My work begins with affection for the craft of language. Words are the medium of my art. I write, I edit, and I host events which celebrate the beauty and diversity of stories. I am Ekari Mbvundula the Founder and Creative Director of Story Ink Africa: Storytelling Sessions, and Story Ink Africa: Writing Services.
My writing grows with your feedback. Please come to a reading or signing event and share your experience.
I've been at this for awhile and I wrote many of my stories long before I was known as a writer! Check Books & Stories to read them all! Most of them are free to read online, and reviews are always welcome and .
I am grateful to have qualified for the Kekere Storytellers Fund, which seeks to support writers who write different narratives about Africa. I have been writing positive short stories based in Africa for my whole writing career, and through my projects under Story Ink Africa, I have encouraged other writers to present their positive African stories to the public as well.
I used this fund to support the completion of my first full-length novel, to be finalized and released in 2024.
The Writer 2016 was a Nigerian based competition run by a blog called The Naked Convos and was responsible for launching me into the public space as a writer. It was one of a kind, a Big Brother style elimination show, starting with 12 writers, each writing a story for 4 themes which were only revealed one week before their respective deadlines. Then after each week, 3 writers with the least number of public votes and judges votes would be voted out. Then it would start all over again the next week! Even to date it was the most intense writing activity I had ever done. I'm sad to see that 2016 was the last run they did because it was brilliantly executed and got the ordinary citizen invested in literature.
I was the only Malawian participant out of 11 others who were all Nigerians. That in itself made a lot of Malawians invested, boosting the majority of my votes. From that point I gained a lot of readers for my other stories, and used my notoriety to launch my other literature based projects under Story Ink Africa
"... the gentle babble of the stream and the hum of farming
drones, the crisp clean air was tranquil, carrying the harmonious tune of several species of birds. These were all the reasons why the morning was Khanyisile’s favourite
time of day."
I was hired by the University of Stockholm and the University of Witwatersrand as one of the writers on this project which studied the Ngoni people of Northern Malawi and asked them "what do you envision for your future?" The result is Mombera Rising which has become a passion project close to my heart.
"This book with its rich narrative and vibrant illustrations, has not only captivated my imagination but has also enlightened me about the beauty and significance of the Ngoni culture. "
- Prisca Mkandawire
"Montague was puzzled when his vision began to blur... it was only when he blinked drops onto the smooth surface that he realised, they were tears..."
~ Montague's Last (Amazon.com)
Montague’s Last has been adapted into audio on Strange Horizons, republished in Omenana speculative fiction magazine, and was selected as a subject of study by a masters student at the University of Stellenbosch (recording of the presentation available on YouTube).
"An engaging and unique tale"
"Practically perfect in every way"
"A dark and fitting story
- Charles Payseur, Quick Sip Reviews
- Lazarous John, Blog Follower
- Anonymous, Blog Follower
- (Excerpt)
Episode 2: What If? "The Elephant in the Room" www.cafecuriosity.co.za
Kekere Storytellers Fund: Ekari Mbvundula Chirombo - Zimbabwe
Inclusion on the Nebula recommended reading short list: Undying Love by Ekari Mbvundula
Story Ink Africa, co-founded by myself and a fellow writer, aimed to sustain a vibrant literary culture. Despite exploring various initiatives such as writing groups, poetry events, and workshops, none gained lasting traction until we established a dedicated space for storytelling, giving rise to the Storytelling Sessions.
The Covid-19 lockdowns transformed global operations, including Story Ink Africa. We are now an online platform, now operating as Story Ink Africa: Writing Services. We offer a comprehensive range of services, including CV writing, book editing, academic support, and social media management.
Storytelling Sessions:
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