2018 was an exciting year for author Mona Dash. She was on the shortlist for the SI Leeds Literary Prize 2018, for her short story collection, Let us look elsewhere. This was the only short story collection to make the shortlist. Apart from the excitement, making the SI Leeds shortlist meant various reading and networking opportunities. The six shortlisted writers were invited to read at the Rich Mix theatre in an event curated by Roopa Farooki; at the Asian Writer festival with Words of Colour Director Joy Francis; the Southbank Centre Literature festival in an event curated by publisher, editor and critic Ellah Allfrey; and finally in the Awards ceremony at Ilkley Literature festival with author, filmmaker and journalist Bidisha.
The prize provided an excellent platform for Mona to meet other authors and editors. This is good for anyone but especially made a difference to Mona, since later in the year, Linen Press UK, the only independent women’s publisher in the UK signed on her memoir A Roll of the Dice: a story of loss, love and genetics (published on April 22 and available to order on Amazon).
With a foreword by Professor Bobby Gaspar of Great Ormond street, a pioneer in gene therapy. A Roll of the Dice has been described by Linen Press, as a ‘thrilling page turner as well as a haunting journey towards motherhood’.
Read more at Peepal Tree Press.