Monsoon Press
    
 
 

WHO WE ARE

Monsoon Press is a new publisher, which specialises in Black, Asian and Minority literature. We aim to redress the under representation of ethnic literature and promote diversity in publishing. Wide-spread research has shown a lack of multi-cultural literature in the publishing world.
Monsoon Press is a community-based publisher specialising in books by authors from Asian, Black and other ethnic minorities. As such, we aim to:

  1. Provide opportunities for authors from minority community to be published and promoted
  2. Redress the lack of cultural representation in the publishing industries
  3. Meet the needs of a ready and growing market for books that redefine stereotypes
For any enquiries, please email monsoonpress@hotmail.co.uk

  
 
 

NEWS

The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage Book Launch
London, 17th November 2005 - Monsoon Press is delighted to announce the official launch of The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage by Rekha Waheed.
The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage is a sassy story that unapologetically celebrates the realities of an age-old tradition for the new generation. From the endless supply of unsuitable grooms-to-be, interfering auntijhis, broken protocols, to non-stop community pressures, we follow Maya Malik’s charming roller coaster ride through the arranged marriage process to realise that a girl can use old world traditions, and new world savvy to get exactly what she wants.
You’ve heard of Bridget Jones, Ally McBeal and Carrie Bradshaw, now meet Maya Malik. The ‘plagued by singledom’, quirky main character undoubtedly reaches out to a new generation of women through redefined stereotypes and new cultural challenges. All women will relate to her paranoia about singledom. The book is a contemporary, witty and proud representation of the controversial topic that has already created considerable interest.
The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage reflects the splendid spirit of Asian traditions that has mass appeal. Monsoon Press secured the debut novel by Rekha Waheed following a successful reading at London’s 2005 Spitalfield’s Literary Event. To celebrate the publication of this novel, Monsoon Press is hosting a book launch party on 17th November at The Bangladesh Centre, Notting Hill.
To purchase a signed copy, place orders to monsoonpress@hotmail.co.uk
Retail Price: £7.99
ISBN: 0-7552-1500-1

Rekha Waheed and Rabina Khan Become Panellists for BanglaTV
Winter 2006. London - Not content with just being authors, Brit Bengali writers Rekha Waheed and Rabina Khan take to the small screen for Voices, an innovative women’s program.     
Emerging authors Rekha Waheed and Rabina Khan have become panellists for Voices, Bangla TV’s provocative women’s program. Daring and bold, Voices debates the traditional, religious and provocative to challenge the old guard and attract new audience from the second and third generation. Hosted by Sohana Khan and Shabela Begum, the program aims to address topics ranging from the sassy to the serious.

Voices, hosted by Sohana Khan, first went to air on 7th November 2006, with Rekha Waheed and Rehana Parviz debating and fielding live calls about the challenges of ‘Finding Mr Right’. ‘There’s no point looking for a Brown Brad Pitt’, - that’s how the debate started before swiftly moving onto using Rekha Waheed’s novel ‘The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage’ as the premise for merging old world traditions with new world expectations.

Rekha Waheed, along with Rabina Khan, will be regular panellists on the weekly magazine show. ‘This show tackles modern pressures and issues affecting the new generation, issues that the older generation fail to grasp. The best thing about Voices is that the new generation debate the pressures because they live, work and understand what they are’, says Rekha Waheed. Future programs amongst others will include ‘Beauty: what are the pressures?’, Office culture: do you fit in?’, ‘Women: still second class citizens’, and ‘Role Models: who are they?’.

Voices is aired weekly, every Tuesday 7.30pm on Channel 791.

The Arts Council Back Monsoon Press
Summer 2006. London - Less than a year in operation, Monsoon Press secured critical Arts Council funding in a drive in increase diversity in publishing
Monsoon Press was established to increase the presence and participation of ethnic and minority groups in publishing. Less than a year into operation, and with a successful title launch with The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage and plans for three new title releases in 2007, the small operation has caught the attention of the industry at large. In particular, of the Arts Council.
In March 2006, the Arts Council approved funding for Monsoon Press’s three-strand Silent Voices projects. The projects tie in heavily with community outreach work that allow minority and young talent from challenging backgrounds to access to the publishing world.
The projects will result in the launch of three books, namely:

  •    Silent Voices: A Collection of Somali Experiences (factual)
  •    Roots: The search for identity (Fiction: British Bengali Muslim Identity)
  •    Hijab: The story of successful women in hijab (factual)


    • Monsoon Press has secured high profiled individuals to head up the Silent Voices projects-including Rageh Omar and Raj Ghatak. Penguin, MBA Literary Agency, and Eastside Bookshop are mentoring Monsoon Press.

    The titles will be launched in Summer 2007.

    BritBangla Captivated by The A-Z Guide To Arranged Marriage
    BritBangla patrons grinned, laughed and nodded in acknowledgement as Rekha Waheed’s The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage hit a social pulse
    Spring 2006, Bhangra Beats Restaurant, Covent Garden.
    Much confused anticipation surrounded the reading of The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage at BritBangla’s lunch in Covent Garden’s Bhangra Beats. Was BritBangla, an organisation that celebrates the achievements of second and third generation professional British Bengalis, providing a much-needed service for professional city savvy British Bengali patrons to get it on? Was this the marriage manual for the many singletons that socialised western style with eastern origins? Or was this the answer for the overpopulated pool of single lonely Asian girls to finally find that Mr Right?

    It was none of the above. BritBangla was simply promoting The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage, by BritBengali author Rekha Waheed to her peers.

    Moments into the introducing Maya Malik, the book’s single heroine, BritBangla patrons were captivated. The wide grins and spontaneous laughter that accompanied, and often interrupted, the reading marked the recognition of a role model and, finally of a story that British Bengalis related to instinctively.

    There was little doubt that the twenty something Brit-Bengali women related to Maya, who muddles her way through arranged introductions in a bid to find Mr Right. Their Brit Bengali male counterparts curbed satisfied grins, whilst relaxing in the envied position of being much sought after. Though, to the delight of the single women listening to Rekha Waheed, their grins lasted until Maya categorised single Brit-Bengali males as either the mommy’s boy, closet gays or as being emotionally disturbed.

    Rekha Waheed hit a chord with the city savvy patrons of BritBangla. Validated through literature, this group vibrantly discussed the once taboo topic of arranged marriage in the midst of a professional networking lunch on a sunny Sunday bank holiday weekend. The feedback showed that The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage had found a natural audience.

    ‘I am Maya- I am the single aging Asian girl!’ Jobeda, BritBangla Member
    ‘That book is funny, it had me creasing up.’ Kam, BritBangla Member
    ‘Congratulations. Your book works, it hits the spot.’ Ahmed, BritBangla Member


    Taryn Katoum, BritBangla founder, said ‘I’ve loved The A-Z Guide since it was launched, I knew it would be perfect for the members of BritBangla’. Given that BritBangla members comprise Investment Bankers, Stockbrokers, Molecular Biologists, Civil Servants, and Engineers to name a few of the professionals in attendance, perfection was a high standard to reach. Yet, perfect it was. The candid banter over dessert indicated that the book successfully hit the central nerve of issues affecting second and third generation Brit-Bengalis.

    Denise Browne, co-founder Monsoon Press, also presented at the event, outlining the challenges ethnic minorities experienced in publishing. ‘Rejections, lack of access to agents or publishers, invalidating ethnic experiences are common practices- Monsoon Press is here to change these experiences’, she said. Denise outlined the importance of validating ethnic experiences through literature through increased participation in publishing and promotion of ethnic talent. Once again, nodding heads acknowledged the need for and support of change.

    How would you judge the success of the event? The fact that the packed out Bhangra Beat restaurant asked BritBangla to vacate the restaurant after the patrons had overrun into the evening would be one indicator. Nodding heads, white grins and laughter throughout the day would be another. However, Monsoon Press would say the best indicator was the debate stimulated by The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage through Brit Bengali validation, which ensured that a contemporary and healthy appetite for grass roots fiction was created.

    Note: BritBangla are running a competition for a copy of The A-Z Guide to Arranged Marriage on www.britbangla.net
    		 
     
    Our Contact Details: | Address: Oxford House Arts Centre, Derbyshire Street, London, E2 5HG. | Email Us: monsoonpress@hotmail.co.uk