Christopher Mlalazi

Christopher Mlalazi, who is currently a fellow of the Iowa International Writing Program, was the Nordic Africa Institute 2011 Guest Writer in Uppsala Sweden. In 2010 he was the Villa Aurora Guest writer in Los Angeles, USA. Prolific as a prose writer and playwright, in 2008 he was the co-winner of the Oxfam Novib PEN Freedom of Expression Award at the Hague for theatre, and in 2009 was awarded Honourable Mention in the NOMA AWARD for PUBLISHING, and a NAMA AWARD for his short story collection, Dancing With Life: Tales From The Township. His 2009 novel Many Rivers was nominated for a NAMA award, and in 2010 he won another NAMA for his play "Election Day". His latest play "Colors of Dreams", also opened to a full house at HIFA 2011.

He has been published in several local and international short story anthologies including Writing Now (Weaver Press 2005) Short Writings from Bulawayo (amaBooks 2005), The Obituary Tango (Caine Prize 2006 Anthology) and The Edinburgh Review. He has also acted as group moderator/mentor for two online prose discussion groups; www.type-writers.org and www.crossingborders-africanwriting.org. Both are Lancaster University initiatives.