The African Speculative Fiction Society has release the 2018 nominees for the Nommo Awards for African Speculative Fiction.
The African Speculative Fiction Society, composed of professional and semiprofessional African writers, editors, publishers, graphic artists and film makers, was founded in 2016.
The Nommos were presented for the first time in 2017. The awards are named for twins from Dogon cosmology who take a variety of forms, including appearing on land as fish, walking on their tails.
NOVEL NOMINEES
- Our Memory Like Dust by Gavin Chait
- The Real by Masha du Toit
- Fever by Deon Meyer
- Akata Warrior by Nnedi Okorafor
- After the Flare by Deji Olokotun
- Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi
READ THE FULL NOVEL NOMINATION LIST & DETAILS HERE
NOVELLA NOMINEES
- Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor
- Fallow by Sofia Samatar
- The Murders of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson
READ THE FULL NOVELLA NOMINATION LIST & DETAILS HERE
SHORT STORY NOMINEES
- “On the Other Side of the Sea” by Nerine Dorman
- “A Door Ajar” by Sibongile Fisher
- “Read Before Use” by Chinelo Onwualu
- “Snake Story” by Henrietta Rose-Innes
- “The Regression Test” by Wole Talabi
READ THE FULL SHORT STORY NOMINATION LIST & DETAILS HERE
GRAPHIC NOVEL NOMINEES
- Eru — Writers and artists Tobe Ezeogu, Ozo Ezeogu (www.thecomicrepublic.com)
- Guardian Prime Genesis — Written by Wale Awelenje; Art Jide Martin (www.thecomicrepublic.com)
- Heroic Kakere — Writer and artist Tobe Ezeogu; Artist Kelechi Issac (www.thecomicrepublic.com)
- Ireti Bedemi — Michael Balogun and Adeleye Yusuf (www.thecomicrepublic.com)
- Lake of Tears — Writer Kwabena Ofei; Artiist Setor Fiadzigbey (http://lakeoftearsghana.com/volumes/)
- Quest & Sign of the Shining Beast — Writer Robert S Malan; Artist John Cockshaw
READ THE FULL GRAPHIC NOVEL NOMINATION LIST & DETAILS HERE
The Nommos are voted on by ASFS members. Eligible works must be produced by Africans, and may be self-published.
ASFS’ definition of who is an African includes:
- citizens of African countries,
- people born on the continent and raised there for substantial periods of time,
- citizens or people born on the continent who live abroad
- people who have at least one African parent or
- Africans without papers, and
- some migrants to African countries*.
*’African country’ is defined as any country or contested area on the Continent of Africa, ending at the Egyptian border, and including islands such as Zanzibar and Madagascar.
The award has been funded for four years, by Mr Tom Ilube. The prize for best novel is $1,000, best novella $500, best short story $500, and best graphic novel $1000 to be shared.
[Thanks to Mark Hepworth for the story.]
Congrats!
It’d be cool if there was money to give them an award in this shape/design. Because that is neat.
Tom Ilube is to be congratulated for the funding — I imagine any author would be thrilled to get $500, and that probably goes even farther in some parts of Africa.
I first learned about Nommo and Dogons from reading SFF (by Westerners), so it’s doubly appropriate for this field. Reclamation!