Honours

Writing Honours
2019    Booker Prize Winner for Girl, Woman, Other
2020    British Book Awards: Author of the Year
2020    British Book Awards: Fiction Book of the Year
2020    Indie Book Award for Fiction
2020   The Vogue 25 list of Britain’s most influential women
2020    Elle 50 – Gamechangers 2020
2020    One of 100 Great Black Britons Campaign/Book
2020    OkayAfrica 100 Women for 2020
2020   The Orwell Prize for Political Fiction – finalist
2020    The Women’s Prize – finalist
2020    Publishing Triangle Awards (USA) – nominated
2020    Australian Book Industry Awards – nominated
2020    Glass Bell Awards finalist
2019    Gordon Burn Prize finalist
2019    Financial Times Women Game Changers of 2019
2019    Evening Standard Progress 1000 most influential Londoners
2018    Elected a Fellow, Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance
2017    Elected a Fellow, The English Association (est. 1906)
2015    The Montgomery Fellow, Dartmouth College, USA
2015    Triangle Awards: Ferro-Grumley Award for LGBT Fiction (USA) – Mr Loverman
2014    Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize – Mr Loverman
2010    Hurston/Wright Legacy Award (USA): finalist – Blonde Roots
2010    Poetry Book Society Special Commendation – Ten poetry anthology
2009    Int. IMPAC Dublin Literary Award: nominated for Blonde Roots
2009    The Big Red Read Award: fiction & overall winner – Blonde Roots
2009    Awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List
2009    Orange Prize Youth Panel Choice – Blonde Roots
2009    Orange Prize for Fiction – longlist – Blonde Roots
2006    Made a Fellow, Royal Society of Arts (est. 1754)
2006    British Council Creative Writing Fellow, Georgetown University, USA
2004    Elected a Fellow, Royal Society of Literature (est. 1820)
2003    NESTA* Fellowship Award – The Emperor’s Babe
2002    Creative Writing Fellow, University of East Anglia
2000    The Arts Council of England Writers Award 2000: The Emperor’s Babe
1999    EMMA Best Book Award for Lara

*NESTA= National Endowment of Science, Technology & The Arts

Notable books of the year

Girl, Woman, Other
35 + selections in newspapers, magazines
& the media
visit page for Girl, Woman, Other

Mr Loverman
An Observer Book of the Year

Blonde Roots
A Financial Times Book of the Year
A Prospect Book of the Year
A San Francisco Chronicle Book of the Year

Soul Tourists
An Independent Book of the Year
An Independent on Sunday Book of the Year

The Emperor’s Babe
A Times Book of the Decade, 2009
A Telegraph Book of the Year
A Sunday Independent Book of the Year
A Times Book of the Year
An Ireland Sunday Independent Book of the Year
A Times Best of Summer Books

Lara
A New Statesman Book of the Year
A Telegraph Book of the Year
A Weekly Journal Book of the Year

Academic Honours – Brunel University London

2020     Vice Chancellor’s Award for Staff
2017     Teach Brunel Awards: CBASS Best Small Module Award
2015     CBASS Award for Excellence,
2014     Appointed The Public Orator