The Mother Sun is the first title from Audible’s collaboration with the Women’s Prize Trust and was an original commission offered to the winner by Audible as part of the Prize. As part of the commission Annukka received editorial support from Audible and audiobook production of her novella, which is brought to life by Nimmi Harasgama.
Sent on a marketing conference from Sri Lanka to London by her boss, Surya is supposed to be enjoying a change of scene after a tragedy that has left her grief stricken and compulsively fixated on a long-buried, shameful episode from her past. Finding herself in the same city as the boy she birthed for an English couple seventeen years ago – in exchange for the money that paid her college tuition – Surya is prepared to risk everything for a glimpse of him.
Surya promises herself that she will be satisfied with just seeing her boy and knowing that he is safe and well. But when she tracks him down and follows him to work at a local café, she is left with more questions than answers. Why has he dropped out of school? What is he at odds with the world? As they get chatting and he offers to give her a tour of London, she can’t resist the chance to get to know him better.
Forced to confront her past, Surya starts to navigate a way beyond her feelings of guilt, shame, and grief, towards a hopeful future – but what will happen when the boy finds out who she is? Could finding all she ever wanted mean losing everything for a second time?
The Women’s Prize Trust Discoveries writing programme, which is run in partnership with Audible, Curtis Brown and the Curtis Brown Creative writing school, aims to find untapped female writing talent from across the UK and Ireland. Unlike most initiatives of this kind, writers are not required to have finished their novel, and Discoveries is completely free to enter.
Imogen Papworth, Content Acquisition & Partnerships Manager at Audible, acquired rights from Jess Molloy at Curtis Brown.
Author Sui Annukka said, “Writing The Mother Sun has been an absolute blast. I hope listeners are going to fall in love with the characters, as I have done over the past year. The experience of working with Audible to bring the novella to life has been nothing short of thrilling. I've learnt so much and feel profoundly grateful for the experience.”
Aurelie De Troyer, SVP of International English Content at Audible said, “It has been a pleasure to work with Sui on her first Audible Original. The Mother Sun is a powerful listen and has been beautifully narrated by Nimmi Harasgama – it’s a must-listen! The Women’s Prize Trust is such a significant supporter of emerging talent and we are proud to partner with them on the Discoveries talent development programme, alongside Curtis Brown.”
Sui Annukka is a British author of Sri Lankan heritage. Sui has had poetry and short fiction published in the following anthologies: Filigree - contemporary Black British Poetry (Peepal Tree, 2018), Shots in the Dark (Crocus Books, 2018), Sounds Exceeding 80 Decibels (Crocus Books, 2017) and Elevator Fiction (Crocus Books, 2016). Sui currently lives in London where she writes and works part-time as a High School Teaching Assistant.
The Mother Sun will be available exclusively on Audible from 25th May 2023 and available to pre-order now at Audible UK.
Discover more South Asian heritage month audiobooks at Audible UK.
