Ethiopian-American writer Meron Hadero, winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing in 2021, is about to publish her debut short story collection, A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times. But how exactly does one bring a collection of short stories to light?

In conversation with presenter Sonia Paul, Meron takes us through her process of publishing a story collection and reveals the thought process behind every decision. From determining which stories to include and the order of the stories so that they create a whole other “meta story”, to deciding on a book cover, working through edits, inviting other authors to write blurbs, and deciding on acknowledgments and dedications, she reveals the complex process behind her latest publication.

Presenter/producer: Sonia Paul
Executive producer: by Rebecca Armstrong

This story originally aired and published on the BBC World Service on March 21, 2022.