TendaiI R Mwanaka Bio Note
I was born in the remote eastern highlands district of Nyanga, Zimbabwe, in Mapfurira village, grew up there and did my primary, secondary, and high school in that area. Left Nyanga for Chitungwiza city in 1994, and I started exploring writing that year, when I was barely twenty. I have also worked in the sales and marketing field for over 8 years, and have a graduate diploma in marketing (GradSaim). I have stayed in South Africa for two and half years, but I am now back in Zimbabwe, where I stay in Chitungwiza city. My first book to be published, VOICES FROM EXILE, a collection of poetry on Zimbabwe’s political situation and exile in South Africa was published by Lapwing publications, Northern Ireland in 2010. KEYS IN THE RIVER: Notes from a Modern Chimurenga, a novel of interlinked stories that deals with life in modern day Zimbabwe’s soul was published by Savant books and publications, USA 2012. A book of creative non-fiction pieces, ZIMBABWE: THE BLAME GAME, was published by Langaa RPCIG( Cameroon 2013), a poetry collection entitled PLAYING TO LOVE’S GALLERY will be published by DIP PRESS(USA, 2014), a novel entitled, A DARK ENERGY will be published by Aignos publishing company (USA, 2014). Poetry books: Revolution, Logbook written by a drifter, and Voices from exile, were both short listed by the Erbecce press poetry prize in 2012, 2011, and 2009 respectively, another poetry book entitled Pearls of awareness was short listed for the Twoz creations chapbook prize (2012).. I was nominated for the Pushcart twice, 2008, 2010, commended for the Dalro prize 2008, work has been translated into French and Spanish. I was nominated and attended The Caine African writing workshop, 2012. Published over 250 pieces of short stories, essays, memoirs, poems and photographic/visual art in over 150 magazines, journals, and anthologies in the following countries, the USA , UK , Canada , South Africa, Zimbabwe, India , Mexico, Kenya, Cameroon, Italy , Ghana, Uganda, France , Zambia, Nigeria, Spain , Romania, Cyprus, Australia and New Zealand. I am also a musician and sound artist with a number of songs and sound recordings playing on internet music places like Radio Airplay, Soundcloud... This year I have been a contributor to several anthologies, WE WILL SURVIVE; this is a wonderful book of hopeful stories ... Not just hopeful, but personal stories of survivors. They all have one common theme, and that is Gloria Gaynor’s hit “I Will Survive.” Each individual was touched in some way by the song. amzn.to/1e8oUTX. SPLINTERS OF A MIRAGE DAWN: migrant poetry anthology, here: http://www.poetsprintery.co.za/index.php/news-events/220-splinters-of-a-mirage-dawn-an-anthology-of-migrant-poetry-of-south-africa, FOR RHINO IN A SHRINKING WORLD, here: http://rhinoanthology.wordpress.com/, THERE IS NO CHERELA IN ZIMBABWE, http://aignospublishing.blogspot.com/2013/04/there-is-no-cholera-in-zimbabwe-makings.html
