The deadline to enter the Cape Town Library Book: Writing my City competition is Saturday June 15.
Cape Town Library Book: Writing my City is an initiative between Cape Town’s public libraries, the City of Cape Town and Open Book Festival, to publish a collection of stories about the Mother City, as told from a number of voices.
Anyone can submit a story that speaks to Cape Town in some way. The story must be 1 500 words or less, focus on an aspect of Cape Town and be written in English, IsiXhosa, Afrikaans or Kaaps. Prose, poetry or non-fiction will be considered.
Submissions can be made at the participating libraries. These submissions will then be sent to the head of professional services and programmes at the Library Information Services (LIS) head office.Three library judges will consider all the submissions and submit all entries with merit to Open Book Festival organisers. Open Book has appointed Refilwe Moloto (English), Andre Trantraal (Afrikaans and Kaaps) and Oscar Masinyana (Xhosa) to make the final selection of 40 contributions.
The finalists’ pieces will then be included in the #WritingmyCity anthology, which will be launched at Open Book Festival 2019.
“Our city is home to a diversity of voices and we are hoping to read wonderful stories told from many different perspectives,” says Frankie Murrey, festival coordinator for Open Book Festival.
The ninth Open Book Festival takes place from Wednesday September 4 to Sunday September 8. Visit www.openbookfestival.co.za for details. For more information about the festival or Cape Town Library Book: Writing my City competition, email frankie@openbookfestival.co. za or contact Hanover Park library on Bernadette.daniels@capetown.gov.za; Manenberg library on Nomnqopiso.lisa@capetown.gov.za or Athlone library on Soraya.samuels@capetown.gov.za
