Longlist Announced for Inaugual Jhalak Prize

Awarded annually, the new Jhalak prize will seek out the best books by British/British resident BAME writers and award one winner £1,000.

The prize is unique in that it will be accepting entries published in the UK in 2016 by a writer of colour. This will include (and not be limited to) fiction, non-fiction, short story, graphic novel, poetry, children’s books, YA, teen and all genres. The prize will also be open to self-published writers.

Started by authors Sunny Singh and Nikesh Shukla and Media Diversified, with support from The Authors’ Club and a prize donated by an anonymous benefactor the prize exists to celebrate the achievements of British writers of colour.

The inaugural longlist comprises:

Fiction:

Chasing the Stars by Malorie Blackman

Harmless Like You by Hisayo Buchanan

The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Nina is Not OK by Shappi Khorsandi

Orangeboy by Patrice Lawrence

Augustown by Kai Miller

A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee

Speak Gigantular by Irenosen Okojie

The Bone Readers by Jacob Ross 

Another Day In The Death Of America by Gary Younge

Non-fiction:

Black And British: A Forgotten History by David Olusoga

In the Bonesetter’s Waiting Room: Travels through Indian Medicine by Aarathi Prasad

The judging panel is chaired by the acclaimed author and co-founder of the award, Sunny Singh, supported by YA author Catherine Johnson, the author and poet Alex Wheatle MBE, the poet and broadcaster Musa Okwonga and Booker-longlisted fiction writer Yvvette Edwards.

Announcing the longlist Singh said, 'It has been an absolute joy and privilege to read through the submissions. The first ever Jhalak Prize longlist demonstrates the strength, range and promise being produced by writers of colour in the UK today.'

The shortlist will be announced on 6th February 2017 and the winner will be announced during Bare Lit Festival March 2017.