Stormzy launches #Merky Books publishing imprint and announces first book to be published

The grime MC is hoping to encourage more young people to read and write

Stormzy has announced the launch of #Merky Books, his new publishing imprint in conjunction with Penguin Random House.

The grime MC, who released his debut album ‘Gang Signs & Prayer‘ last year, already has a label and festival called #Merky. The latest edition of the latter took place earlier this week at Ibiza Rocks.

In a post on his Instagram account, Stormzy shared the news of #Merky Books. “Super proud to announce our new venture #Merky Books, a publishing imprint in collaboration with Penguin Random House,” he wrote. “We will be using this as a platform for young writers to become published authors.

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Super proud to announce our new venture #Merky Books, a publishing imprint in collaboration with Penguin Random House @penguinukbooks We will be using this as a platform for young writers to become published authors, 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. Reading and writing as a kid was integral to where I am today and I from the bottom of my heart can not wait to hear your stories, your poems, your novels, your sci-fis and then getting them out into the big wide world. Proper proud of this! We’ll be doing school competitions, taking entries and submissions and looking for writers as well but I’ll keep you posted! #Merky Books will also be offering a paid internship in 2019! The first book to be released under the imprint will be “Rise Up: The #Merky Journey So Far” out November 1st and available for pre order now (The link is in my bio!) ??❤️

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“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 be a reference point for them to say “I can be an author” and for that to be a realistic and achievable goal,” he continued.

Stormzy added that reading and writing when he was younger was “integral to where I am today.” He also announced there would be school competitions where young writers could submit their work for a chance to be published, and a paid internship at #Merky Books in 2019.

The first book to be published on the imprint will be Rise Up: The #Merky Journey So Far. It will be published on November 1 and is available for pre-order now. An official synopsis for the book reads: “In three years Stormzy has risen from one of the most promising musicians of his generation to a spokesperson for a generation. Rise Up is the story of how he got there. It’s a story about faith and the ideas worth fighting for. It’s about knowing where you’re from, and where you’re going. It’s about following your dreams without compromising who you are.”

The book will feature “hundreds of never-before-seen” photos, annotated lyrics and contributions from “those closest to” the grime star. “Rise Up is Stormzy’s story, in his words, and the record of a journey unlike any other,” according to the blurb.

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The Penguin website describes #Merky Books as being “dedicated to publishing the best new fiction, non-fiction and poetry” and will “form a home for a new generation of voices.” It will publish two to three books a year.

Meanwhile, Stormzy stopped his set at his own #Merky Festival in Ibiza on Tuesday (July 3) to watch England’s World Cup penalty shootout against Colombia.

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