Making rain for Southern African women writers
Modjaji Books was started in 2007 by Colleen Higgs, it is an independent press that publishes the writings of Southern African women.
Modjaji Books wants to fill a gap by providing an independent outlet for serious writing by women. “From poetry to biography to fiction, there will be an outlet for writing by women that takes itself – and its readers – seriously.”
Already Modjaji Books have been making waves. Megan Hall’s Fourth Child won the 2008 Ingrid Jonker prize for a debut volume of poems published in English in 2006 & 2007. Tracey Farren’s Whiplash was awarded a White Ribbon Award from the Women Demand Dignity Advocacy Group and it was shortlisted for the prestigious 2009 Sunday Times Fiction Prize.
Higgs was Information Manager at the Centre for the Book for over seven years, where she managed projects such as the award-winning Community Publishing Project and Writer Development, and brought out a series of pamphlets on writing and publishing.
Higgs, also wrote A rough guide to small-scale and self-publishing (2005, Centre for the Book) and the South African Small Publishers’ Catalogue (edited with Maire Fisher, 2006, Centre for the Book) has consistently championed small-scale, self and independent publishing in South Africa.
For BOOKSELLERS – Blue Weaver does our marketing to bookstores and they work with On the Dot. If you have an account with On the Dot you can order our books from them. Ordering queries should be addressed to Natasha Store via marketing@blueweaver.co.za
