Masobe Books signs Masi
Nigerian publisher Masobe Books announced Linda N. Masi, who holds an MFA and a PhD in creative writing, as a new voice in their list. (x.com) The announcement drew roughly 274 views and 15 likes in its initial X post. (x.com)
Masobe Books has added Nigerian writer Linda N. Masi to its author list, expanding the Lagos publisher’s roster of African fiction voices. (masobebooks.com) Masobe’s author page says Masi holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Mississippi and a Doctor of Philosophy in English with a creative writing focus from Texas Tech University. It also lists published work in *Tupelo Quarterly*, *BlackBerry: A Magazine*, a children’s book series, and a poetry book. (masobebooks.com) Her first listed Masobe title is *Fine Dreams*, a novel the publisher now sells through its bookstore. Masobe’s product page describes it as a story about four schoolgirls whose lives are shattered by kidnapping and violence. (masobebooks.com) Masi comes to Masobe with a recent prize credential: the University of Massachusetts Press announced on March 31, 2023 that *Fine Dreams* won the 2023 Juniper Prize for Fiction and would be published in spring 2024. The press identified it as her debut novel. (umasspress.com) The signing fits Masobe’s stated strategy. The company says it was established in Lagos in 2018 and has published more than 200 African writers in its first six years. (masobebooks.com) Masobe also says it is “determined to find and platform the best of the emerging voices from the African continent.” Its submissions page says the house accepts fiction and non-fiction during a yearly window that runs from February 1 to March 31, with editorial review taking up to eight weeks. (masobebooks.com 1) (masobebooks.com 2) Masi’s arrival gives Masobe a writer whose work already moves across formats: novel, poetry, children’s books, and magazine fiction. For Masobe, the announcement is another example of how Nigerian publishers are pairing local distribution with writers who have built credentials in United States graduate writing programs and international prize circuits. (masobebooks.com) (umasspress.com) For now, the clearest next step is the book itself: *Fine Dreams* is already on Masobe’s list, and the publisher is presenting Masi as part of its current stable of authors. (masobebooks.com 1) (masobebooks.com 2)
