top of page

"IF A LIAR TELLS YOU HE IS LYING,IS HE TELLING THE TRUTH?"

 - Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew
8.png
child-soldier-2.png
Booker winner. Writer of punchlines, manifestos, and calls-to-action. Failed cricketer, failed rockstar, failed vegan. Observer of people, machines and markets. 
Does not know how to use semi-colons; and unable
to spell diarrhea without assistance.


Shehan has published two novels and three children's books,

including Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew,

winner of the 2012 Commonwealth Book Prize, and

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, winner of 

the 2022 Booker Prize.

 

He’s also written features on sport, music and travel

for The Guardian, Rolling Stone, Wisden, GQ, Conde Nast

and National Geographic. 
 

He has over 20 years’ experience working for ad agencies,

tech firms, media houses, start-ups and multinationals across Singapore, London, Colombo, Sydney and Amsterdam.

crow_edited.png
leopard_edited.png

the Booker prize 

Read the Reviews
 

A selection of the reviews from the Booker Prize 2022.

book02.jpg.png

"Witty, inventive and moving"

"Executed with a humour and pathos that ground the reader."

illustration_kiids_01.png

AUTHOR

illustration_kiids_01.png

Shehan writes about forgotten cricketers, drunk old men, war photographers, chatty ghosts, self-driving cars and time travellers. His stories are absurd and mostly true. 

​

This year, a short story collection, The Birth Lottery and other Surprises will be published by Little, Brown UK and Hachette India, while his novel The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida will be released worldwide by Sort Of Books. His debut screenplay for 800: The Murali Story starts filming in mid-2022.

illustration_kiids_01.png
illustration_kiids_01.png
book03.jpg.png
illustration_kiids.png

FOR BOOKINGS

Events and literary festivals

assistant@davidgodwinassociates.co.uk

MEDIA REQUESTS

UK and Ireland – Ruth Killick publicity@ruthkillick.co.uk

India – Peter Modoli  pmodoli@penguinrandomhouse.in

Sri Lanka – Ravin Fernando ravin.fernando@gmail.com

Australia – Ali Hampton alih@allenandunwin.com

New Zealand –  Abba Renshaw AbbaR@allenandunwin.com

South Africa –  Nompumelelo Mgidlana

Nompumelelo.Mgidlana@jonathanball.co.za

Singapore  –  Amnah Tan th@apdsing.com

US  – Erin Sinesky Lovett ELovett@wwnorton.com

Rest of World – assistant@davidgodwinassociates.co.uk

diaspora.png
book02.jpg.png

"The truth rarely goes viral, but catchy songs often do."

- The Birth Lottery and Other Surprises
pangolin.png

"I've been from ella to valhalla, but haven't found a word that rhymes with udalla."

- Please Don't Put That In Your Mouth
Those-Sneaky-Plants-Cover-(31.08.2021) copy.png
Papaya_kids.png

fun stories for naughty kids

Papaya Books publishes quirky children's stories filled with strange characters and powerful lessons. Written by Shehan and illustrated by his brother Lalith, these books are designed to teach the curious, delight the bored, and distract the naughty.

Copywriter

Shehan has worked for ad agencies, tech firms, media houses, start-ups and multinationals across Singapore, London, Colombo, Sydney and Amsterdam. He’s written commercials, radio spots, ads, websites, digital strategies, activation campaigns, social posts, brochures and manifestos for the likes of BBH, Facebook, Iris, Havas, McCann, BBDO, Grey, Y&R, Bates and JWT.  

glasses.png
tv.gif
ads_direct_tgim1.png
Recipes2 (1).png

"We haven't changed the guards in 1500 years."

- Sri Lanka Tourism Ad

Clients &
Collaborations

skull-kingdom.png
HSBC.png
Srilankanairlines-.png
Netflix-.png
Adidas-.png
GSK-.png
Pepper-.png
Changi-.png
Disney-.png
Nike.png
Guine-.png
Samsung.png
Volks-.png
AIA-.png
Nestle-.png
Cocacola-.png
Sony-.png
Mbenz-.png
E.png
Dilmah-.png
Shell-.png
phillips-.png
jeep-.png
Lion-.png
DHL--.png
cASTROL-.png
Singer.png
Audi-.png
Heine-.png
Nayv-.png
Uni-.png

Reviews

"A crazy, ambidextrous delight."

- Michael Ondaatje

devils-02.png

Buy books online

lankan-roulette.png
bottom of page