Weidenfeld & Nicolson (W&N) has acquired the debut novel of Arinze Ifeakandu, the Nigerian-American writer who won the 2023 Dylan Thomas Prize for his short story collection, God’s Children Are Little Broken Things.
“Say You’re Here” is a novel about two men who meet in a hotel room in a snow-covered city. The novel follows the two men as they explore their relationship and the challenges they face as gay men in Nigeria.
W&N acquired the rights to “Say You’re Here” from Anna Haddelsey at The Wylie Agency. Lettice Franklin, publishing director at W&N, said: “‘Say You’re Here’ is a stunning novel that captures the beauty and complexity of love in all its forms. Arinze Ifeakandu is a gifted writer with a unique voice, and I am thrilled to be publishing his debut novel.”
Ifeakandu said: “I am so excited to be working with W&N on ‘Say You’re Here’. Lettice Franklin is a brilliant editor, and I know she will help me to bring this novel to life. I can’t wait for readers to meet these characters and experience their story.”
“Say You’re Here” is scheduled to be published in spring 2026.
Ifeakandu is a Nigerian-American writer. He was born in Kano, Nigeria, and grew up in the United States. He is a graduate of Yale University and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. His short stories have been published in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and Granta.
W&N is a British publishing house founded in 1949. It is a division of Penguin Random House UK. W&N publishes a wide range of fiction and nonfiction, including literary fiction, commercial fiction, biography, history, and current affairs.
