We can’t all be a fresh new voice in literature

‘When I say I am lonely, my friends tell me, “At least you have your book,” as if the publicity stands in for a partner.’

Essay 9th November 2023

Sheena Patel

Sheena Patel is a writer and assistant director for the film and TV industry. She is part of the 4 Brown Girls Who Write collective, and her debut novel, 'I'm a Fan', won the Discover Book of the Year at the British Book Awards 2023, has been longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction, and was shortlisted for both the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Jhalak Prize. It was Foyles Fiction Book of the Year 2022 and an Observer Best Debut Novel of 2022.