Press release - embargoed untilFriday 13thDecember 2019
Hashtag Press announces winner of
2020 competition
London, United Kingdom:Indie publishing house, Hashtag Press Ltd, will announce the winner of the Hashtag Press 2020 competition as Yousra S Imran on Friday 13thDecember 2019. This may be an unlucky date for some, but for this prize-winning writer, it's the chance to grab a traditional publishing deal for 2020.
English/Egyptian, Muslim writer Yousra, who lives in Yorkshire, was announced as a finalist in September 2019. The other finalists are Charlene Shaw and Lexie Carducci.
The winning YA fiction, provisionally calledRed Lipstick and Slut Shaming, will be published in November 2020.
Abiola Bello, co-director at Hashtag Press, says: "I found myself wanting to spend any spare moment reading more to find out what happened in Yousra's story. It's bold, rebellious and on trend with an important message. We're so proud to add this to our Hashtag list."
Hashtag Press has published more than 20 fiction and non-fiction books since opening in 2017 and is moving to offer both collaborative and traditional publishing in 2020. In February 2020, a second edition of best-selling YA memoir, A Girl Behind Dark Glasses by Jessica Taylor-Bearman, will be released. Then, in spring 2021, the second book by Jessica will be traditionally published by Hashtag Press: The Girl In One Room - continuing her incredible life story (http://www.jaytay.co.uk/about/).
In summer 2019, Hashtag Press confirmed it was to launch a new traditional imprint, Hashtag BLAK, and is committed to publishing two British Black authors in 2020 and 2021. Submissions are open atinfo@hashtagblak.co.ukand the publisher is open to unsolicited manuscripts.
Notes to editors
Yousra Imran and Abiola Bello are available for media interviews.
Advance copies will be made available for review in spring 2020.
Media enquiries toinfo@literallypr.com.