Trapeze to launch the Well-Read Black Girl anthology with submission competition

Trapeze is launching a "powerful and inspiring" collection of essays by black female writers, scholars and activists, called Well-Read Black Girl, with a competition to find an unpublished black British female author whose essay will be included in the UK edition.

Well-Read Black Girl, edited by Glory Edim, will published in hardback in April 2019, after Marleigh Price, assistant editor at Trapeze, bought UK and Commonwealth rights from Stephanie Koven at Cullen Stanley, on behalf of Emma Parry at Janklow & Nesbit.

The anthology of 21 essays is intended to highlight the importance of representing everyone in literature, regardless of gender, race, religion or ability. Contributing writers to the collection include Alice Walker's daughter, Rebecca Walker, Oscar-nominated actress and writer Gabourey Sibide, and Jesmyn Ward, twice-winner of the National Book Award.

Price called Well-Read Black Girl "a vital addition to the conversation around diversity and representation within literature and publishing" and "a joyful celebration of books, and of the work of black women".

To launch the anthology, Trapeze Books will be running a competition this month in conjunction with Janklow and Nesmi to find an unpublished black British female author whose essay will be added to the collection.

News of the anthology and competition comes after the Frankfurt Book Fair where Bonnier Books UK imprint Lagom announced it has signed Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené to edit Slay in Your Lane Presents: Loud Black Girls, The Anthology. Zaffre's collection features work from over 20 black British women, both established and emerging, and is due to be published in July. The launch was also accompanied by a submission competition and, as part of the acquisition, Bonnier Books UK is also offering a four-month BAME editorial internship in collaboration with Creative Access.