Derek Owusu: The Ghanaian author who just won a major literary prize

Ghanaian author Derek Owusu, who lives in the United Kingdom, has won a GHS 72,000 Desmond Elliott Prize for his coming of age novel “That Reminds Me.”

Derek Owusu is a writer, poet and podcaster from North London. He discovered his passion for literature at the age of twenty-three while studying exercise science at university.

Unable to afford a change of degree, Derek began reading voraciously and sneaking into English Literature lectures at the University of Manchester.

Derek edited and contributed to Safe: On Black British Men Reclaiming Space. He was a co-host of the literature podcast Mostly Lit up until 2017.

That Reminds Me is Derek’s first solo work, published by Ghanaian, Stormzy’s #Merky Books imprint. It is the first title in a two-book deal for Owusu, and the first book published by the imprint to have won any major literary prize.

The TV and film rights to Owusu’s second book with #Merky, Teaching My Brother to Read, have already been sold to Ghanaian Idris Elba’s production company, Green Door Pictures.

Owusu’s Desmond Elliott prize-winning novel, “That Reminds Me” tells the story of one young man, from birth to adulthood, told in fragments of memory.

It explores questions of identity, belonging, addiction, sexuality, violence, family and religion.

It is a deeply moving and completely original work of literature from one of the brightest British writers of today.

The Desmond Elliott Prize is recognized as the most prestigious award for debut novelists. It supports early-career novelists to establish their writing careers.

The prize was set up to continue the work of renowned UK based agent and publisher, Desmond Elliott.