Kenyan Professor Mohamed Bakari Joins and is Appointed Chairperson Afrika Redefined Indie Book Advisory Board
We are excited to share the news that Kenyan Professor Mohamed Bakari has joined the Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize advisory board. The advisory board oversights the Prize judging and award criteria and offers their varied expertise toward running the Prize. Professor Mohamed Bakari is a Kenyan scholar and linguist. He was a professor at the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, and the University of York, England, among others. He coordinated the PhD program in Comparative Literature in the Department of American Culture and Literature, Professor of Linguistics and Postcolonial Studies at Fatih University, Istanbul, and from 2018 to 2022, he was the Vice Chancellor of RAF International University, now Islamic University of Kenya. He shall serve as the chairperson of the Advisory Board for a term of three years. Professor Bakari joins a team of other members—Dr Amakove Wala (Kenya), Dr Gameli Tordzro (Ghana), Dr Robert Aron (USA), Mbizo Chirasha (Zimbabwe), and Damaris Agweyu (Kenya).
Dr Carren Otieno and Teacher Richard Mbuthia Join the 2024 Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize Judging Panel
We are pleased to share the exciting news of new judges joining the Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize judging panel. The panel is drawn from academicians, editors, publishers, writers, and readers. Dr Carren Otieno (Rongo University) and Tanzania-based teacher Richard Mbuthia have joined the 2024 judging panel. They will serve on the panel for two years, with the possibility of extending for a third and final third year. The two join others who are serving their second year: passionate reader and founder of Kenyan Readathon, Lexa Lubanga (Kenya), who is also the Panel chairperson; writer, poet, and publisher Dr Michael Dekel (Israel), who is the vice chairperson; writer and columnist Empress Ciku Kimani-Mwaniki (Kenya), writer Lesalon Kasaine (Kenya); and reader Xavier Omweri. We’re honoured to have the wonderful and committed team at this year’s Prize and to work together to recognise self-published works and writers in Africa. The 2024 submissions closed on 15 April 2024, and the judging process is ongoing. Dr Carren Adhiambo Otieno (Lecturer, Rongo University) – Kenya Dr Carren Adhiambo Otieno is a Kenyan scientist, an author of scientific articles, and a lecturer at the Department of Physical, Biological and Health Sciences, Rongo University – Kenya. She is a researcher with 18 years of experience and 22 years in academia. She has a B.Ed (Science), MSc Botany (Microbiology), and PhD Botany. Her research interest is in improving food security through research on orphaned and endangered food crops, plant pathology, microbiology, and climate change. She is passionate about empowering and encouraging girls to pursue STEM courses, leading to increased visibility. Richard Mbuthia (Teacher, Writer, Editor) – Kenya Richard Mbuthia is a Kenyan Tanzania-based teacher, passionate poet, editor, motivational speaker, and author of The Setting Noon and Other Poems (2017) and children’s poetry anthologies he compiled and edited Letters of Gold (2017), Bounding for Light (2018), Sparks in the Dark (2019), and Echoes of the Sun (2020). He has also been published in various local and international poetry anthologies, magazines, and online forums. Richard is passionate about teaching and developing poetry craft in children.
Abolished – Public Voting as Part of Evaluation of Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize
The move aims to preserve the integrity of the Prize and accord all shortlisted books and authors a fair chance. Kenya, 15 May 2024: The Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize (ARIBP), an annual prize sponsored and managed by Mystery Publishers Limited, a premier pan-African publisher of choice, appreciates your continued support in celebrating independent African authors. The ARIBP aims to recognise quality self-published books with unique and extraordinary stories addressing current and future Africa (Afro-currency and Afro-futurism), and to that end, empowering self-published (indie) authors to produce professional and quality books that meet industry-standard books. Previously, the shortlisted books were taken through a public voting system, which aimed to introduce the books and the authors to the public and different audiences; this contributed to ten per cent (10%) of the overall book evaluation criteria. However, this approach to evaluating shortlisted books conferred an unfair advantage to the authors with a large reader base, popularity, many social media followers, or lobbyists behind them, which does not automatically mean that such works are of better quality. This also created an illusion of winning the Prize because, psychologically (and conveniently so), the human mind will always consider the person or book with many votes as the best (or worst) in that list. In our endeavour to preserve the integrity of the Prize and ensure fairness for all shortlisted books and authors, the ARIBP Secretariat, in consultation with the Advisory Board, has abolished public voting as part of the evaluation criteria of ARIBP. The 2024 and subsequent prizes will only be evaluated by a panel of judges drawn from diverse backgrounds—readers, writers, editors, and publishers (not necessarily a MUST for the panel to comprise all backgrounds). Before submitting the books to the judging panel, Mystery Publishers’ editorial team shall review all submitted books to select those that meet the minimum quality publishing standards for shortlisting. The Judging Panel shall then take the shortlisted books through stringent quality parameters and evaluation criteria and share the reports with the authors. This was a difficult decision, as we know the effect it can have on you. We thank you for your understanding and support during this change, and as always, we promise to endeavour to preserve the integrity of the Prize and accord all independent authors a fair chance. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please get in touch with us at: Email: bookprize@mysterypublisherslimited.com
2024 Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize Open for Submissions
The 2024 edition of the Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize for quality, independently published books (fiction, poetry, and creative/narrative non-fiction) by African authors is open for submissions. 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 for quality, professionally self-published books. The 2024 winner will be awarded Ksh.20,000 (might increase depending on available funding). GUIDELINES The Prize is open to African authors on the continent or in the diaspora. An African is a citizen of any African country by birth if, on the day of the person’s birth, whether or not the person is born in any African country, either the mother or father of the person is a citizen or through naturalisation. Self-published authors only. (Proof of self-publishing to be provided.) A book or author is self-published if: It is DIY publishing (the author does all the publishing process by themselves); They engage professional author services providers/companies to provide the services for them (invoices and receipts for such services to be provided); They publish their books using self-publishing companies (a publishing agreement in addition to invoices and receipts to be provided); or Self-publishing companies may submit books on behalf of their authors (copies of publishing agreements, invoices and receipts issued to authors, and business registration/incorporation certificate to be provided). Books Eligible Print (hard copies) and eBooks (PDF only). Books submitted should be published in English or translated into English. Not more than three (3) years since publication (only books published in 2021 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 close on 15 April 2024. Submission Fee Print books – Ksh.3000 or USD 20 per title. eBooks – Ksh.1,500 or USD 15 per title. Payments to be sent to Mystery Publishers through the online payment gateway, PesaPal. Click Here to pay. 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 CC afrikaredefinedbookprize@gmail.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. (Public voting accounts for 10% of the overall evaluation.) 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.
2024 Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize Open to All African Writers
The 2024 edition of the Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize for quality, independently published books (fiction, poetry, and creative/narrative non-fiction) by African authors shall open for submissions at midnight on 01 February 2024. Previously, the prize was open to Kenyan writers only. 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 for quality, professionally self-published books. The 2024 winner will be awarded Ksh.20,000 (might increase depending on available funding). The 2024 submission guidelines shall be released on 01 February 2024. Check out the 2023 shortlisted books Here and the prize award ceremony photos.