Includes bibliographical references.

Introduction / Ama Ata Adioo -- Something old, something new / Leila Aboulela -- Marriage and other impediments / Tomi Adeaga -- Transition to glory / Chimamanda Nogozi Adichie -- The lawless / Sefi Atta -- The rival / Yaba Badoe -- Tropical fish / Doreen Baingana -- Scars of earth / Mildred Kiconco Barya -- Ojo and the armed robbers / Rounke Coker -- Ebube dike! / Anthonia C Kalu -- Three [love] stories in brackets / Antjie Krog -- Modi's bride / Sindiwe Magona -- Modupe / Sarah Ladipo Manyika -- Counting down the hours / Blessing Musariri -- Jambula tree / Monica Arac de Nyeko -- Needles of the heart / Promise Ogochukwu -- Give us that spade! / Molara Ogundipe -- The telltale heart / Helen Oyeyemi -- The veil / Nawal El Saadawi -- A sunny afternoon / Véronique Tadjo -- Possessing the secret of joy / Chike Unigwe -- Deep sea fishing / Wangui wa Goro -- Notes on contributors -- Acknowledgements.