Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- About the NYC Big Book Award and Its Judging Panel
- A Deep Dive into When It All Falls Down
- Global Reach and Participation in the 2025 NYC Big Book Award
- Highlighted Winners of the 2025 NYC Big Book Award
- About Chinedu Achebe: The Award-Winning Author
- Additional Opportunities: Independent Press Award and Upcoming Events
The prestigious NYC Big Book Award 2025 has honoured When It All Falls Down by Chinedu Achebe as the winner in the African American Fiction category.
About the NYC Big Book Award and Its Judging Panel
The NYC Big Book Award is evaluated by a diverse panel of industry professionals, including publishers, authors, editors, designers, booksellers, librarians, and expert copywriters. Winners are selected based on overall literary excellence, originality, and impact. This year, When It All Falls Down stood out for its compelling narrative and cultural significance.
A Deep Dive into When It All Falls Down
Serving as a powerful continuation of The Miseducation of Obi Ifeanyi, this novel follows Obi and Nkechi Ifeanyi and their children, Ikechukwu and Chimamanda, as they confront the challenges of contemporary life in Houston, Texas. Set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the politically charged 2020 U.S. presidential election, the story explores themes of family unity, identity struggles, and perseverance amid societal unrest. The narrative poignantly captures the resilience of love and the strength of familial bonds during times of crisis.
Global Reach and Participation in the 2025 NYC Big Book Award
This year’s competition attracted an unprecedented number of submissions from across the globe, including entries from the United States, Australia, Canada, China, Dubai, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Scotland, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Major cities represented include Chicago, Hamburg, Los Angeles, Melbourne, New York, Quebec, Rome, San Francisco, Seattle, Singapore, and Victoria.
Notable publishers participating in the contest ranged from industry giants to independent presses, such as Berrett-Koehler, Brown Books Kids, Central Avenue Simon & Schuster, Forbes, Muse Literary, New Harbinger Publications, New York University Press, Oxford University Press, Pegasus Books, She Writes Press, and the University of Massachusetts Press.
Highlighted Winners of the 2025 NYC Big Book Award
- What is My Legacy? by Martin Luther King III, Arndrea Waters King, Marc Kielburger, and Craig Kielburger
- Mikhail Gorbachev – How He Changed Our Lives by Bettina Schaefer (Berrett-Koehler)
- From Founder to Future: A Business Roadmap to Impact, Longevity, and Employee Ownership by John Abrams
- Modernist Bread at Home by Nathan Myhrvold (The Cooking Lab)
- Wild Fox Ridge by Xue Mo
“With such a remarkable array of authors and publishers worldwide, I am excited to introduce these exceptional works to readers everywhere,” said Gabby Olczak, the award’s sponsor.
Chinedu Achebe, a Nigerian American writer born in Richmond, Virginia, holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Houston. He debuted with Blunted on Reality in 2012 and followed up with The Miseducation of Obi Ifeanyi in 2017, which earned him the 2023 Independent Press Award for African American fiction. Beyond novels, Achebe has contributed insightful articles to platforms such as Huffington Post, Medium, and Bella Naija. He currently resides in Houston, Texas, with his family.
Connect with Chinedu Achebe on social media: Twitter/X @chineduachebe | Instagram @chineduachebe
When It All Falls Down is available for purchase on Amazon.
Additional Opportunities: Independent Press Award and Upcoming Events
The NYC Big Book Award, announced annually each fall, welcomes submissions from all authors, publishers, and illustrators, including entries from the Big Five publishing houses: Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster.
For independent authors and publishers, the Independent Press Award offers another platform, with submission deadlines every December and winners announced in spring. More details can be found on their official website.
Celebrate the achievements of award recipients at the Awards Dinner on April 25th, 2026, part of the BookCAMP conference-a key event for publishing professionals held in the New York metropolitan area from April 24-25, 2026.
