Penny Lecture: One face, two face, red face, blue face? Mixed heritage and becoming an author, with Joseph Diwakar

One face, two face, red face, blue face? Mixed heritage and becoming an author – last year’s Morley Prizewinner for Unpublished Authors of Colour discusses what it means to create and seek a voice in the British book industry as a young person of mixed ethnic heritage.

Speakers Biography: Joseph Diwakar is a young author and historian whose debut novel I SHALL NOT WANT won the 2023 Morley Prize for Unpublished Authors of Colour. Alongside writing, Joseph is the youngest ever member of the Archbishops Council, a governing body of the Church of England. He teaches history at Saint Mellitus College in central London, a specialist centre for training future priests.

I SHALL NOT WANT tells the story of a queer young Christian, James, who seeks freedom from shame at his unwanted desires. He finds hope in Ian Callaghan, a famous pastor, who promises deliverance through a strict programme of spiritual disciplines. James recounts first hand his mental capture and eventual escape from Ian, as a forbidden love affair leads him to discover that true grace and freedom can be found elsewhere.