Jamaican-raised writer, authorpreneur, poet, mentor and orator, Kwame MA McPherson has become the first person from the island to win a bursary award for the Kit de Waal Bursary for Flash Fiction with The Bridport Prize: International Creative Writing Competition.
Kwame, who temporarily resides in London, England, won one of three individuals out of 14 who won an award in the Flash Fiction category which includes poetry and short story.
The Bridport Prize is one of the largest and most prestigious English-language creative writing awards, with prizes of up to £5,000 for unpublished poems and short stories and £1,000 for flash fiction. It is in its second year and its focus this year is on diversity including black and other ethnic minority writers. The submission period is January 1-June 30 annually.
Fay Weldon, Honorary Patron, Bridport Prize, said: “Mention the Bridport Prize and eyes of writers everywhere light up. It’s not just the money – though that’s not to be sneezed at – it’s a prize really worth fighting for in terms of prestige and genuine literary achievement.”
Kwame’s writing and storytelling expertise demonstrates his skill as a modern-day griot. His prose reflects his travels and experiences and he is a contributor to various international magazines.
He is the author of short story books Deep Roots, Strong Tree, Yawd Vibes, Jamaica Vibrations and Yawd Vibes; poetry works: Our Eternal Legacy, To Our Fallen and The Love Poems, performed with noted renowned international Jamaican poets, including Yasus Afari and Amina Blackwood Meeks.
He co-authored Wake Up, Smell The Money – 10 Steps to a Better Retirement Life (2012) and completed an entrepreneurship book, 7 Tips for the Virgin Entrepreneur: Doing it for the First Time (2015).
Kwame also wrote in the anthology The Lime Jewel, a fund-raising compilation for victims of the 2010 Haitian Earthquake and is one of the contributors of Frederick Cooper’s novel Unbreakable (United States, 2014). He is also a contributor to international magazines Susumba Book Bag, Turning Point, and Keep The Faith.
A Poetic Soul winner, Kwame has facilitated a number of workshops and delivered several presentations, with his most recent one at the University of Westminster in England. He has been endorsed by the University of West Indies.
His latest book, My Date With Depression: Mental Uncertainty to Self-fulfillment (2019), tells his story of experiencing and dealing with depression.
My Date With Depression: Mental Uncertainty to Self-fulfillment (2019) is being launched at the Jamaican High Commission,1-2 Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BZ, on Thursday 19th March 2020 at 6:00pm.
Kwame said: “I am extremely humbled and honoured to receive such an award since it is a testament to the strength of Caribbean creative writing.”
He is a qualified London Football Association/FA referee and certified lifelong learning trainer, has a panache for great chocolate and loves traveling.
About The Bridport Prize
The Bridport Prize was launched in 1973 at the Bridport Arts Centre in Dorset, England by centre’s founder Peggy Chapman-Andrews.
About The Poetic Soul
Poetic Soul was a creative writing competition run by Knowledge Bookstore, Brampton, Canada.
