“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” – Toni Morrison
The quote above resonates with me. Ever since I was a child, I loved books. I love reading fiction and when it comes to cook books I like those that tell a story. Here at Shwen Shwen we are on a mission to inspire, elevate culture, connect people and make a difference through food.
Over the last few years it has been flattering to receive so many messages and comments on my Instagram posts asking for recipes and if we have any plans to write a cook book. I’ll be honest and say I lacked the confidence but with my husband’s encouragement, I have been penciling rough ideas down on paper and, as luck would have it, I was approached by a literary agent – and to my delight, she is of Sierra Leonean heritage too!
I signed with the Elise Dillsworth Agency in June 2020.
Elise has been a constant guide and support and no question is ever too trivial and she is always ready to help. Like me, she is passionate about creating space for African imagination and innovation to flourish. Work has begun on a cookbook which will take readers on a journey from the kitchen of my grandmother in Bo, to those of my extended family throughout Sierra Leone. We will showcase traditional Sierra Leonean cooking and introduce more of our Afro-fusion repertoire.
Watch this space…
Introducing Elise…
Elise Dillsworth Agency, was established in 2012 and is based in London. The agency represents literary, commercial fiction and non-fiction, with a keen aim to reflect writing that is international. Elise Dillsworth became a literary agent in 2012. Previously she was a commissioning editor at Virago Press, an imprint of Little Brown Book Group. Elise co-founded the Diversity in Publishing Network, which received the New Venture Award from Women in Publishing in 2005. Since then she has been a judge for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, Bocas Fiction Prize, SI Leeds Prize, the London Short Story Prize and The Northern Writers’ Awards.
In 2020, Elise Dillsworth Agency became associated with David Higham Associates, with their team now representing clients in translation markets and for film/TV rights.
For more information: www.elisedillsworthagency.com