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Mbulelo Mpofu Showbiz Reporter
AS Bulawayo gets ready for the Intwasa Short Stories Volume 2 book launch, budding unpublished authors are set to get a rare chance to learn from veteran authors the trade of authorship at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo next week Saturday.

During the launch of the anthology, other books from budding authors will be on exhibit as well and these include Grace Maguri’s Song of The Survivor as well as Erica Gwetai’s Where Were You?Intwasa Arts Festival KoBulawayo director Raisedon Baya said complementing the book launch will be a Writers’ Workshop for budding authors.

“Since we’ll be having our Intwasa Short Stories Volume 2 launch on the 26th of March, we’ve conjured up an idea to use it to complement the book launch and also get to talk to young writers and groom them for the future during the same afternoon. We want to host a few local writers for a light lunch,” he said.

A celebrated author, Baya has penned books such as Shut Your Eyes and Run, Witnesses and Victims, Rags and Garbage just to name a few.

He, for long, has advocated for the promotion of local authors and through Intwasa Arts

Festival koBulawayo, he has managed to launch many careers of up-and-coming local authors.

He said the writers’ workshop will target those under the age of 30 with manuscripts.

The deadline for registration is next Monday.

“We haven’t chosen our facilitators yet, but as Intwasa, we normally work with Philani Nyoni, Mgcini Nyoni and Nkosilesisa Ncube.

Depending on the interest and calibre of the writers that we’ll have on the day, any two of those will facilitate,” said Baya while articulating on who will facilitate the workshop.

Baya also announced festival dates for the year.

“Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo will this year run from the 26th of September to the 1st of October.

As is always the case, we’re going to be having discussions, performances, book launches, workshops, and exhibitions. People should take note and diarise those days,” he said.