Headline announces the winner and runners up 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 winner and runners up were chosen by a panel of judges, including Soraya Bouazzaoui, senior commissioning editor at Headline Eternal and author, 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, commissioning editor at Stylist magazine.
The judges said: ‘We were blown away by the quality, creativity and sheer talent on display in this year’s competition. Narrowing the entries down to a winner and two runners up was no easy task! In the end, these three entries stood out for their exceptional storytelling, distinctive voices and their ability to draw us into the story from the very first page. Whether through immersive world-building, compelling romantic tension or a brilliantly fresh premise, each entry left us eager to keep reading. We’re delighted to celebrate these talented writers and can’t wait to see where their writing journeys take them next.’
The Winner
Right Person, Wrong Timeline by Thara Popoola
Thara Popoola is a NAACP-nominated screenwriter and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, working across comedy and drama. Her television credits include Sex Education, Queenie, Crongton and more. Thara is currently writing her debut novel, Right Person, Wrong Timeline. You can find her on Instagram, TikTok and X @tharapop.
The Runners Up
Deathborn: The Hidden Hearts by J.D. Malle
J.D. Malle is a Cameroonian-Swedish fiction writer based in London. She studied English Literature at the University of Reading before working in tech marketing and film and TV. Her previous manuscript was shortlisted in the inaugural Penguin Michael Joseph Undiscovered Writers’ Prize in 2023, and she is a 2026 Black Girl Writers mentee for another completed project. Learn more about her at jdmalle.com and on Instagram @jmalle.
The Song Beneath Iron by Violet E. Scott.
Violet E. Scott is an emerging writer who loves to write stories that explore the intricate and messy realities of romance and fantasy. By day, they work as a clinical assessor in the neurodiversity space, a role that has helped inform their fascination with human connection, unique communication styles, and the diverse ways people experience love.
And here’s a reminder of the shortlist:
The Benefits of Marriage by Amara Ede
Deathborn: The Hidden Hearts by J. D. Malle
The Elegance of Rollercoasters by Aditi Nichani
Right Person, Wrong Timeline by Thara Popoola
The Song Beneath Iron by Violet E. Scott
Fashionable Love by Yolanda Tang
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.