For millions of readers living with disabilities, access to literature remains limited by publishing models that prioritise conventional print over inclusive formats. That challenge is what award-winning Cameroonian journalist and disability rights advocate Comfort Mussa seeks to confront with the release of her debut novella, The Shape of Unbroken Things/Ce Qu'on Ne Brise Pas, scheduled for publication in August 2026.
Published by Bakwa Books, the young adult novella introduces an innovative publishing model designed to make literature accessible to a wider audience through multiple formats. Produced as a bilingual English-French tête-bêche edition, the book will also be available in English and French braille, as an eBook, with an audiobook expected to follow.
Bakwa Books describes the publication as "more than a novella," calling it "a publishing experiment in what a book can hold and who it can reach." The publisher adds that The Shape of Unbroken Things "is for readers who read with their eyes, ears, hands, and hearts," emphasing its ambition to make reading more inclusive while reaffirming the relevance of physical books.
The story follows Iya, a young girl struggling to rebuild her identity after a life-changing amputation while facing rejection at a new school. Her friendship with Mambo, whose mother has hearing and speech disabilities, becomes a source of strength as the two girls navigate prejudice, isolation and self-discovery through friendship and art.
To ensure the work reaches visually impaired readers, Bakwa Books has partnered with Coco Bertin and the Inclusive Vocational Training Institute to produce braille editions in both English and French, widening access to a demographic that has long been underserved by mainstream publishing.
Comfort Mussa, founder of SisterSpeak237, has built a reputation for championing gender equality and disability inclusion through journalism and advocacy. Her first work of fiction extends that mission into literature, using storytelling as a platform to amplify voices and experiences often overlooked.
The 86-page novella will be published by Bakwa Books, the literary imprint founded by Dzekashu MacViban, which has become known for promoting multilingual publishing, experimental writing and African literary voices.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoice Web
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