Stormzy's #Merky Books author Derek Owusu wins Desmond Elliott prize for debut novel

The £10,000 Desmond Elliott prize has been awarded to Stormzy's #Merky Books novelist Derek Owusu.

Owusu won the prize for his debut novel That Reminds Me, a semi-autobiographical book which follows a boy called K as he transfers from living in foster care to living with his biological family in Tottenham.

The Desmond Elliott prize is awarded to the best debut novel of the year in the UK and Ireland.

Speaking to the BBC about the prize, Owusu said, "I've been an avid reader for so long and always follow prizes. When the email came through that I'd been longlisted, I was really blown away. I didn't write this to get published, I wrote it for myself."

He adds, "And an award like the Desmond Elliott, they're really trying to give debut novelists a platform to continue writing. The National Centre for Writing [which runs the award] is about giving writers platforms and opportunities. What they stand for is really important and something I'm really passionate about as well - getting more young boys reading and showing them they can write a book if they put their mind to it."

Stormzy launched his #Merky Books publishing imprint collaboration with Penguin back in July 2019. When announcing the imprint, Stormzy wrote, "I know too many talented writers that don’t always have an outlet or a means to get their work seen and hopefully #Merky Books can now be a reference point for them to say ‘I can be an author’ and for that to be a realistic and achievable goal."