Lockdown debut authors release short story collection to raise money for The Trussell Trust

A group of authors whose debuts were published during lockdown are releasing a short story anthology in aid of The Trussell Trust, a charity which supports a nationwide network of food banks, and campaigns to end the need for food banks in the UK.

The group, D20 Authors, comprises 16 writers, who between them have been longlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2020, shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Book 2021 and the Crime Writers Association New Blood Dagger 2020, and won The People’s Book Prize for Fiction 2020. Their collection, UnLocked, compiled by Philippa East, will be self-published on 23rd November in paperback and e-book. All profits from the sale of UnLocked will go to the Trussell Trust.

The group said in a statement: “Being a debut author in 2020 was never going to be easy. Traditional book launches were banned, literary festivals and other live events were cancelled, and bookshops were ordered to close. But it also brought some positives: people had more time for reading; book talks multiplied and moved online making them more accessible; and – best of all – a group of debut 2020 authors created an incredibly supportive online community where they could vent their frustrations and celebrate their successes.”

The contributors are: Debra Barnes, Penny Batchelor, Tom Benjamin, Caroline Bishop, Emma Christie, Catherine Cooper, Polly Cosby, Victoria Dowd, Philippa East, Tim Ewins, Gillian Harvey, Nydia Hetherington, Anna Jefferson, Louise Mumford, Holly Race and Rosie Walker.