The new and improved rebranded Ankara Press has returned with new books from Zibu Sithole and Zikoko!, and a call for submissions.
In 2014, Cassava Republic Press introduced the African literary community to Ankara Press, their newest imprint. The new outfit was dedicated to publishing romance novels written by African women that would be published as e-books and easily downloadable to mobile devices. The first six writers in this new initiative were Oyindamola Affinnih, Sifa Asani Gowon, Amara Nicole Okolo, Chioma Iwunze-Ibiam, Ola Awonubi, and Amina Thula. There have been a few other titles since then, but for a while, it seemed like the project had stalled.
On June 26, Cassava Republic Press announced that Ankara Press would be returning not as a romance imprint but as their newly rebranded commercial imprint. The new outfit promised to publish bold, genre-driven stories from across the Black world that are compelling, accessible, and unapologetically entertaining.
Cassava Republic Press Publishing Director Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, said, “At Ankara Press, we believe that joy is a radical force, that community is the heart of storytelling, and that every Black experience deserves to be seen. Our books span romance, thrillers, horror, scifi, fantasy, and nonfiction, but at their heart, they are about connection. We want our readers to encounter each other in real life, beyond the digital noise, and rediscover the power of storytelling as a force for community.”
The new outfit comes with two new titles starting with The Thing with Zola by Zibu Sithole, a novel about a young woman navigating family politics, bad bosses, and a hot new romance, all while grappling with her place in a country that no longer feels like home. The other is Love Lives of Nigerians in partnership with Zikoko!, a raw, witty, and unfiltered anthology of real-life love and sex stories from across Nigeria.
With the unveiling of the new titles, they have also announced that they are open for submissions from Black writers wherever they may be.
“From Accra to Atlanta, Kingston to Kinshasa, Nairobi to Nottingham, Cape Town to Cartagena, we amplify voices that pulse with the richness, fire and soul of Black folks across the global. Discover swoon-worthy romances, nail-biting thrillers, mind-bending fantasy, and edge-of-your-seat horror. Dive into nonfiction that sparks joy, heals your inner self, makes you belly-laugh and question everything. We prioritise stories shaped by diverse perspectives: age, disability, queerness, faith, class, and everything in between, because Blackness contains multitudes,” they say on their website.
If you want more information on signing up with the newest commercial publisher in town, please click here.
Note: Like with any other submission we put out, please ensure that you do your due diligence when your work is accepted by any publisher. Please check on the experiences that writers in whichever publishing house you want to see representing your work have spoken to. The usual questions apply; do they market your work? Do they pay out royalties? Do they ensure that your book is distributed to the markets they sign for? Please use common sense when getting into publishing deals.
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