Time of the Writer virtual edition kicks off

The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Centre for Creative Arts (CCA), in partnership with eThekwini Municipality, will host the 23rd Time of the Writer International Festival Virtual Edition from Thursday to March 25. The physical edition of the festival, which was due to start on March 16, was cancelled that morning because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Participating writers:

• Forgiveness advocate, author and public speaker Candice Mama (SA)
• Comic-book and Hindi film aficionado Ebrahim Essa (SA)
• Journalist and award-winning author Fred Khumalo (SA)
• Writer and poet Haska Shyyan (Ukraine)
• Fiction and non-fiction writer Kirsten Miller (SA)
• Children’s book writer Lebohang Masango (SA)
• Children’s book writer Refiloe Moahloli (SA)
• Novelist Nozizwe Cynthia Jele (SA)
• Rwandan-born Namibian novelist, short story writer, essayist, columnist, poet and photographer Rémy Ngamije (Namibia)
• Sociologist and writer Shafinaaz Hassim (SA)
• Literary critic, novelist, short story writer and playwright Siphiwo Mahala (SA)
• American political theorist and writer Dr Tiffany Willoughby-Herard (USA)
• One City, One Book winner Zanele Dlamini (SA)
• Novelist and poet Rodney Roskruge (SA)

Curator Siphindile Hlongwa is excited about the change to the festival: “In response to the cancellation of the physical version of the festival, we are still able to give access to a wide audience, as we are going to engage literature lovers while taking advantage of technology.”

The online programme promises to become a thought-provoking week of Twitter Q&As, live Instagram interviews, watch parties, virtual book launches, tips and tricks video’s and live readings for children. The online facilitators are Michelle Constant, Karabo Kgoleng, Musa Hlatshwayo and Nancy Richards. To catch all the action, tune into the Instagram, Twitter and Facebook pages of the festival.

Article provided by the Time of the Writer