What do writers mean when they say they are ‘possessed’ by a character or a story? How much intuitive freedom does MFA courses offer writers, andhwat is it like to discover and translate a 3000 year old Hieroglyph Egyptian love story? We discuss these and more with writer and researcher, Ayesha Harruna Attah, author of four books including the recently published novel, The Deep Blue Between -- a multi-directional migration story of a displaced set of twins in 1800s Ghana, and its predecessor, The Hundred Wells of Salaga. We use the music of Mayra Andrade, Les Nubian, Sampa The Great, Nina Simone, Salif Keita and so much more to discuss Ayesha Harruna Attah’s experience of being mentored by, and working closely with the literary giant, Ayi Kwei Armah, her experience of being published in Continental Africa and Europe. For more information of Ayesha Harruna Attah’s work, visit AyeshaAttah.com. Listen to Ayesha’s curated playlist on Spotify, Deezer and YouTube Continue the conversation by posting your thoughts on this episode on Twitter and Instagram by tagging us #BooksAndRhymes Ayesha Harruna Attah’s Bibliography   -     Saturday Shadows (Per Ankh Publisher) -     Harmattan rain -     The Hundred Wells of Salaga -     The Deep Blue between Books published as part of project that translates Hieroglyphs to multiple African languages: -     Sanhat -     Smi n skhty pn: Multilingual Trabslation of a 4000 year old African Love Story (also known as The eloquent peasant) translated by Ayi Kwei Armah, Ayeesha Harruna Attah et al. -     Skhmkht Ea: On Love Sublime- A Multilingual Translation of an African Love Poem. -     The instructions of Ptahhotep Books discussed and referenced in this episode:   -     One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez -     Daughters of Africa – Margaret Busby -     New Daughters of Africa – Margaret Busby -     The Eloquence of the Scribes: A memoir on the sources and resources of African Literature - Ayi Kwei Armah -     Two Sisters – Ama Ata Aidoo -     Woman who runs with the wolves: Myth and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype – Clarissa Pinkola Estes -     Bird by Bird – Anne Lamont -     Like A Mule Bringing Ice Cream To The Sun – Sarah Ladipo Manyika -     Indigenous Slavery in Ghana – Akosua Adomaa Perbi -     Slave Rebellion in Brazil – Joao Jose Reis -     The Healers – Ayi Kwei Armah -     No Sweetness here – Ama Ata Aidoo -     Cloth Girl – Marilyn Heward-Mills -     Tail of The Blue Bird – Nii Ayikwei Parks -     Of Women and Frogs – Bisi Adjapon -     Powder Necklace – Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond -     The Justice – Boakyewaa Glover -     Ghana Must Go – Taiye Selassi -     Homegoing – Yaa Gyasi -     The Prophet of Zongo Street – Mohammed Naseehu Ali Listen to Ayesha’s curated playlist on Spotify, Deezer and YouTube. The song you heard in the intro and outro of this podcast is by Meakoom   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.