This is for literary enthusiasts!
According to Harpers Bazaar, June Sarpong is here to help give underrepresented authors a voice through her platform at HarperCollins Publishers. She’s teaming up with HQ, a division of the publishing company, to spearhead a new imprint that aims to promote and celebrate the work of underrepresented authors who do not have agents.
The author and broadcaster is committed to giving a voice to those with disabilities, those from minority ethnic backgrounds, and those from a working-class background.
“It is such an honour to be able to offer a platform for new voices from diverse backgrounds, there are so many stories that are yet to be told from worlds that have so much rich content to offer a mainstream audience,” said Sarpong in an official statement. “I look forward to embarking on this exciting journey to discover this untapped talent.”
Working with HQ is not new to Sarpong who has published three books with the company. Her work includes a new edition of her 2018 non-fiction book titled, “The Power of Women,” which was actually released earlier this month.
Sarpong looks to provide a platform for authors who are far too often ignored, overlooked, and even unheard.
“Over the past five years, I have been fortunate enough to work with Lisa Milton and the HQ family on my own books,” she said. “Their commitment to diversity and inclusion has been unwavering, so I can’t think of a better team to collaborate with on my new publishing imprint.
The HQ Creative Inclusion Lab (HQ CIL) is set to release four books within its first year and will follow up by publishing six titles across adult fiction and non-fiction annually.
“The ethos is really about telling the stories that haven’t been told,” said Sarpong in an interview with The Bookseller. “The home for untold stories, that’s really what we are, the home for untold diverse stories, there are far too many of them, unfortunately.”
