"I only wanna write what doesn’t exist." An interview with #WriterPrompt Winner Mame Bougouma Diene.

The Satellite Charmer

A polyharmony in B minor rang from a violin of space dust, drawing an undulating ♫ on the void from a tense string. “Sirius exploded at your birth,” his grandmother had told him. “You’ll become space itself one day, if you wish.”

And he had.

The sun shone inside his iris, a nebula tickled his inner ear, and each satellite mining Africa from space sparkled around the blue pebble where he had abandoned his body.

He flung the galactic bow away, the soundbox expanding, his fingers drumming the thick chords like a bass. The satellites winked out as giant ♬♫♩♪ hammered them in waves, destroying cities across the planet. Somewhere his body died. His fingers merged with the chords, he and the bull fiddle were one vibration, bouncing between satellites until a ring of debris circled the earth. He inhaled, or rather somewhere in the vastness of space a galaxy exploded. He let his fingers rest. Light years away the bass line birthed a star.

His grin lingered as he dangled the insignificant planet, tempted to crush it; when through a black hole somewhere in infinity, something glowed, something new, and he turned his eye away from Earth forever.

Mame Bougouma Diene won SSDA's 10th #WriterPrompt with his story ‘The Satellite Charmer’. He work features regularly in the African SciFi scene, and he participates regularly in SSDA events and competitions.

Your speculative fiction shorts are seeing a lot of press, including "Hell Freezes Over" which is part of the AfroSFv2 anthology. What attracts you to the genre? 

MAME:  I’m really stoked about AfroSFv2; it’s gonna be something else, and I’m happy to get my work out there. Working with different editors helps improve very fast.

I don’t know if I have a straightforward answer. It is a bit odd, because as a person, intellectually, I am very much attached to facts. Historic, scientific and cultural, researched precisely. I abhor conspiracy theories and the like, racial appropriations and such. I’d rather my spin on reality be fictional than have my reality spin doctored.  

I have tried to write a “normal” thing, being a big Paul Auster fan, but it ended up being the story of a serial killer who only kills children with down-syndrome and only on Christmas eve. That’s when I realized it was a waste of time trying to write regular or literary fiction.

I guess the bottom-line is that I grew up with Voltron, Thundercats and lots of Japanese animé. My parents had me sit through Dune when I was six or something, and my father used to read us a lot of myths and legends. Plus, as a Senegalese man, his view of the world is somewhat naturally mystic. Both my parents are huge sci-fi heads.

I honestly have no idea why I write SFF, probably because I like to get so many facts about reality, I only wanna write what doesn’t exist. 

In your writing, both fiction and non-fiction, do you easily switch between French and English?

MAME: Not really. Being a native speaker of two languages is not like most people [would] think [it is], which is that you’re some kind of natural interpreter. What it means is that you think constantly in two languages, start thinking in one and end in another, lose your train of thought because you’re thinking in English but this one word you only know it in French and vice versa. Changing frames of reference means deconstructing and reconstructing my brain to switch from one to another with the same amount of risk involved.

It’s the same when it comes to writing. I write predominantly in English because I read more in English. Concepts don’t always match in French and English, the flow of writing and speaking are very different, just as the expectations of what a “writer” should produce are different. French is very elitist in that regard and I don’t have time for those kinds of considerations. A lot of people ask me to help them correct translations, I give up within a second. Translation is a job for which most bilingual people are predisposed, but not naturally inclined. I really hope someone reads this so they can understand and stop asking me to help translate. I don’t need it, so I don’t do it.

I am working on some projects in French. I have one short published (not speculative) by Edilivre about a Senegalese illegal immigrant. Hopefully I’ll complete another by year’s end and have it out, speculative this time, about a Moroccan who builds a flying machine to make it illegally to France. 

Mame Bougouma Diene is a French-Senegalese American humanitarian based in Paris – unless you’re reading this in December, in which case he’s based in Mexico. He has a fondness for progressive metal, tattoo and policy analysis. He is published in Omenana, Brittlepaper and AfroSFv2.

Participate in #WriterPrompt by following Short Story Day Africa on Facebook. 

Interview by Tiah Beautement a.k.a. @ms_tiahmarie 

'A woman disappears each day.' An interview with #WriterPrompt winner Kerry Hammerton.

Restricted Area

I lick away the blood from the gash on my hand, press harder against the barbed wire fence. Blood. Pain. They help me feel alive. Every day I stand here, stare at the abandoned house. I turn and look over the camp. Smuts is under the awning of his command tent. His head turning this way and that way looking for something. Or someone.

'You would like to go there wouldn't you,' Smuts says when he catches us looking at the house. 'Don't be stupid, you go there you die. You go past the barbed wire fence you die.'

A woman disappears each day. I don't know if anyone else has noticed -- lethargy has descended. I know the heat is overwhelming but they must be drugging us, keeping us docile until they take us somewhere else.

When I asked Smuts why there are only women in the camp, he said 'Don't be stupid, all the men are fighting'. You should be fighting too, we all should be fighting I wanted to say. Fear kept me quiet.

Smuts has found what he is looking for. He gets to his feet, lumbers across the dusty field towards me.

Kerry Hammerton has published two volumes of poetry, These Are the Lies I Told You and The Weather Report, and has had poems published in numerous anthologies and magazines. She participated in and won SSDA's 8th #WriterPrompt Event, Restricted Area.

In 2015 you spearheaded a social media project under the hashtags #readwomen #womenwriters. Can you tell our followers about the project and why you did it?

KERRY: I wanted to do something positive in Women’s Month [August is Women's Month in South Africa] and I love reading and writing. The two things combined in a project where I asked women writers (mainly South African) to recommend a book by another woman writer. I blogged and tweeted these posts almost daily – I had 28 recommendations. I hoped that it would inspire people to read more women writers. My own to-read list has also been extended! The idea was picked up by the Good Book Appreciation Society (a Facebook book club) for their October newsletter – it has had a longer life than just August which is wonderful. 

Having your poems published opens a poet up to a certain amount of exposure and vulnerability. With poetry, there is an unpeeling of the inner self that goes beyond what fiction writers generally experience. How did you deal with the scrutiny of your inner self?

KERRY: Before my first collection was published I spent a lot of time in my therapist’s office feeling anxious about that exposure – particularly because I write some erotic poetry. After my collection was published I realised that the people who know and care about me know that inner-self anyway. They are the people who matter. What I write (even though it is poetry) is just words and in no way defines who I am, or even who I want to be. Once a poem is ‘out there’ it no longer belongs to the poet and people will interpret it according to their own inner selves and moral code. That has nothing to do with me – this has been very liberating.

You also co-authored Sugar Free, a non-fiction book about sugar addiction. Why was writing a non-fiction book about sugar important to you?

KERRY: I am a sugar and carb addict. Through my own journey to health I learnt a number of important things about my own eating disorder. I also learnt a number of important tools and techniques to deal with my addiction. I wanted to share those with other people. I met Karen Thomson (co-author) through her sugar and carb addiction programme and suggested to her that we write a book. One of the readers wrote to us and said ‘Thank you. I realise for the first time that I am a sugar addict. I didn’t understand my own behaviour. I thought that I was alone.’ That was really powerful. The book has given individuals the language to talk about their addiction as well as ideas on how to deal with it.

What drew you to participating in #WriterPrompt?

KERRY: I am currently completing an MA in Creative Writing through Rhodes University in Grahamstown. The first part of the MA is devoted to course work – we  wrote short stories, essays, drama, book reviews etc. It helped me to understand that I can successfully write genres other than poetry and non-fiction. The #WriterPrompt looked like a fun way to extend my writing repertoire. The 200 word limit is very constraining but makes you think about how to get a story across in as few words as possible. The idea of getting feedback was also attractive.

Lastly, what are your future writing goals and hopes?

KERRY: I am currently completing my MA thesis – a collection of poetry. I also have a few other ideas meandering around in my head but they will have to restrain themselves until the thesis is complete. I would like to go on a writers retreat / residency sometime in the next two years. To have dedicated writing time and the luxury of support sounds like heaven!

On Kerry's Bedside Table

Faces in the Crowd by Valeria Luiselli. One of the books recommended during the August #ReadWomen initiative. A story about a women writer living in Mexico who reflects back on her life in New York when she was single and childless. It also reveals her obsession with another poet. It is a spare, delightful and complex read.

Word Warriors: 35 Women Leaders in the Spoken Word Revolution edited by Alix Olson. If you want to understand what women (and who the women are) in the hip-hop and spoken word field are writing this is the collection to read. It is funny, feminist and very insightful.

My non-fiction read has been Masha Gessin’s The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin. A scary look at how Russia started on the path of democracy and how it was destroyed by Putin. Sobering. It has made me very thankful for the democratic and judicial processes in South Africa.

Kerry Hammerton lives in Cape Town, South Africa. She has published poetry in various South African and UK literary journals and anthologies, most recently Hallelujah for 50ft Women (Bloodaxe Books 2015). Her debut poetry collection These are the lies I told you (Modjaji) was published in 2010 and her second collection The Weather Report in 2014. She is also the co-author of the self-help book Sugar Free (Jonathan Ball 2015). www.kerryhammerton.com

Participate in #WriterPrompt by following Short Story Day Africa on Facebook. 

Interview by Tiah Beautement

'The intracranial neoplasm had eaten into his cerebellum.' An Interview with #WriterPrompt winner Sima Mittal.

An electrifying thrill radiated down my spine. Vengeance pirouetted in my heart. Two years of meticulous planning! This deception culminated to the intended climax. Nothing seemed more satisfying than musing over the numerous MRI, CT and CAT scans that decorated my office. The intracranial neoplasm had eaten into his cerebellum. Now the cancer cells were mutating at supersonic speed. Right through his medulla oblongata.

I double checked with the labs and radiology department. Secretly, I consulted with two distant colleagues. Finally I ensured the tiniest tinge of doubt. I discussed the tumor’s progress with the super-expert Dr. Ben Carson. I carefully concealed any relationship to the patient.

It was time to add some spark into our 15 year arranged, dead, dull marriage! His infidelity and impotency, coupled with alcoholism, had brought nothing but pain and dissatisfaction. No kids. No bonding. He had married for money and for the perks that attached to being the spouse of an attractive neurosurgeon. I hadn’t left him because my traditional self had coerced me into believing that divorce was a taboo.

Brain splitting news coming your way, hubby dear! Time to turn into the submissive wife, to disclose your illness!

Sima Mittal won SSDA's 9th #WriterPrompt event with her story 'Pirouetting Revenge'. She has participated in Writivism and been a reader for the 2015 Short Story Day Africa Prize slush pile. 

Doing the Right Thing Isn't Always Easy, your self-published children's picture book is available on Amazon. What led to children's literature?

SIMA: Reading to and with my children was what sparked my passion for children’s literature. I started early with them. I enjoy exploring the different children’s genres with my girls. For me Children’s literature is far more interesting than adult literature. I can cover up for all the missed childhood reading. With children’s literature one can become a child once again.

Also I am passionate about children in general and love to work with them. I joined the Lions Club so that I could work on various projects associated with children.

Reading to children is so different from reading with adults. Children do not have inhibitions.

You were part of Writivism 2015. Tell us about the experience.

SIMA: It has been the most wonderful part of my writing journey so far. The best thing was that it was absolutely free and I got to work with a splendid group of people. I had applied because one of the workshops for Writivism 2015 was held in Dar es Salaam and I would not have to travel anywhere for it. Being selected was fun but I found I was the lone candidate from Tanzania.

Initially I was nervous at the workshop but Zukiswa Wanner and Ayeta Wangusa made me comfortable. Zukiswa Wanner is still an inspiration.

Making it to the mentoring program was awesome and that is when the work and the tough part started. Satisfying my mentor Mr. Donald Molosi was not that easy and he was very honest with my work. Some of my initial work did not meet his standards.

But the first draft of ‘Dying Gracefully’ passed his judgement. He said I had not overstated it and he wanted me to use my own style. I worked very hard on this particular piece and finally it made my mentor weep. I had accomplished my first mission.

The second job was that the judges would connect with my story and it was a dream come true when I got long-listed.

But the gruelling part came when I had to edit the story for the Anthology. It was extremely challenging since it was a totally new concept and experience for me. My editors were very accommodating and we dissected every line. They helped me refine it as well as convey my story exactly how I had wanted to. Thanks especially to Sumayya Lee.

I hope the readers enjoy it.

It was hard work but rewarding as well. And again all this was free. All it required was dedication from my side. Thanks to all the people at Writivism and my mentors.

What have you gained from your participation in #WriterPrompt?

SIMA: It is a very short piece of writing and it helps me to try all kinds of writings. It is a fun way of experimenting. It is beneficial when you get first hand comments from other readers as well as writers. What a wonderful job SSDA is doing! Thanks and do keep it going.

Sima Mittal was born in India in 1974, but moved to Arusha, Tanzania in 1978. She holds a Bachelors of Engineering in Computer Science. Her love for writing began when she explored reading with her two little girls. She loves reading poetry and children's books. She feels a writer and an illustrator magically weave a children's picture book together. Through her writing, she hopes to connect with and mesmerize audiences of all ages. Her short story ‘Grieving for the Grave’ was published in the Daily News (Tanzania) and on Muwado.com. Her short story ‘Dying Gracefully’ is part of the Writivism Anthology 2015, ‘Roses for Betty and other stories’. Her first children’s book ‘Doing the Right Thing Isn’t Always Easy’ has been published in Tanzania by E & D Vision Publishing Ltd., now available on Amazon.

Participate in #WriterPrompt by following Short Story Day Africa on Facebook. 

Interview by Tiah Beautement a.k.a. @ms_tiahmarie 

“How long will it be this time?” An interview with #WriterPrompt winner, Catherine Shepherd.

It is a kiss that blows away in the wind: her high heels clip up the train stairs, she looks me in the eye, then the shadow of her arm flung from pouted red lips.

We walk home trying not to wipe at our tears. Johnny is whistling, both hands in his pockets. His scuffed shoes kick up stones in the path. I turn to look at him. His eyelids are swollen and snot is gathering by his lip. He pulls out one of his little hands and rubs his nose on his sleeve.

Pa waits by the door in the dusk light. He crouches to kiss Johnny on the cheek.

“How long will it be this time?” I ask, squeezing past into the house.

When he glances at me I notice he, too, has been crying.  “She didn’t say," he replies, before closing out the street.

Aromatic spices from a vegetable stew drift around the kitchen. Pa has washed our school clothes and laid them out by the fire. I try not to stare at the empty space where Ma’s coats and hats used to  hang.

“Eat,” he says quietly, catching me off guard. He tilts his head toward the table set for three. “Tomorrow is a new day."

“Thanks Pa,” I say. “Thanks for everything.”

Catherine Shepherd won SSDA's 7th #WriterPrompt Event with her story, 'Thanks Pa'. We spoke to her about her choice to follow her dreams. 

SSDA: You've been writing since you were a child, but only recently started putting your writing out there. What gave you the courage to allow strangers to read your stories?

CATHERINE: I woke up one morning in my forties and realised my childhood dream was fading fast.  I wanted to write a novel and live in the country with horses. My eldest child had become a young man starting on his own journey and all I had achieved was a pat on the back for helping others grow their own businesses. I was desperate. I gave up my full time job and found some part-time work and bought a plot of land in the country. I entered Short Story Day Africa’s first competition. My story did not feature. Getting over the rejection hurdle was the hardest but most important part of attempting my dream. I realised I needed an editor and here, lady luck was on my side. I got my biggest break when the gifted author Rachel Zadok said she would help me on my way.  

SSDA: Tendai Mwanaka mentored you through Writivism? How did the mentorship work? 

CATHERINE: It was a wonderful opportunity to work with such a prolific writer. Tendai was very patient and positive. He encouraged all of us to work together (he had 3 other mentees) which took the mentoring process to a whole new level. One of the mentees was Chinelo Onwualu whose story “CJ” appears in Terra Incognita. It was great to work together. Writivism is a very special platform for writers.          

SSDA: What sparked your story, 'On a Hot Summer's Night' published in Jalada?

CATHERINE: I was inspired by our local beach one Valentine’s Day......All the people and the beautiful backdrop. I love summer and have vivid memories of swimming in a warm sea on a hot balmy Cape Valentine’s eve. I remember seeing the local hobo and wondering what Valentine’s Day meant for him. It was only after the first draft that I realised what I was writing.

Catherine Shepherd was born in South Africa in 1970.  The end of Apartheid was the highlight of her young adult years and still inspires her to this day. Although she started writing as a child it was only recently through Rachel Zadok, ‘Short Story Day Africa’ and ‘Writivism’, all part of the amazing African Writing Community,  that Catherine got the courage to put her writing out there.  Her first short story ‘Joy Ride’ was published by Black Letter Media in 2013. Catherine has a degree in journalism from Rhodes University. She currently lives in Cape Town, but has plans to build a writer's retreat in Suurbraak.

Participate in #WriterPrompt by following Short Story Day Africa on Facebook. 

Interview by Tiah Beautement