Ambitious start-up aims to improve diversity in publishing industry
Two University of Huddersfield graduates have been shortlisted for a national publishing award for their ambitious start-up company that aims to increase opportunities for South Asian writers.
Sara Razzaq and Habiba Desai have seen their company Fox & Windmill nominated for The Bookseller FutureBook Startup of the Year 2021 award, while at the same time they are both juggling the demands of their postgraduate studies and part-time jobs.
The pair met while working at the Bradford Literature Festival, having both started their different degrees at Huddersfield at the same time without having met. A shared love of science fiction and fantasy books sparked their entrepreneurial spirit, and in particular how that genre has yet to reflect its popularity in the South Asian community.
“We realised there is something missing,” says Habiba (right, above), currently studying for a Masters in English Literature. “We wanted to bridge the gap because we love reading fantasy and science fiction, but there is nothing that represents people like us in the books that we read.
Study English Literature with Creative Writing at the University of Huddersfield
“For example, the recent film of Dune is heavily based on Middle Eastern and Islamic culture. The books contain much that comes from the Arab influence and religion, so it is quite interesting the way they have been adapted, how the characters are portrayed by Frank Herbert in the stories and in film. For us, it is about accurate representation written from the perspective of people who know about this.”
Sara (pictured left above), who is studying for a Masters in Contemporary Historical Fiction who, like Habiba, graduated in 2018 adds that, “We wanted to move away from the typical tropes being written about culture and the negative aspects. There is so much more that we can write about, so many genres as well as fantasy that we could tap into. We wanted to find those stories as well.”
Sara and Habiba were encouraged to contact Hebden Bridge-based independent publishers Bluemoose by their lecturer David Rudrum. Meeting Bluemoose founder Kevin Duffy at the 2019 Bradford Literature Festival was a catalyst, and now they are close to publishing their first anthology.
“I can't wait to see what brilliant books Sara and Habiba publish at Fox & Windmill,” says Kevin. “Their passion and determination to get new British South Asian voices and stories onto bookshelves will see them blaze a trail across publishing, and we need that now more than ever.”
Into The Wilds is an exciting and eclectic collection of poetry and prose from British South Asian writers including Zaffar Kunial and Dr Sairish Hussain, who also lectures at Huddersfield, and includes an introduction from award-winning journalist and writer Saima Mir.
“As a new independent publishing company, it helps to have some established names,” says Habiba, “so having an award-winning writer like Zaffar, who lives locally and is published by Faber and Faber, and Sairish who teaches at the University really helps to lend credibility.”
The pair are also keen to give something back to the local community to encourage more young writers to get their ideas out into the open.
“We have sponsored a creative writing workshop with Bradford Libraries,” says Sara, “it’s an opportunity we wish we could have had growing up. We both loved visiting libraries so we are thankful to have the chance to give back with something like this. We also offer a mentorship with Liz Flanagan, the award-winning writer for six months, and hope to get a manuscript from this programme in 2022. It’s a really exciting opportunity.”
Sara and Habiba have been backed and encouraged throughout by their university lecturers and tutors, and Creative Writing course leader Dr Michael Stewart, who imagined the backstory of Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights in his own novel Ill Will, says they are the offering much-needed opportunities for new writers.
“I’m so proud of what Habiba and Sara have achieved so far with Fox & Windmill. They embody the DIY ethic of the true entrepreneur. What publishing needs now is diverse voices that represent every facet of our culture. Habiba and Sara have the drive and vision to succeed.”