On the 29th June 2020, Candice Carty-Williams debut novel won at the British Book Awards. She has now become the first black writer to win the Book of the Year Award with Queenie. This is a momentous step for black writers, publishers, readers, and so many others.
Carty-Williams said that she feels "proud" and "sad" to become the first black author to win the Book of the Year since the prize began in 1994, which is understandable. This is a joyful moment for us, but also sad for those who went unrecognised before this time. Carty-Williams understands this juxtaposition; she states: "I am proud of myself. I'd like to be prouder of the publishing industry. I don't doubt there are books by black women who came before me who are also deserving of the prize, but maybe those voices weren't seen or heard."
But thankfully, I think something is beginning to change. Stig Abell, Book of the Year judge, described Queenie as "a novel of our time, filled with wit, wisdom and urgency." And I'd have to agree with her.
Also, The British Book Awards Crime and Thriller section was won by Oyinkan Braithwaite's My Sister, the Serial Killer. It could have become another typecast novel that got shunted into the Others category. Instead, Atlantic promoted and advocated for its success and as a result, won this award. This novel stood out due to its comedic style on an otherwise dire situation. My Sister, the Serial Killer is the first novel by a Nigerian writer that has had global success; including rights licences sold in 32 languages. The New York Times stated that the book was "peppery and sinister, served up in a comic deadpan."
People's eyes are opening to the lack of diversity on the bookshelves. There is a demand and that demand is not being sufficiently met. But, the Black Lives Matter movement has led to many corporations and businesses being put under critical examination for their diversity and inclusion policies. Although, lack of diversity is not confined to the publishing industry; this issue spans far beyond the book trade. Nevertheless, I think the situation is changing; we are now one step closer to solving it. We have hope.
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