At Quramo we’re focused on discovering new talent – Gbemi Shasore
Mrs. Gbemi Shasore is Executive Publisher of Quramo, the wave-making Nigerian publishing outfit which administers the annual Quramo Writer’s Prize, which is in its second year. In this interview, she talks about her reason for setting up Quramo, what the competition means to her, and her dreams for continental dominance. Excerpts: Daily Trust: The […]
Mrs. Gbemi Shasore is Executive Publisher of Quramo, the wave-making Nigerian publishing outfit which administers the annual Quramo Writer’s Prize, which is in its second year. In this interview, she talks about her reason for setting up Quramo, what the competition means to her, and her dreams for continental dominance. Excerpts:
Daily Trust: The award ceremony for 2nd edition of the Quramo Writer’s Prize will hold on October 21, 2018. How does this make you feel as you help chart a new path for Nigerian literature?
Gbemi Shasore: It is always wonderful to see your dreams become reality. I know that we are far from what we hope to achieve but we are well on our way there. The response from last year’s Quramo Writers’ Prize was very encouraging and hence this year’s run. QWP 2017 produced Samuel Monye as the prize winner. Besides his cash prize, he won an offer to have his manuscript published. The result is an exhilarating, fast-paced novel, ‘Give Us Each Day’, which, if I must say so, is a must-read. We are hoping that the 2018 prize will produce many more new African writers.
DT: The Quramo Writer’s prize is for unpublished authors. Why is this so and what is it meant to achieve?
Shasore: Yes, it is for unpublished writers, because we feel that there is the need to dispel the myth that books are only written by literary giants and writing is only meant for a select few. We know that everybody has a story to tell, and there are many people to help them tell it.
I believe in encouraging people who may have stories that they wish to share but lack the confidence to put pen to paper. The fact that QWP only accepts entries from unpublished writers creates a level-playing field for entrants.
By offering a lump sum of money and the possibility of getting published, I hope to provide an incentive for budding writers to begin or continue on their writing journey. I believe there is untapped talent waiting to be discovered and QWP is a platform to showcase such talent.
DT: Writers are seldom appreciated in these climes, yet Quramo is offering a N1m prize and publishing contract. Why are other publishers not taking a cue?
Shasore: I can’t speak for other publishers but Quramo Publishing is committed to promoting talent and enhancing the reading and writing culture in Nigeria. For this reason, the Quramo Writers’ Prize was established .
DT: How independent are the judges in picking a winner and does Quramo Publishing have a say in the final choice?
Shasore: We sort through the hundreds of entries we receive and eliminate those entries that do not adhere to the prize guidelines. Once we’ve picked out eligible entries, from that point on, it’s entirely in the hands of the judges. We truly don’t know who the winner is until the award ceremony, when the envelope is opened and a winner is announced.
DT: We have seen many prizes take off and then fizzle out. What are the plans to keep this prize sustainable, into the future?
Shasore: As long as there are talented, unpublished writers waiting to be discovered, we will remain committed to shining a spotlight on these emerging writers.
DT: Sefi Atta, after almost 10 books, has published a children’s book under the Quramo imprint. How did you manage to snag such a big writer, and why is she now doing a children’s book?
Shasore: I would like to believe that our dedication and the hard work we’ve put into producing our various books caught her attention. We were very excited about ‘Drama Queen’ and eager to present it to the public which we did on the 14th. It is a must-read and is published under our Mango imprint, for children’s books.
DT: Quramo started out almost as a small boutique publishing concern but it is showing giant-sized ambitions. Where do you see it in 5 years?
Shasore: I see international expansion, sharing African literary talent with the rest of the world. Under the Quramo Publishing umbrella, we have many ventures that I hope will continue to grow in the next five years: our book cafe, the Quramo Writers’ Prize, our Quramo colloquiums/conferences etc. – all our various components work to push our African literary agenda forward. Just as a pebble thrown in water produces ripples, creating concentric circles that expand and have far-reaching effect, I believe it will continue to grow and play an active role in enriching the global literary scene.
DT: As publisher, you are an administrator as well as tastemaker. Now you have Betty Irabor, Yejide Kilanko, Sefi Atta, Supo Sashore, and others. How do you decide which book to publish and what author to take on?
Shasore: We’re always looking for the best talent. I’d like to think that we have a good eye for a great story. Also, our service and dedication to the publishing industry attracts existing and experienced talent.
DT: You have a fantastic book café where you have conspicuously displayed books by other publishers. Are you not supposed to be in competition?
Shasore: No, we are not in competition. There is space for everyone. I believe we – Nigerian publishers – are all in this industry for the same reason – to enhance the reading and writing culture in Nigeria. Our primary focus is on finding, nurturing and promoting talent.
DT: Last year’s award ceremony was a celebration of the arts with books and music and drama. What do we expect this year?
Shasore: One exciting item on our agenda this year is presenting the gripping thriller novel, Give Us Each Day, by last year’s winner, Samuel Monye (QWP 2017). We are also excited about unveiling the new winner of Quramo Writers’ Prize 2018.
DT: Monye’s novel is very cinematic. Are there plans to make it into a movie?
Shasore: Are there? Watch this space (laughter).