A little more conversation

‘Male, pale, stale’ is the aphorism often thrown at publishing, but new imprint Dialogue Books, led by Sharmaine Lovegrove, is changing that

Right now, everyone is talking about diversity, but it’s not a word I like. The word’s etymology is rooted in division and separation, but I much prefer talking in terms of inclusivity. If we thought inclusively in the first place, we wouldn’t be ‘diverse’ and there would be no problem to fix. Why wasn’t everyone at the table from the off? Why wasn’t everyone’s story heard?

The aim of Dialogue Books (part of the publisher Little, Brown) is to celebrate difference, and publish the voices of people we don’t normally hear from, whether they’re BAME, LGBTQI+, disabled or working class.

Dialogue’s first book is The Leavers by Lisa Ko. It’s been published and won awards in the US already, so when I came across it at the Frankfurt Book Fair, I couldn’t believe it hadn’t been published in the UK.

The story is one we haven’t heard before: a dual narrative involving a 19-year-old Chinese boy, who is adopted after his mother disappears and loses his language, name, and identity, and his mother, who is trying to work for a better life but whose story tells us about the plight of migrants. It’s absolutely harrowing and struck me at the core. Lisa Ko has given us an insight into a world we assume we know about, but actually don’t. We make assumptions about what the beautician in the cheap nail parlour is like because her English isn’t very good, without understanding that she doesn’t have control of her life because of who she is and where she was born. She doesn’t have the luxury of choice. Ko’s narrative tells the reader that understanding is imperative for an empathetic, nuanced society. She gives us space to think about ourselves within the book, which is an incredible achievement.

Next from Dialogue are The Old Slave And The Mastiff by Patrick Chamoiseau, the story of a slave who escapes from a plantation and the master who runs after him. There’s also Brothers And Blood by Amer Anwar, who was self-published before I read his story of an Asian crime gang set in Southall. He is a talented writer who wasn’t given his chance. His book like a great bottle of wine – very quaffable! You know that moment when you go, ‘Oh my god, I’ve just finished it. Oops!’? It was like that.

Finding these new voices is key. Agents send me manuscripts, but I also go to creative writing courses and readings by people from different walks of life, actively seeking them out. My obsession is the story, and I adore the authors that can bring me those stories. Dialogue books share a common theme: people on a journey to do with their identity, who are trying to be their best selves. Books like The Leavers say, ‘These are the lives of other people. You might not agree with them and you might not know people like this, but their story is equally valid to yours.

The Leavers by Lisa Ko (Dialogue Books, out 26th April)