I am thinking of the English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, how excited I was to finally read it, how hurtful it was (of me, to me) when the first two hundred pages passed in abject boredom. The masterpiece was not as promised, perhaps I was not the reader I thought »
Last month Kinna hosted the 2nd Annual Ghanaian Literature Week, a “celebration of Ghanaian Literature and a discussion of book/reading related issues in Ghana.” Yours truly had every intention of participating and I selected Kwei Quartey’s Wife of the Gods to read and review. But impish fate would not allow »
Today, October 1st, 2011 is the 51st anniversary of Nigeria’s Independence. I am participating in the Nigerian Independence Day Reading/Reviewing Project hosted by Amy of AmyReads fame. Below, you’ll find my contribution. Perhaps the most frustrating thing about Nigeria is that one can see its potential lying there beneath »
I am homesick. This is what I realize at four in the morning. I’ve been staring into the gloom of my bedroom ceiling for five hours, trying to remember who I used to be. Son, brother, cousin, Christian, Nigerian; none of these ring true. Only “writer” makes sense anymore, and »
Yours truly just returned from a week at the Squaw Valley Community of Writers. It may very well have been one of the best weeks of my life, certainly of my writing life. If there’s a dominant emotion among the maelstrom of feelings the Community stirs up, it is Gratitude. »
I am greedy. When it comes to art and its many forms, I always want more. There’s my penchant for Sanjay L. Bhansali movies. SLB is a Bollywood director who makes sentimental movies with cinematography so excessively lush, “an orgy for the eyes” becomes an understatement. Every scene in a Bhansali »
Yes, the title of this post creeps us out too, it really does. What can we say? Craigslist personals have nothing on us…we will outcreep anyone, anywhere! Below, a short missive from our time in the (very active) bowels of our manuscript. An Interrogation Sit down. In the hard chair behind »
Yours truly had the pleasure of guest posting over at One Girl One Novel today. In the post I take on the popular idea that all the bad self published books don’t matter. And since today is Valentine’s day and I am nothing if not a lover [insert fine print about »
[Disclaimer] – Do not read this post. It is long, ugly and full of more vitriol than you know what to do with. Chills scamper down my spine every time I see a video of Allen Ginsberg chanting (rather terribly) to calm a large crowd of restless protesters and policemen »
Guest posts are a rare occurrence on Pens With Cojones. In fact, this blog has somehow managed to maintain its guest post virginity…till now. Today, Pens With Cojones is putting out, so to speak. I present to you our very first guest post, a punch in the writing gut by fellow »
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