Michael Donkor

Michael Donkor was born in London, to Ghanaian parents, and teaches English to A-level students in South London. His writing won him a place on the Writers’ Centre Inspires Scheme in 2014, where he received a year’s mentoring from world renowned translator Daniel Hahn.

Michael’s debut novel Hold is a story of friendship and family, shame and forgiveness; of learning what we should cling to, and when we need to let go. Belinda knows how to follow the rules, Mary is still learning the rules and Amma has had enough of the rules. As the Brixton summer turns to Autumn, Belinda and Amma are surprised to discover the beginnings of an unexpected kinship. But when the cracks in their defences open, the secrets they have both been holding tightly threaten to seep out.

Hold is an arresting and textured novel and Michael ‘has a gift for succinct, piercing description’, the Observer.