticipated Crime Novels of 2021 by CrimeReads, Tsitsi Dangarembga called it one of her 10 Favorite Books in an article in Vulture, and Paul Harding, author of the Pulizter Prize winning novel Tinkers, called it “a compassionate, unsentimental, and artful portrait of a young man on the threshold of trying to preserve his life and his humanity by the very means that will almost inevitably destroy both.” We’re so happy to bring this book to U.S. readers.
Continue reading “New This Month: Young Blood by Sifiso Mzobe”
This Week in Literary News: Week of April 4
This month is full of chances to see Catalyst authors in action. First up, catch Catalyst publisher/founder Jessica Powers and her brother and Broken Circle (Akashic Books) co-author Matthew as part of Cochise College’s Community Creative Writing Celebration on April 16. The reading will be followed by a Q&A, then an open mic. Learn more here. And on April 21, you can catch Sifiso Mzobe, author of the award-winning novel Young Blood, as he steps on the virtual stage for Stony Brook University’s Creative Writing and Literature Writers Speak Wednesday series. The event will be streamed live on the university’s YouTube channel. More information here. Sifiso’s novel is out on April 13.
In other news, following the controversy around American Dirt, Michael Ugarte of Africa is a Country, raises questions about another book, Palmeras en la Nieve, whose “critical reception among historians of Spanish colonization efforts in Africa has been less than positive.”
“Animals have inspired writers since the beginning of the written word” The New York Times presents “Writer’s Best Friend,” a look at some notable writers furry friends, including Jackie Collins’ poodle, George Orwell’s goat, Muriel, and Toni Morrison’s cat. Continue reading “This Week in Literary News: Week of April 4”
This Week in Literary News: Week of January 31
Lots of great stuff from all around the book world this week. Let’s get right to it!
Georgia College & State University is hosting a virtual African Writers Festival this month, featuring some amazing writers including Mona Eltahawy, Maaza Mengiste, and Novuyo Tshuma, among many, many more.
Black history is often reduced to moments, and those moments can become myths. As great as it is that we celebrate Black History Month, we need to be careful that the myths and moments don’t flatten, particularly with the Civil Rights Movement, what is often long, intentional, hard work that can’t be reduced to a single moment. At the New York Times, author , reflects on what this flattening has done to the work of Rosa Parks. “‘Over the years, I have been rebelling against second-class citizenship. It didn’t begin when I was arrested,’ Mrs. Parks reminded interviewers time and again.” Continue reading “This Week in Literary News: Week of January 31”
This Week in Literary News: Week of January 3
In Catalyst news, CrimeReads included Sifiso Mzobe’s North American debut, Young Blood, as one of their most anticipated crime books of 2021! Young Blood will be available in April. BookClubz also selected Helen Brain’s The Thousand Steps, the first book in her dystopian Fiery Spiral trilogy, as their Young Adult pick for January! The second book in the series, The Rising Tide, is out later this year. And we’ll soon be partnering with BookClubz to coordinate a Catalyst Press book club featuring contemporary and classic African literature – so stay tuned!
The writing world lost Eric Jerome Dickey this week, who died at 59 after a several year battle with cancer. Dickey wrote almost 30 novels on topics of Black life and love and sold more than 7 million copies. In South Africa, beloved cookbook author and food critic Dorah Sithole died at the age of 67, just months after the release of her newest book, 40 Years of Iconic Food, which follows her journey from a child in a South Africa township learning to love food to traveling the world as a leader in African cuisine. Continue reading “This Week in Literary News: Week of January 3”
This Week in Literary News, Week of November 29
First up, some big news in the Catalyst world this week: Kirkus Reviews named Bridget Krone’s Small Mercies as one of the best middle grade books of 2020, and Booker shortlisted This Mournable Body author Tsitsi Dangarembga listed two upcoming Catalyst titles, Sifiso Mzobe’s Young Blood and Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu’s The Theory of Flight, on her top 10 favorite books! Congratulations to our amazing authors – you are the reason we love what we do! [Ed note: We’re having a sale on all of our books all month long! You can pick up any of our books for 20% off this month, and find out exactly why we love these authors so very much!]
Our dear friend Izak DeVries interviewed the Catalyst team for LitNet this week, where we talked about South African and American publishing, exciting things coming up on our list, and our fourth #ReadingAfrica week, which starts this Sunday and goes until December 12! Along with our annual social media campaign, where we encourage readers, authors, and book-lovers of all kinds to post about what African authors they’re reading, we’re also hosting two virtual #ReadingAfrica events for the first time ever. This Sunday, December 6 at 12:00 EST and 19:00 South Africa time, join us for our kick-off event co-hosted with LitNet and featuring a number of authors and publishers from around the world, and on Wednesday, December 9 at 12:00 EST and 19:00 South Africa time, crime columnist Michael Sears will be moderating an African crime novel panel. Find out more and register here for both events. We hope to see you there! Continue reading “This Week in Literary News, Week of November 29”
Coming in 2021: Young Blood by Sifiso Mzobe
For the next few weeks, we’ll be spotlighting our upcoming releases for the new year. You’ll learn a bit about our 2021 releases, their authors, and information about pre-ordering.
We’re excited to welcome Sifiso Mzobe to the Catalyst Press roster of authors. We’re so proud to be the North American publisher for his multi-award-winning novel Young Blood. We’re not kidding when we say “multi-award-winning.” When it was published in South Africa, Sifiso’s gritty coming-of-age novel earned him the South African Literary Award, the Barry Ronge Fiction Prize, the Herman Charles Bosman Prize, and the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa— one of African literature’s most prestigious awards. Continue reading “Coming in 2021: Young Blood by Sifiso Mzobe”
This Week in Literary News: Week of October 4
Awards abound! The Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to poet Louise Glück this week. The committee chose Glück, who has also won the Pulitzer prize and the National Book Award, “for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal.” Glück is the first American woman to win the award since Toni Morrison 27 years ago, and only the 16th woman of the 117 winners, overall. New to Glück and want to know where to start with her work? Poet Fiona Sampson writes about Gluck’s work and chooses some of her favorite poems for The Guardian.
In other award news, the MacArthur Foundation announced the 21 recipients of its fellowship, also known as the “Genius Grant.” In addition to an evolutionary geneticist, a property law scholar, and a documentary filmmaker, this year’s grantees also included quite a few names from the literary world: authors, Jacqueline Woodson, Cristina Rivera Garza, Fred Moten, N. K. Jemisin, Tressie McMillan Cottom, and playwright Larissa FastHorse. Learn more about all of the fellows here.
Not an award, but a really big deal nonetheless: Kevin Young, currently cultural director of the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center and poetry editor of the New Yorker, has been named the director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Per the Washington Post, during his time at the Schomburg, “Young created a Black Liberation Reading List with 95 books and coordinated programs. He also brought the Harlem-based archives of Harry Belafonte, James Baldwin, Sonny Rollins, Fred “Fab 5 Freddy” Brathwaite, and Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee to the center as part of “Home to Harlem,” a program that focuses on how artists shaped, and were shaped by, the neighborhood.” Continue reading “This Week in Literary News: Week of October 4”
Young Blood
