Award-winning author, Baitie joins DAkpabli Readathon Train

Ghanaian author, Elizabeth-Irene Baitie is expected to feature alongside Nana Awere Damoah and Kofi Akpabli in their book reading and public engagements during the first quarter of this year.

Elizabeth-Irene Baitie is a Medical Laboratory Director as well as a writer of contemporary children’s and Young Adult fiction, a press release copied to ghanabusinessnews.com has said.

Her first book, ‘A Saint in Brown Sandals’, was published by Macmillan in 2006 for junior readers and received the Macmillan Writer’s Prize for Africa that year. Her other novels – The Twelfth Heart, The Dorm Challenge and Rattling in the Closet – have all been awarded the Burt Award for African Literature, the release indicated.

“Getting that phone call to come on board was such a thrill. It’s a fine opportunity, joining a laudable initiative to bring reading and writing closer to our people. I just can’t wait to start working with the team,’’ Baitie was quoted as saying in the release.

Baitie will be out-doored at the next Dakpabli Readathon reading event to be held in Accra on March 25. During her guest reader tenure, the team is expected to undertake at least one road show outside the Greater Accra region, it added.

She becomes the third guest reader in the row, having taken over from Dr. Ruby Goka, a celebrated author and dentist. The first DAkpabli guest was Alba Sumprim, author and film producer, it further noted.

“We are excited by the way this movement is growing a life of its own. Irene is going to connect wonderfully with our younger fans. We’re glad to have her,’’ Akpabli was cited as saying in the release.

By Pamela Ofori-Boateng