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Mannah wins Hachette UK’s Mo Siewcharran Prize for unpublished fiction writers
Foday Mannah has been crowned this year’s winner of the Mo Siewcharran Prize, launched in 2019 to discover unpublished fiction writers from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, and this year hosted by Quercus Books.
The award was announced at Hachette UK’s Carmelite House offices on 28th September. Mannah, whose novel The Search for Othella Savage was announced as the winner, wins £2,500 plus editorial feedback in the form of a two to three-page editorial letter from a Quercus editor, as well as a follow up one-hour editorial session.
He will also have introductory meetings with at least two different literary agents, an introductory session with the Quercus rights, marketing and publicity teams, and his novel will be taken forward to the next Quercus acquisitions meeting to be considered for full publication with an advance against royalties.
On receiving the prize he said: "It was inspired by something dark and harrowing that happened in Scotland in 2008 but my story came from the heart. I’m incredibly humbled and my mind is blown."
The Mo Siewcharran Prize, named in memory of Nielsen BookData’s former director of marketing and communications, is co-founded and sponsored by her husband John Seaton and aims to nurture talent from underrepresented backgrounds writing in English.
Sponsored by Nielsen BookData it is run as part of Hachette UK’s The Future Bookshelf scheme and is hosted by different divisions of the publisher each year. In 2022, Quercus is focusing on fiction writers in the crime and thriller genre specifically.
Seaton said: “The crime and thriller genre may be in sturdy health but the need for new talent is constant especially from underrepresented ethnically diverse groups.
“It is thrilling the response to the Mo Siewcharran Prize has been so strong. I thank everyone who entered, compliment those who made it either to the longlist or, even more impressive, the shortlist, and applaud the wonderful winner, Foday Mannah. The award would have given Mo great happiness, a devotee of writing in this area.”
Arranged Murder by Faaiza Munir was runner-up, winning £1,500 plus editorial feedback in a two to three-page letter from a Quercus editor and a book hamper, while Incarnations of an English Subject by Kalbinder Dayal finished third, receiving £750 and a book hamper.
The winners were judged by Quercus Fiction publisher Cassie Browne, Quercus publisher Stefanie Bierwerth, the winner of the 2021 prize Santanu Bhattacharya, literary agent Camilla Bolton, crime fiction critic Ayo Onatade, Ella Patel, co-chair of Hachette’s employee network THRIVE, and Quercus authors Elly Griffiths and Amen Alonge.
