Modern Stories 2026 Longlist
Headline is delighted to announce the longlist for Modern Stories: It Must be Love 2026!
Now in its second year, Modern Stories is a writing competition that runs as part of Hachette UK’s The Future Bookshelf. Hosted by Headline Eternal, in partnership with Curtis Brown Creative, the prize this year seeks to uplift and support emerging writers of romance fiction from Black, Asian, mixed heritage and/or multiple ethnic backgrounds.
The longlist has been chosen by members of the Headline Editorial team.
Lucy Dauman, Deputy Publishing Director, said: ‘We were absolutely delighted by the number of fantastic entries we received. The diversity, creativity and, of course, the romance truly blew us away, and narrowing it down to just sixteen was no easy task! Huge congratulations to our longlistees, and an enormous thank you to everyone who entered – it was a real joy to read your work.’
The longlist (in alphabetical order by surname):
Layla by Sahar Arfeen
Slush by Joyce Datiles
Repaint Alone by Victoria D’Cruz
The Benefits of Marriage by Amara Ede
The Moon Between Worlds by Maya Fischer
Influencing the Heart by Jennifer Frances
Terms and Conditions Apply by Mariam Ilyas
Deathborn: The Hidden Hearts by J. D. Malle
Searching for Love by Rituparna Mallick
The River Guardian by F. P. M. Martin
The Elegance of Rollercoasters by Aditi Nichani
The Scattering by Jana Pleyto
Right Person, Wrong Timeline by Thara Popoola
The Song Beneath Iron by Violet E. Scott
Fashionable Love by Yolanda Tang
Substantial Figures by Jemma Williams-Fyne
A shortlist of up to six writers will be chosen by a panel of judges, including: Soraya Bouazzaoui, senior commissioning editor at Headline Eternal, Abby Parsons, senior courses manager and editor at CBC, authors Rufaro Faith Mazarura and Maame Blue, Caden Armstrong, founder of Book Lovers Bookshop, and Amy Beecham, books editor at Stylist magazine. The winner and runners up will be selected by the judges from the shortlisted entries.
The shortlist will be announced approximately 7th July 2026. The winner and runners up will be announced approximately 3rd September 2026.
The winner will receive a £1,000 cash prize and a place on Curtis Brown Creative’s flagship three-month Writing Your Novel course, alongside editorial mentoring sessions, a meeting with Sheila Crowley, literary agent at Curtis Brown, and a hamper of romance books. The runners-up will receive a place on one of Curtis Brown Creative’s 5/6-week writing courses, an editorial mentoring session, an introductory meeting with a Curtis Brown literary agent, and a hamper of romance books.
Click here for more information on the prize.
