Category: Prize Winners

Arthur Anthony Moody Awori is the Highest Bidder in “Have a Cup of Coffee With Your Shortlisted Author” Auction! for Muthoni Maina

The “Have a Cup of Coffee With Your Shortlisted Author” Auction! for the 2022 and 2023 shortlisted authors has ended, raising a total of Ksh.4,900 toward the 2023 Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize by Mystery Publishers, bringing the total amount raised through different platforms to Ksh.51,743. Reader and lover of literature, Arthur Anthony Moody Awori, is the highest bidder for a coffee session with the 2023 Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize shortlisted author, Muthoni Maina. The two will have engaging conversations about the author’s books, writing process, and more.  It is also a chance to ask burning questions and gain insight into the world of literature. Other bidders for Muthoni Maina were Paul Nguyo and Laura Ogana. To all the bidders, your bids mean a lot to us; they will help us get one step closer to changing the lives of aspiring independent writers and improving the reading culture in Africa. We hope you feel our gratitude and can’t wait to share the upcoming fundraising campaigns we’ve planned to continue making progress toward our goal. You are a part of this essential community, and we couldn’t make this positive impact on our community without you. Muthoni Maina is an accomplished writer with a journalism background and a passionate advocate for women’s development. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Development Communication from the University of Nairobi before embarking on a career that has taken her from Supporting Empowering Women (SEW) Tanzania to Toto Care Box Africa Trust. Muthoni is the author of The Leaves of May, a captivating exploration of the unique points of view of three women from different points of African history. Arthur and Muthoni will have a coffee session on Friday 15 December 2023 at a time and place that shall be communicated to them later, before the 2023 Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize Award Ceremony, which shall be held at Alliance Française de Nairobi from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. On behalf of the entire Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize team and Mystery Publishers, we appreciate you and want to tell you just how much your donation towards the Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize means to us. Thank you so much for supporting our initiative in the African Ubuntu spirit. ARIBP Team Mystery Publishers

2023 Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize Open for Submissions on 01 February 2023

The 2023 edition of the Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize for quality, independently published books (fiction, poetry,  and creative/narrative non-fiction) by Kenyan authors shall open for submissions on 01 February 2023. About the Prize.        The Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize is an annual prize managed by Mystery Publishers, a Kenyan premier pan-African independent publisher with a bias toward African speculative fiction and genre/pop literature stories. The 2023 winner will be awarded Ksh.30,000. GUIDELINES The Prize is open to Kenyan authors. A Kenyan is a citizen by birth if, on the day of the person’s birth, whether or not the person is born in Kenya, either the mother or father of the person is a citizen or through naturalisation. Self-publishers may submit books on behalf of their authors. Books Eligible Print (hard copies) and eBooks (PDF only). Books submitted should be published in English. Not more than three (3) years since publication (only books published in 2020 and later). Traditionally published books are not eligible. eBooks should not be a gift to download from Amazon. This is because the gift goes to just one person. Because of the judging process, the ebook may need to be read by multiple people. We will not accept invitations to download files from websites. Books submitted should tell an extraordinary story about the present or future of Africa (Afro-currency and Afro-futurism). Submissions end on 15 April 2023. Submission Fee Print books – Ksh.2000 per title. eBooks – Ksh.1,000 per title. Payments to be send to Mystery Publishers through one of the following methods: PayPal or Payoneer, email address mysterypublishers@gmail.com for those using PayPal/Payoneer/international writers, or  Lipa M-Pesa, Pay Bill No. 909534 with your name as the account number, Credit/Debit Card payment through Publisher’s online payment gateway, DPO Payments (the Author to contact the publisher for procedures), or Mobile Banking using M-Pesa: Go to M-Pesa>Paybill (put KCB Paybill 522522)>Account No. 1203888244>Amount>Enter your M-Pesa PIN>OK  Direct Bank Deposit to: A/c. Name: Mystery Publishers Limited A/c. No. 1203888244 A/ Currency: Kenya Shillings (KES) Bank SWIFT CODE: KCBLKENX Bank: Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Branch: Tom Mboya, Nairobi, Kenya Bank Clearing Code: 01107 Submission Guidelines Five (5) hard copy books for every title submitted are to be dropped at/sent to Nuria Bookstore, The Bazaar Building, Moi Avenue, 11th Floor, Suite No. 1105, Nairobi, addressed as follows: To Mystery Publishers Limited Tel: +254 718 429 184 Book Prize Submission By [Your Name and Contact Details] Once you send or drop your books at Nuria Bookstore, please let us know via email at bookprize@mysterypublisherslimited.com eBook submissions should be through email (bookprize@mysterypublisherslimited.com) as follows: subject heading: ‘Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize submission by YOUR NAME’; Cover email and the eBook attached. PRIZE CRITERIA Selection of submitted books by Mystery Publishers. We look for professionally published books (whether a book is well presented—cover, pictures [if relevant] and layout) following industry standards. The selected books are then taken through public voting, where readers vote for the book with the most extraordinary story to produce a shortlist of ten books. The shortlisted books are forwarded to a judges’ panel comprising beta readers, editors, authors, and publishers. They are given Book Score Sheets to complete for every book received. In general terms, the most important aspects they will be looking for are: whether a book is well written (including structure and style), and Afro-currency and Afro-futurism in the themes. The winning book is announced at an award ceremony at Alliance Francaise de Nairobi, and the winner is awarded the prize money, a trophy, and a certificate. The first and second runners-up will be awarded a certificate. Mystery Publishers shall print 1,000 copies of the winning book and donate them to schools and community libraries. The winning author shall be expected to accompany MPL during these events.

Echoes of Military Souls by Jerusha Kananu Marete Voted the Best Book for the 2022 Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize 2022

A military poetry book of its kind, Echoes of Military Souls by Kenyan writer and theatre expert Jerusha Kananu Marete, has been voted the best book for the 2022 Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize, with over 800 votes, which translates to 81.84% of the votes cast. Vincent de Paul’s Inevitable Desires: First Love came in second, with 94 votes (9.28%), and City of Cannibals by Dancan Ouma Obuya took the third position with 56 votes (5.53%). View the voting results Here. Published in 2019, Echoes of Military Souls presents the nexus between war and women’s experiences and the trauma of broken families from losing a loved one because of war. The book addresses what is happening currently in Africa: the scourge of terrorism in Somalia, the Central Africa Republic, Mozambique, and the Boko Haram menace in West Africa. Families are devasted across Africa because of war, militaries committed to a faceless enemy, and the gallant soldiers who never give up. Thus, it has compellingly addressed Afro-currency. The winning author will be announced during an award ceremony in the last week of February 2023. Buy the Winning Books from Mystery Bookstore or Amazon, Nuria Bookstore, or Kibanga Books.