The shortlist for the Polari Prize 2023 was announced in London, UK on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. Here are the writers of African descent in the running.
The Polari First Book Prize was established to celebrate new writing with a focus on LGBTIQ issues by writers born or based in the UK and Ireland by Paul Burston in 2011. It borrows from the term “Polari” a term in the gay subculture in that part of the world. Previous winners of the prize include Angela Chadwick, Fiona Mozley, Saleem Haddad, Paul McVeigh, Kirsty Logan, Diriye Osman, John McCullough, Mari Hannah and James Maker. In 2019, the prize expanded to the Polaris Book Prize open to writers at any stage of their career (except debuts). They are sponsored by literary PR consultancy FMcM, and the D H H Literary Agency.
The Polari Prize this year is judged by VG Lee, literary critic Suzi Feay, Chris Gribble of the National Centre for Writing, and 2022 Polari Book Prize winner Joelle Taylor. For the Polari First Book Prize, Paul will be joined by author Rachel Holmes, poet Sophia Blackwell, author Karen McLeod and Adam Zmith, winner of the 2022 Polari First Book Prize. Both prize panels will be chaired by founder, journalist and author Paul Burston.
The longlists for the award were announced on July 24 before the shortlist was made public on September 27 by prize founder Paul Burston.
“The quality of long-listed titles this year was so exceptionally high, a number of much-loved titles didn’t make the shortlists. Taken together, this year’s shortlists are a powerful testament to the quality and diversity of LGBTQ+ writing in the UK and Ireland today. From dazzling debuts to writers delivering on their earlier promise and really upping their game, these are books to entertain, enrich and inspire,” Burston said.
There are the writers of African descent in the running are (still);
Polari Prize
- Here Again Now, Okechukwu Nzelu (Dialogue Books)
Oh this is WONDERFUL! Thank you so much! 🥰🥰🥰 Congratulations to all the shortlisted writers!
Okechukwu Nzelu
Polari First Book Prize
- A Visible Man, Edward Enninful (Bloomsbury)
- Raising of the Black Sheep, Livia Kojo Alour (Polari Press)
- None of the Above, Travis Alabanza (Canongate Books)
The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on Friday, November 24.
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