Nikita Lalwani’s multiple award nominated debut novel Gifted has been turned into a drama for BBC Radio 4. The drama serial will broadcast in the mornings next week.

Its cast will include Archie Panjabi, Sadia Ghaffar, Nina Wadia and Sagar Arya.
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Wrier and former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg was awarded the ‘Published Writer of the Year’ award at the Muslim Writers Awards event last week.
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The annual Muslim Writers Awards will take place this Saturday, 29th March, at the ICC in Birmingham, to celebrate the breadth and quality of British Muslim literary talent. Now in its second year, the event is being supported by the Prime Minister’s office and will be broadcast on Islam Channel.

MWA 2008 will recognize the work of 26 writers across eight categories, with the ‘Writer of the Year’ award presented by Jermaine Jackson at the event.
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Saqi and Arts Council England (ACE) are hosting a celebration of the their Positive Action Trainee (PAT) scheme at the London Book Fair this year. Speaking at the event will be Simon Juden from the Publishers Association.
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Three British women organisers - Kavita Bhanot, Ayesha Siddiqi and Shazia Nizam - have sent a letter to Indian newspapers to protest at their treatment over the Mumbai based literary festival: Kitab. They are now asking British literary personalities to reconsider lending support to the event.

In their letter, they said: “[W]e feel that we were misled by Pablo Ganguli and are very disappointed by his behaviour prior to, during, and subsequent to the festival. We urge you to express your disapproval for this unjust behaviour; to email Pablo on the address above and not to lend your support to Kitab 2008.”

“Lastly, we would like to apologise to all the participants who were also left inconvenienced and disappointed by Kitab 2007 - those who were cancelled on at the last minute, those that were misled, and those who were given lower priorities than their British counterparts - and we assure you that we expressed our concerns about all these factors throughout.”

The three allege that they had been communicating with Mr Ganguli, another British Asian, for the past 12 months, requesting full salaries but to no avail. They say they were forced to pay for expenses out of their pocket and had not been able to claim those expenses back.
More at Hindustan Times

In comments to The Guardian newspaper, Pablo Ganguli is denying all the accusations.

The third decibel Penguin prize is calling for new writing that explores the experience of having a mixed heritage. The prize, organised by the Arts Council subsidary aimed at increasing diversity in publishing, is a collaboration with Penguin Books. The judges – who include Shami Chakrabarti and Kate Mosse - will be looking for true stories that illuminate the complexities, challenges and joys of having a mixed heritage.

Entries must be non-fiction, however they can be first-person accounts, or about another person’s experience. The competition is open to writers from any background. It was created to discover original writing talent while offering new authors an opportunity to showcase their work. The winning entries will be published in a Penguin anthology in November this year.
More information.

‘Getting into Publishing’ is Penguin Group’s annual open day for students and graduates, particularly those from ethnic minority backgrounds with an interest in Publishing, to learn more about opportunities at Penguin and in publishing.

It takes place this year on Thursday 22nd November 2007.

It’s a brilliant opportunity for students and graduates, particularly those from ethnic minority backgrounds, to find out all about Penguin and more about a career in Publishing. The day consists of morning and afternoon presentations from senior employees of the company and a networking lunch in the afternoon where candidates have the opportunity to meet senior managers of the company.

Date: Thursday 22nd November 2007
Time: 10-2:00pm
Location: 80 Strand, London, WC2R 0RL

To attend: Please send a CV to gettingintopublishing@penguin.co.uk by 31st October 2007.

Revealing themselves as never seen before, actors from the Channel 4 show and the BBC radio station have been transformed into movie monsters for a specially commissioned Halloween photo-shoot for Ikonz magazine.

As part of the horror-themed feature, cast members from Hollyoaks have been pitched against presenters from the BBC Asian Network to see which of the celebrity teams can pull-off the most ghastly and gruesome recreations of classic horror film characters.

The celebrity special features popular Hollyoaks stars Kevin Sacre and Sam Darbyshire as infected zombies from 28 Days Later, BBC Asian Network presenters Sonny Ji and Dipps Bhamrah as Dracula and Frankenstein and BBC disc-jockey Noreen Khan and Hollyoaks hearthrob Ricky Whittle in the guises of a Wicca Goth-Chick and Satan respectively. Also thrown into the mix are Ikonz editors Reena Combo as a Vampiress and Adam Yosef as The Crow.

The feature is presented as a 9-page special, in the Halloween issue of Ikonz magazine, out on stands on October 9th. The souvenir edition features a special double cover.

The US based Masala Trois Collective is inviting submissions – short fiction and verse – for their upcoming collection of South Asian children’s stories, Adventures in Desiland. Like all well crafted children’s stories, across eras and traditions, they hope the stories in Adventures in Desiland will engage and delight adults and children alike.

Submission may include retelling ancient tales, such as those found in the Panchatantra, using contemporary dialogue and idiom. Similarly, submissions that creatively “Indianize” or desify well known western children’s stories would fit nicely in the collection. Other original submissions will be considered, variously, on how skillfully they feature strong, central characters that are South Asian children, present fresh, non-stereotypical portraits of South Asian families, or help children and parents creatively explore South Asian histories.
Deadline: December 1, 2007
See: www.masalatrois.com

The unexpected success of the fantasy novel Conspiracy of Calaspia, written by two teenage twins, has inspired an international essay competition based on the novel. Limited to entrants born on or after January 1, 1982, it is asking for essays up to a 1,000 words long. Creativity and originality are the criteria on the basis of which entries will be judged.

The winning ten essayists will be taken from their nearest international airport for a 10-day literary tour of the UK from July 16th - 26th 2008, and will have a partial scholarship to participate in the Triennial Summer Institute of the C. S. Lewis Foundation from July 27-August 9: a week each at Oxford and Cambridge (UK).
More details: www.calaspia-competition.com
More on the Guptara twins who wrote the book.

Launched this week, The Asian Writers Project (TAWP) is a new project thats aims, by providing a platform to promote Asian writers and their work, to inspire the next generation of British Asian writers. Each month their website will feature the very best of Brit Asian Literature; the authors and their books. Regular features include forthcoming events, opportunities, prizes and information on creative writing courses.

This month TAWP features Mohsin Hamid, the author of Mothsmoke and most recently The Reluctant Fundamentalist, about his personal journey as a writer. Priya Basil talks about Ishq and Mushq, her brilliant debut novel. They also catch up with Imran Ahmad to discuss Unimagined, the story about his life growing up in the West.

Submissions from new and emerging writers are now being invited to feature on the website next month.
www.theasianwriter.co.uk

Henna’s marriage to Ricky-Rashid was achieved through an audacious web of lies as elaborate and brazen as the golden embroidery on her scarlet wedding sari…Ricky is soon to realise his bride is not in fact who he thought she was. As Ricky and Henna tolerate their loveless marriage of convenience, the way is paved for a future of deception.

Born in Pakistan, brought up in London, and now living in South West France with her husband and son, Bitter Sweets is Roopa Farooki’s debut novel. She worked in advertising as Worldwide Account Director for Saatchi & Saatchi and now J Walter Thompson.

The book has been shortlisted for the Orange Award for New Writers 07. It will be published by Pan in Paperback on 2nd August 2007.
Media contact: Kate Eshelby

Writer Preethi Nair, author of Gypsy Masala, 100 Shades of White and Blue Indigo, will be presenting a story-telling workshop next week in London. The event will aim to help people learn how to write a short story , to think more creatively and communicate more effectively.

Saturday 16th June; 10am - 4:30pm; Waterstones, Picadilly, London. It will cost £60 per person and all proceeds will be donated to Multiple Sclerosis charities. To book or find out more email: maria@kissthefrognow.com or go to: preethinair.com

Practising solicitor Dr Malik launched his book ‘Asian Millionaires: How they make their Millions’ last month to coincide with the release of this year’s Sunday Times Rich List.

The motivational book, published by Direct Million and with a preface written by Dr. Philip Beresford of the Sunday Times Rich List, aims to reveal the secrets of how the Asian in Britain community has amassed vast wealth. Dr Malik also outlines how a correct spiritual approach can help to attract wealth to individuals.

In his book, Unimagined, Imran Ahmad charts his course through school, university and into his first job, exploring with poignant humour and painful insight the dilemmas of a Muslim boy growing up in Britain. How different is a Muslim boy from a ‘normal’ boy? Are Muslims allowed to pursue happiness, or is that only for the Afterlife? What do Muslims really believe? What is truly Islamic and what is merely cultural?

Imran stumbles though life encountering colourful characters, philosophical dilemmas and theological threats. Is there a correlation between studying and passing exams, or is it entirely the will of God? Will he really burn in Hell for all eternity if he doesn’t accept that Islam was created by Satan to keep people away from the salvation of Christianity – as the Christian Union keep telling him as they doggedly pursue him to convert. Is it okay to be British and Muslim, or are the two irreconcilable? Wouldn’t life be perfect if he just had a Jaguar XJS?

City Circle is hosting a thoughtful yet humorous evening with bestselling author, Imran Ahmad, on “Unimagined: A Muslim boy Meets the West” on Friday 20 April at 6.45pm at 45 Crawford Place, London, W1H 4LP.
Entrance is free, please see website

Pakistan-born British journalist Sarfraz Manzoor’s debut book, Greetings from Bury Park, about growing up in a working-class Luton neighborhood, has been sold to the United States for publication. It is already being published in Britain in June by Vintage.

In the book Sarfraz describes how the discovery of Bruce Springsteen’s music and a determination to live a non-traditional Muslim life galvanized him to seek out possibilities other than those acceptable to his family and by his culture. It will be published in the US by Vintage and in the UK by Bloomsbury.

He told AIM magazine: “I was really pleased and surprised to see my book - which is quite British in its tone and content - being picked up by Vintage but they really loved it and think it could do really well in the States which is both great for me but also in terms of projecting a very different image of British Muslims to the US.”

sarfrazmanzoor.co.uk

Gautam Malkani, author of the book Londonstani, has been nominated for the Decibel Writer of the Year Award at this year’s British Book Awards. This is a new award for a writer of fiction, narrative non-fiction or poetry who is of African, Caribbean or Asian descent and has made the greatest contribution towards or impact on the literary year.

Set in Hounslow, it’s the story of the lives of a gang of four young Asian men trying to work out a place for themselves in the shadow of the divergent cultures of their parents’ generation.
Also see: Gautam interviewed for AIM magazine.
www.gautammalkani.com

Londonstani author Gautam Malkani will be reading from his debut book at the monthly Bookslam event alongside Salena Godden, the notorious poet and singer. This monthly night mixes up the spoken word with DJ sets and live music. It kicks off at 7.30pm at Neighbourhood nightclub in Notting Hill. Tickets are £5.
www.bookslam.com

Birmingham Libraries are currently working on a creative writers project with writers of Muslim backgrounds. They are providing writers an e-portal where writers can upload there work of any genre online - www.publishingbirmingham.com. Their aim is to offer writers the opportunity to develop themselves and earn income from their writing.

To celebrate the work and contribution of British writers they are holding the first annual Muslim Writers award ceremony in Birmingham on Wed 28 March (at the Library Theatre). Well known Muslim speakers and writers such as Qaisra Shahraz, Moazzem Begg, Salma Yaqoob and Faraz Yousufzai will talk about their experiences on getting published.

The cut-off date for submitting your work for the awards is 16th February. For more information contact: imran.akram@innovatepartnership.com

The New Statesman magazine goes behind the upcoming elections and political turmoil in Bangladesh this week, with a special edition of the magazine. It examines the country’s political crisis, and the situation of the many Bangladeshis in Britain.

It includes contributions from top writers, including Monica Ali, Tahmima Anam (reporting from Dhaka on the postponed elections and a country in chaos), Labour councillor Ayub Korom Ali, and editor of the Bangladesh Daily Star Mahfuz Anam.
www.newstatesman.com

This weekend’s Observer Sports Monthly features a lengthy interview with English spinner Monty Panesar. You can read the interview from here.

It turns out that young Monty also has a book deal and plans to take advantage of his new found fame.

Operation Monty is go. There’s merchandise, an appearance on A Question of Sport, and a website (monty-panesar.com, soon to go live).

There is the obligatory book deal: Monty has signed a reported £300,000 contract with Hodder & Stoughton that will, I have been told, preclude him from talking about anything personal - his family, his upbringing, his faith - until the book is published.

I have never heard of such a gagging order before. For someone as reticent as Panesar, it’s like putting a muzzle on a poodle.

Strange, but we look forward to the book!

A Danish court dismissed the case brought against the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, which published a series of controversial cartoons featuring the Muslim prophet Muhammad. The Guardian reports:

“Of course it cannot be excluded that the drawings offended some Muslims,” the court said in its ruling. “But there is no sufficient reason to assume that the cartoons are or were intended to be insulting … or put forward ideas that could hurt the standing of Muslims in society.”

Seven Danish Muslims organisations initiated the lawsuit in March, after the state prosecutor decided not to sue the newspaper under racism and blasphemy laws.
…
“I’m not surprised, shocked or disappointed,” said Ahmed Abu Laban, a Copenhagen imam active in one of the organisations that brought the case. “Freedom of speech has been the issue from the beginning. It is seen differently in Europe than we see it.”

This is the third time the Muslim organisations have had their case dismissed. They said they would nevertheless appeal the court’s decision.

A Divine Destruction is an attempt by journalist Aamir Ghauri and photographer Sohail Anjum to record moments around the earthquake that rocked much of Kashmir on 8th October 2005 and killed nearly 80,000 people. It is also an attempt to highlight the plight of the people of Kashmir and northern Pakistan who were told by their rulers that their destruction was an act of God.

Ghauri and Anjum tell the unfinished story of the Kashmir earthquake, from the time the news broke to the snows of winter. They show the reality of life for survivors as they searched for their families, for the thousands of children undergoing surgery, for those who mourned loved ones and tried to get back to some sort of normality.

It is published by Xenos UK Ltd, price £25. amir Ghauri is the European Head of News & Current Affairs for Pakistan’s Geo TV. Sohail Anjum is a London-based freelance photographer.
Media contact Fussi Merza on 020 3253 0059 / fussi.merza@xenosuk.com