The US edition of the latest Short Story Day Africa anthology is forthcoming through Catalyst Press and sports a gorgeous cover that we are delighted to share. Titled Disruption, the collection features 21 authors from the continent exploring what it means to live in rapidly changing global conditions. The cover is designed by South African poet Megan Ross. The pink and teal colors set against the futuristic font make the cover eye-catchy and definitely Instagram-ready. The collection is set for a September 2021 release.

Catalyst Press is an indie publisher based in the US, but their presence in the African literary scene has been impactful with the publication of authors such as Yewande Omotoso and Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu.  Read the publisher’s statement on the new collection below and the partnership with SSDA.

We’d like you to meet Disruption: New Short Fiction from Africa, the newest Short Story Day Africa anthology (we chose the title and the topic before the world changed). Featuring 21 writers from the four corners of the African continent, these short stories from emerging and established writers explore the many ways that we grow, adapt, and survive in the face of swiftly changing global realities. Spanning genres, these evocative and sometimes eerily prescient stories investigate some of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change, pandemics, social upheaval, surveillance, AI, and more.

Catalyst Press, an independent publishing company launched in 2017, is proud to be the US publisher for the anthology, which is set for global release in September 2021. This collection continues Catalyst’s work in publishing diverse voices from African authors. Previous publications have included award-winning novels from Yewande Omotoso, Barbara Boswell, and Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu, among others.

Short Story Day Africa is a non-profit organization committed to celebrating the diversity of African voices. Since its founding around a kitchen table in 2012, it has published eight anthologies, featuring more than a hundred writers — many of whom have gone on to win or be shortlisted for awards, complete MFAs, publish novels, establish literary journals, scoop prestigious fellowships. Through its work in developing a new generation of African literary talent, it has reclaimed a space for non-conformist writing and subversive ideas about what makes a story African. We eagerly anticipate following the careers of the Disruption contributors.

The eye-catching cover was designed by Megan Ross, who is no stranger to SSDA. Not only did she design the cover for the previous anthology, Hotel Africa, she was the runner-up for the 2017 prize, for her story “Farang” in Migrations.

Publication info: Disruption: New Short Fiction from Africa, edited by Jason Mykl Snyman, Karina M. Szczurek, and Rachel Zadok. US publication date: September 7, 2021

Featuring stories by: MacSmart Ojiludu (Nigeria), Kanyinsola Olorunnisola (Nigeria), Najwa Bin Shatwan (Libya), Nadia Ahidjo-Iya (Cameroon), Innocent Ilo  (Nigeria), Melusi Nkomo  (Zimbabwe), Victor Forna (Sierra Leone), Nicholas Dawn (South Africa), Genna Gardini (South Africa), Philisiwe Twijnstra (South Africa), Doreen Anyango (Uganda), Masiyaleti Mbewe (Zambia), Julia Louw (South Africa), Liam Brickhill (Zimbabwe), Jacob M’hango (Zambia), Gomolemo Mogotsi (Botswana), Mbozi Haimbe (Zambia), Idza Luhumyo (Kenya), Alithnayn Abdulkareem (Nigeria), Yefon Isabelle (Cameroon), and Edwin Okolo (Nigeria).

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