Oneworld’s Magpie imprint pre-empts Akilah’s ‘stunning’ short stories

Oneworld has signed Shani Akilah’s debut short story collection, For Such a Time as This, to its Magpie imprint. 

Publisher Juliet Mabey acquired the UK and Commonwealth print and e-book rights excluding Canada to the collection of “richly imagined short stories linking the lives of an unforgettable group of young Black Londoners”, from Sian Ellis-Martin at Blake Friedmann.

For Such a Time as This will be published in June 2024 as a superlead title under Oneworld’s book-club imprint, Magpie, underpinned by an extensive publicity and marketing campaign. A sampler of one of the stories will be available at Waterstones’ TikTok Festival.

Partly set during the pandemic years and written by a young South Londoner of Caribbean heritage, the publisher says the collection “brings to life the stories of Black British Londoners as they navigate their way through relationships that break them, shape them, and sustain them through good times and bad". Linked to a central main character, they explore love and friendship, identity and community, and loss and faith.

Mabey said: “Shani has brilliantly captured the Black British and diasporic experience through a millennial lens, providing a fresh and contemporary spin on the challenges faced by a group of friends living in extraordinary times. Sitting at the literary-commercial sweet spot, it’s a stunning first outing for a writer of real strength and ambition."

Akilah, who co-founded the Nyah Network, a book club for Black women, and is a literary judge for the Nota Bene Prize 2023, said: "I’m honoured to have my debut short-story collection come to life with Oneworld. This journey has been a labour of love, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to be in the company of some of my favourite writers.”

Sian Ellis-Martin added: “I’m happy that For Such a Time as This has found a home with Juliet Mabey and the team at Oneworld. Shani’s beautifully crafted stories give an insight into the joys and struggles of the many variations of love and friendship, and I can’t wait for readers to have the chance to enjoy them.”