Speculative fiction author, Tonia Brown writes fantasy, science fiction and horror stories.

Her books include Epiphany (Sugar and Spice Press, 2009) and White Elephant (Sugar and Spice Press, 2009).

Her work has also been featured in anthologies that include Vicious Verses and Reanimated Rhymes; Zany Zombie Poetry for the Undead Head (Coscom Entertainment, 2009) and Tooth Decay: Vampires and Zombies stories (Sonar4 Publications, 2009).

Related articles:

• Interview with Tonia Brown, Static Movement, Accessed November 28, 2009
• [Interview: Part 1 of 2] Tonia Brown, Conversations with Writers, November 28, 2009

Horror and science fiction author, Brick Marlin lives in Jeffersonville, Indiana.

His short stories have been featured in a number of print and online magazines, among them, Blood Moon Rising, Necrotic Tissue, MicroHorror and Sand: A Journal Of Strange Tales.

His books include Dark Places of Rest (Sonar 4 Publications, 2009); Saturated and Crimson (Publish America, 2009) and The Darkened Image (Publish America, 2007).

Related article:

[Interview] Brick Marlin, Conversations with Writers, November 27, 2009

By Virginia Phiri

I was born and bred in Mzilikazi Township, Bulawayo in 1954. I now work and live in Harare. I made a decision to write in my spare time in 1990 even though I had a satisfying job as an Accountant.

I wanted to share information that would teach people something and entertain at the same time. I come from a strong family of oral story tellers in history and folk tales on my maternal side. This story telling has since died down because most of the elders in my family have passed on.

I decided to tell stories in a different way, I wanted to do that with paper and pen. I felt that writing it down would go beyond my life time and still benefit generations to come. I already knew what I wanted to write. I chose issues that would make a difference in peoples lives. At that time I only had fiction in mind. That soon changed when I was one of the women commissioned by UNICEF to write non-fiction school readers in 1994 and when I became an African Orchid expert in 1996.

Being a member of Zimbabwe Women Writers in 1990 helped me get writing skills through workshops, since Zimbabwe has no writing schools. Established female writers like Barbra Nkala, Chiedza Musengezi and Norma Kitson played a major role in moulding me into a writer. I still appreciate their help and patience.

My wishes became true. I am happy that since I started writing, I have made some contribution in the areas of education, research and social circles. Examples of some of my works are Desperate a book about causes of prostitution in third world countries which was published in 2002. The book became a prescribed text at the University of Zimbabwe in 2004. Again in 2006 it became a prescribed text at Hillside Teachers College in Bulawayo. This book has also become useful in African studies at some universities in the United States of America. It is also widely read in Africa, Europe and the Americas as the topic is universal.

In 2006 my book Destiny which is about the plight of those born as hermaphrodites was published. The book was well received as there are very few books that touch on that topic which is also universal. The book is very useful in education, research and social circles. At the moment it seems the book has had a new dimension since the issue of Caster Simenya the South African athlete gold medalist who has been found to be a hermaphrodite. There was a book review in The Herald of 28 September 2009 which had the cover of Destiny and a photo of Caster Simenya connecting the two together. I am happy that this book has brought the plight of hermaphrodites more to light. There is appreciation for the book than before.

Since 1995 to date I have contributed to at least a dozen Zimbabwe Women Writers fiction and non-fiction anthologies which are in Ndebele, Shona and English. Most of these anthologies have found their way into education and research institutions. My contributions in these anthologies are of issues that affect women and girls in the areas of health, inheritance, education, legal and social rights, poverty and crime.

Since I am now semi-retired in accountancy, I have enough time to write and attend book fairs, literary conferences and seminars. My next book Highway Queen is at an advanced stage, it should be published before mid 2010.

Resources:

• A Meeting with Virginia Phiri, Zimbabwe, so you want to be a writer, March 3, 2006
• Virginia Phiri, The Nordic Africa Institute, August 11, 2003

Related books:

,,

Publisher and author, Neil Marr worked as a  journalist for over 35 years before he and his son, Alex, set up BeWrite (a non-commercial writers’ website which offered free professional editorial services and optional online showcasing).

After three years, they transformed the website into BeWrite Books publishing house and have gone on to release over 120 paperback titles.

Neil Marr is the author of Bullycide: Death at Playtime (Success Unlimited, 2001), a groundbreaking book which exposed the epidemic of bully-related child suicides in the UK. The book received rave reviews around the world and sparked countless campaigns and Bullycide-dedicated websites, official studies, several follow up books and government and education authority action to combat school bullying in several countries.

Related resources:

• BeWrite Books, website
• BeWrite Books, blog

Interviews

• [Interview: Part 1 of 2] Neil Marr, Conversations with Writers, November 5, 2009
• [Interview: Part 2 of 2] Neil Marr, Conversations with Writers, November 10, 2009

Canadian authors, Dave and Lillian Brummet have written and published two “how-to” books, Purple Snowflake Marketing: How to make your book stand out in a crowd and Trash Talk: Learn how you can impact the planet as well as Towards Understanding (PublishAmerica, 2005)  a collection of 120 poems on society, the environment and overcoming trauma.

In addition to writing, the Brummets host two online radio programmes, Conscious Discussions talk radio show  and Authors Read radio program.

Related resources:

• Authors’ website
• Authors’ blog

Interviews

• [Interview: Part 1 of 2] Dave and Lillian Brummet, Conversations with Writers, October 19, 2009
• [Interview: Part 2 of 2] Dave and Lillian Brummet, Conversations with Writers, October 22, 2009

Possibly related books:

,,