Ever since I moved to Accra in 2014, I’ve really been missing the variety of literary events I used to attend back in Boston and Middlebury. But Accra has its own selection of events I’ve been enjoying. Writers Project Ghana has been spearheading the literary scene with the plethora of events they host, like – Ghana Voices Series: where bookworms and literary fiends gather for monthly public book readings featuring African writers who visit Accra; Writers Project on Citi FM: an hour of poetry readings and updates on literature-related events in Accra on the radio waves; writers workshops, book club meetings and more! With respect to book festivals, GAWBOFEST – Ghana Association of Writers Book Festival has been a recurring book festival for 5 years now. Hopefully I’ll find time to finally attend this year’s event in September. Also later this year, the Storymoja Festival will be in Accra (not Nairobi, Kenya) – so that will be exciting!
To add to the eclectic and ever growing bunch of literary events in Accra is – Brunch Over Books! Two weeks ago, Brunch Over Books – a Sip ‘n’ Swap book exchange was inaugurated at the quaint Café Kwae, in Accra. This maiden event, curated by the lovely Nana Konamah (@nanakonamah), attracted lots of bookworms, book bloggers and page slayers to sip yummy drinks and exchange book titles and actual books! After a speed book exchange activity, I jotted down a couple of book recommendations, met some folks I had been following (or stalking) on social media – like Ghanaian bibliophile, Shika of @bookpress on Instagram (@bookpresse on Twitter) and just geeked-out over books with fellow book lovers who also recently moved to the city, and long time residents of Accra!
Images via Brunch Over Books
As per my Book Chat post on book lending – you know me! I do not lend or exchange books (sorry, not sorry). So for this event, I purposely purchased a new copy of Beyond the Horizon by Amma Darko (a Ghanaian book and author I believe is seriously underrated) for whoever wanted to swap with me – but for the person to KEEP.
Its always refreshing when you can converse with book lovers and discuss why you loved/disliked certain novels. If you live in Accra, try and come to the next Sip ‘n’ Swap event! Rumor has it that the next gathering will be in August. I can’t wait to see what new activities and conversations we’ll have over yummy cocktails.
What type of literary events do you usually attend? Have you ever been to any book festivals, public readings (I feel like public readings are standard go-to’s for book lovers, right?), book signings, book exchanges, book blogger meet-ups? How many times a year do you attend literary events? Please do share!
African Book Addict! 
What a great idea – seems like you had a lot of fun
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Its a cool concept indeed! 🙂
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And now I want to visit so I can attend the next Brunch Over Books. I wonder if there’s such an event in my city. That sounds like such fun. And LOL at buying a book to give because you don’t lend. I would do the same.
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Anais, you are welcome anytime girl! Do you attend a lot of bookish events? And yeah- no more lending lol.
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Lol. Unfortunately no. I just recently started looking up some to attend and so far have only made it to 2. One this year and one last year. But I plan to attend more. I’d like to connect with more book lovers.
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Yess I hope you connect with other book lovers as well. When you do, I’d love to see how the events go if you blog about it 🙂
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Yea gurl! I’m taking your advice and plan to attend a comic book meetup thing this weekend. Not sure if I’ll blog about it but we’ll see. 🙂
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Yay, have fun!
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My city has plenty of book readings and author signings, and a huge book festival in November! I’m love living here 🙂
Brunch over books sounds so fun! I’d love to do something like that.
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I can see you doing something like this. Just do it next time I’m in the US. I come down to ATL a lot, so I’d drive to TX… and maybe drag Osondu with me hahaa. #daydreaming
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Oh, can I join!? I think he lives in Houston, which is my hometown! I only live 2.5 hours away. :p
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I have three degrees in creative writing, so I’ve been to MANY readings over the years. I still live right by the university at which I earned my MFA, Notre Dame. Because the the strong financial situation at the school, they always have amazing writings coming throughout the school year. There is zero open mic reading scene here, though, which is regrettable. I used to go to lit conferences every year, but they’re pricey compared to what I got out of them, but conferences like AWP are where I saw Irvine Welsh and Jeanette Winterson, among others. I just joined a new book club, which I’m really liking. Every time I pick up my book club book, I think of the people on the other end and how we are a community.
Thanks for sharing! I love your pictures 🙂
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Hey Melanie! I love the key word you just typed – ‘community’
This is why I love events like this. You feel like you belong to a cute literary group/community. And its always nice when you can discuss books and how the issues in books actually reflect our world today – as per your book club. I’m jealous! I don’t have the luxury of time to join a book club hahaa. I have too many study group meetings and heaps of material to learn during the school year 🙂
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Yeah, I don’t remember reading any extra lit when I was in college. It’s a lot.
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Yeah, me neither. I’m in professional school now – Dental school, and its 10x’s more than undergrad.
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Go you! How exciting! Be the kind dentist, the one who doesn’t make us talk when there is stuff in our mouths 😉
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LMAO! Isn’t it annoying when dentists do that? Stoooop talking lol. I hope I’m not like that hahaa
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Wow – sounds great, and I do like Cafe Kwae. And I missed it! How do I get into the loop of “Sip ‘n’ Swap?
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Definitely! I think you’ll like it, especially since you already like Cafe Kwae :). You can follow them on Twitter: @BrunchoverBooks for updates on the next meeting (which I think is in August). They aren’t really active on social media, but dates and times are always posted on their Twitter 🙂
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I love this idea…although like you I’d probably be buying a new book to swap. There are lots of books I’ve donated over the years, don’t get me wrong, but if it’s a book I love enough to say “you’ve got to read this”, I’ll probably want to keep it. I remember I did as much when recommending To Kill a Mockingbird to a friend…I got her her own and held on to the copy I’ve had since secondary/high school.
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Yes! I’m with you on that. And I’d definitely keep a copy of a book I’ve had since high school too. The book would mean a lot more to me, especially if I’ve had it for such a long time! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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How splendid Just checked the FB page and the next event of Sip ‘n Swap is 7th August. I sure hope to be there. 🙂
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Yaay! I’m not sure if I’ll be able to attend this one yet, but if I do, I hope to see you there!! 🙂
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Do you know where they might be selling tickets for the Storymoja Festival in Accra? I’ve been to the webpage but I don’t see anything about tickets.
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Great question. I’ll have to look into that and get back to you! I’m curious myself
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Hi again! You might want to follow Storymoja GH on Twitter for all deets. I don’t think tickets will be sold, but you can def ask them on their Twitter: https://twitter.com/StorymojaFestGh
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Please check out my memoir it’s a good read that begins in Ghana available on amazon titled Sound of an Icon.
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