We are delighted to announce the arrival of Chukwuebuka Ibeh and Musih Tedji Xaviere into our family. We present their brilliantly explorative works that unabashedly delve into the depths of sexuality, human relationships, and existentialism, with a delicate awareness that will leave you in a state of reflection and profound appreciation of what it means to be human, to love and be loved.
Blessings By Chukwuebuka Ibeh
Blessings is an elegant and exquisitely moving debut story of love and loneliness that asks how to live freely in a country that forbids one’s truest self, and the love that can flourish in spite of it all. The author skilfully navigates the intricate terrain of coming of age and homosexuality, offering a raw and honest portrayal of the challenges many LGBTQ+ individuals endure while searching for their place in the society. As Obiefuna embarks on a journey of self-discovery, readers are drawn into a world of inner turmoil, external pressures, and the desire for acceptance.
When Obiefuna’s father witnesses and intimate moment between his teenage son and the family apprentice, newly arrived from the nearby village, he banishes Obiefuna to a Christian boarding school marked by strict hierarchy and routine, devastating violence. Utterly alienated from the people he loves, Obiefuna begins a journey of self-discovery and blossoming desire, while his mother Uzoamaka grapples to hold onto her favourite son, her truest friend.
Blessings has been critically appraised as:
“Wonderfully observant and so beautiful.” —Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
“A masterfully executed story about love, faith and sexuality that clenches your heart and doesn’t let go until the very last page.” —Elvin James Mensah
About the author
Chukwuebuka Ibeh is a writer from Port Harcourt, Nigeria. His writing has appeared in McSweeney’s, Dappled Things, Lolwe, and The New England Review of Books, and he’s been profiled as one of the “Most Promising New Voices of Nigerian Fiction” in Electric Literature. He was runner-up for the 2021 J.F Powers Prize for Fiction, a finalist for the 2019 Gerald Kraak Award and 2020 Morland Foundation Scholarship.
These Letters End In Tears By Musih Tedji Xaviere
These Letters End in Tears is the heart-wrenching, forbidden love story of a Christian girl who falls in love with a Muslim girl in a country where being gay is punishable by law. This is an urgent and devastating story about the cost of living in a place that refuses to recognise your humanity. With vivid and textured prose, Xaviere weaves an unforgettable tale that will leave readers wanting more, not just of the book, but of life in its totality.
Bessem notices Fatima for the first time on the soccer field—muscular and focused, she’s the only woman playing and seems completely at ease. When Fatima chases a rogue ball in her direction, Bessem freezes, mesmerized by the athlete’s charm and beauty. One playful wink from Fatima, and Bessem knows her life will never be the same.
When Fatima’s brother discovers their affair, things take a dangerous turn resulting in Fatima’s mysterious disappearance. Days, turn to weeks and then decades, and Fatima remains unfound.
After spotting a mutual friend for the first time in years—the last person who may have seen Fatima—Bessem embarks on a winding search for her lost love.
These Letters End in Tears has been critically appraised as:
“A needed story about love and how that love gets torn apart by homophobia.” —Soraya Palmer
“A beautifully tender, heartfelt story about love and the devastating consequences of a world that is not yet all accepting.” —JJ Bola
About the Author
Musih Tedji Xaviere is a UK-based writer, activist, and Moth Storyteller. She is an alumna of the Goethe-Institut, the Moth, and the African Women Development Fund writing programs. With her debut novel, These Letters End in Tears, she won the 2021 Pontas and JJ Bola Emerging Writer’s Prize, and her short story, “Clever Girl,” has appeared in Odd Magazine. She has been mentored by authors Yewande Omotoso, William Moore, and JJ Bola.
The titles are scheduled for release in the first and second quarter of 2024. Specific publication dates and cover reveals will be announced soon. For more information, please contact: Theresa Ominiabohs at +234 701 838 3286, email: info@masobebooks.com, follow us @Masobebooks on Instagram and Twitter, or visit the Masobe Books website at www.masobebooks.com