JUDGES
The Morley prize is honoured to be working with a team of judges drawn from across the literary field, including top publishers, writers and academics
Judges for the prize are:
Nelle Andrew, a literary agent at Rachel Mills Literary (RML). She has been nominated for Agent of the Year 2018 and 2021 and was a Bookseller Rising Star in 2016. She represents a raft of bestselling and award winning authors from Sara Collins and Elizabeth Day to Bryony Gordon, Heidi Perks and Ayisha Malik.
Louise Hare, novelist whose debut This Lovely City was longlisted for the HWA Goldsboro Award and the RSL Ondaatje Prize as well as being selected by Sara Cox for the Between the Covers Book Club.
Ayisha Malik, author. Ayisha Malik's adult novels Sofia Khan is Not Obliged, The Other Half of Happiness, and This Green and Pleasant Land were met with great critical acclaim. Ayisha was a WHSmith Fresh Talent Pick and Sofia Khan has been a CityReads London book. Her children’s books include a re-telling of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park and The Seven Sisters. She is winner of The Diversity Book Awards and has been shortlisted for The Asian Women of Achievement Award, Marie Claire's Future Shapers' Awards and the h100 Awards. Her latest novel, The Movement, is out July 2022.
Billy Kahora is the Lecturer in Creative and Professional Writing at the University of Bristol, former Managing Editor of Kwani Trust, and contributing editor with the Chimurenga Chronic. He is author of short fiction and the book The True Story Of David Munyakei (2012), and editor of the volume The Cape Cod Bicycle War and Other Youthful Follies (2019).
Nelle Andrew: As a Literary Agent who is also a woman of colour, I have made my way in the world when those who looked like me and had the same background as me were few and far between. I am thrilled to say that this is no longer the case (although in my opinion, publishing still has a way to go before the balance is completely achieved). Nelle is Head Judge on the fiction prize, and a judge on the non-fiction prize.
One of the most exciting parts my job is to find exciting new talent, empower arresting new voices and advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. I have had the privilege to work with many people from across many backgrounds in my career, and now with the help of Morley College, this is the latest initiative in which I hope to achieve that ambition.
Louise Hare is a London-based writer and judge on the fiction prize. Louise has an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck, University of London. Originally from Warrington, the capital is the inspiration for much of her work, including This Lovely City, which began life after a trip into the deep level shelter below Clapham Common.She was named one of the Observer’s 10 best debut novelists of 2020. Her debut, This Lovely City, was featured on the inaugural BBC Two TV book club show, Between the Covers, and was shortlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize 2021.
Billy Kahora is the Lecturer in Creative and Professional Writing at the University of Bristol, former Managing Editor of Kwani Trust, and contributing editor with the Chimurenga Chronic. He is author of short fiction and the book The True Story Of David Munyakei (2012), and editor of the volume The Cape Cod Bicycle War and Other Youthful Follies (2019).
Ayisha Malik is author of the critically acclaimed novels, Sofia Khan is Not Obliged, The Other Half of Happiness, and This Green and Pleasant Land and a judge on the fiction prize.
She was a WHSmith Fresh Talent Pick and Sofia Khan was a London CityReads choice. Her contributions have included, A Change is Gonna Come, A Matchmade in Heaven and the Sunday Times bestselling Conversations in Love. She has written a re-telling of Jane Austen's Mansfield Part – part of Hachette's Awesomely Austen children's series – and a children’s book Seven Sisters. Ayisha is winner of The Diversity Book Awards and has been shortlisted for the Asian Women of Achievement Award, Marie Claire's Future Shapers Awards and h100's Awards for Publishing and Writing. Her fourth adult novel, The Movement, is to be published in July 2022. Sofia Khan is not Obliged and This Green and Pleasant Land are optioned for television.
