Press release - 7th January 2020
The Diverse Book Awards calls for entries from UK-based authors & publishers
London, United Kingdom:Authors and publishers are invited to enter a new book prize, open to fiction books that are published, self-published and everything in between, from January 13th2020 to May 31 2020. The Diverse Book Awards is sponsored byHashtag BLAK(a new imprint of indie publishing houseHashtag Pressfocused on diversity and inclusion) and Literally PR (award-winning literary PR and marketing agency).
- The long-list will be announced in June 2020 (books will be called in at this time for judges to review).
- The short-list will be announced in September 2020.
- The winner from each category (YA, Adult & Children's Fiction) will be announced at a Hashtag BLAK party in London in October 2020.
Abiola Bello, co-director of Hashtag Press and Hashtag BLAK, says:"So much more can be done to raise levels of diversity and inclusion in publishing, but The Diverse Book Awards seeks to recognise and celebrate the amazing work that was done in 2019 by authors and publishers. In turn, hopefully more diverse and inclusive books will be published in the coming years."
Authors and publishers can submit any children's, young adult or adult fiction book published in 2019 that features BAME and/or inclusive main characters.
Each of the three category winners will be awarded a trophy, certificate and a PR campaign organised by boutique agency Literally PR.
Hashtag BLAK is currently only for submissions (www.hashtagblak.co.uk/info@hashtagblak.co.uk) seeking adult and YA fiction from Black British writers. The aim is to publish the first book by the end of 2020, the second in 2021, and then submissions will be open to all under-represented voices. Hashtag BLAK isopen to unsolicited / unagented manuscripts.
Sponsored by:
Notes to editors
Abiola Bello and Helen Lewis are available for media interviews.
Award enquiries tohello@thediversebookawards.co.uk.
Media enquiries toinfo@literallypr.com.
Online links:
www.thediversebookawards.co.uk
www.facebook.com/hashtagpressbooks
www.instagram.com/hashtag_press
www.instagram.com/hashtag_blak