RUTH MILLINGTON

2022 JANUARY NEWS!

A Happy New Year 2022 to your all! I hope you had a relaxing time over the festivities and feeling positive about the start of 2022. I took time out myself to recharge my batteries. I’m feeling much better now and it’s full steam ahead!

2022 Page Turner Awards

I’m thrilled to have been appointed a judge for the 2022 Page Turner Awards. It’s taken me by surprise, but I feel very honoured! As many of you know, writing is one of my great passions so it’s always wonderful to discover and nurture new talent.

The 2022 awards have just opened for submissions. As winner of last year’s non-fiction writing award, I can’t recommend this competition enough. There’s lots of terrific prizes and opportunities. It’s also backed by a very supportive group of individuals who go out of their way to promote writers.

I’ll be judging this year’s awards alongside many talented industry individuals including the Hollywood actor, writer and director, Paul Michael Glaser. I’m certainly looking forward to reading all the entries so, if you are a writer, check out the different categories of awards and get submitting! (And good luck!)

You can read about my role as a judge and what I’m looking for here: https://pageturnerawards.com/book-award-judges-2022/ruth-millington

To find out more about the competition and how to enter: https://pageturnerawards.com

Other News:

Next Wednesday (25th January) at 7pm, I’m a guest speaker/panelist at the virtual launch party of Sarah Tinsley’s The Shadows We Cast* (description of the novel below). This is Sarah’s debut novel and it’s been a fascinating writing journey for her. The launch party is free, and it’ll be a fun evening with games, giveaways & cocktails (see what I’m drinking below!) The writer, Laura Besley, and I will be discussing The Shadows We Cast with Sarah, including her motivations behind writing the book.

You can book tickets here: https://www.sarahtinsley.com

And you can buy her book on all the usual platforms including: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-shadows-we-cast/sarah-tinsley/9781838279875.

And I’ll be drinking this little number if you fancy joining me for one although I better behave and not drink too many until after the launch! Mudslide cocktail! https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/mudslide

As part of Sarah’s book launch, she has also recorded a series of videos with writers including myself. Watch out for my upcoming discussion with Sarah about working class writers. Discussion with Sarah Tinsley

* What if you couldn’t recognise the violence in others? Or in yourself?

Nina refuses to accept the role of passive victim after being sexually assaulted. She becomes obsessed with an online vendetta that risks her job, her friendships, and her sanity.

Eric thinks, if anything, he’s too nice. But when he takes advantage of a stranger he is forced to confront the kind of man he really is.

The Shadows We Cast is a dark novel about consent and control that unsettles ideas about victims and villains.

Peter H. Fogtdal: The Mango Dancer

My dear friend and guardian angel, Peter H. Fogtdal, has just published his new book: The Mango Dancer. It’s a serious spiritual farce about faith, doubt, cults, and gurus. Some of you may remember hearing Peter on Episode One of my Extreme Holidays Podcast. You can listen in here: https://ruthmillingtonsextremeholidayspodcast.buzzsprout.com

I’ve always loved Peter’s writing. Years ago, he wrote me a beautiful piece of prose about his dying mother. I’ve been hooked ever since until I came to realise that the majority of his 16+ books (other than the brilliant The Csar’s Dwarf) were written in Danish or some other weird language.

Peter visited me in London in 2009 and it was there I pinned him down on Tower Bridge and threatened to throw him into the River Thames if he did not write his next novel in English. Well, here it is, only 12 years later (he’s written a number of books in Danish in between) and I’m so excited! If it’s anything like his eclectic taste in the arts and life, and his wonderful humour, then it will be brilliant.

You can grab yourself a copy on Amazon: Peter H. Fogtdal’s The Mango Dancer

Once I’ve read it, I’m going to write a review. I’ll also be threatening you all with the River Thames if you don’t buy it.

And Finally……

For any women writers out there looking for support do check out The Women Writer’s Network on Twitter. The network was started up by a core group of women writers and the group has grown to over 5,000 followers on Twitter. Not only do they tweet information for writers, competitions to enter and publishers looking for submissions, but they promote writers’s work and have monthly on-line discussions. I’ve made some great friends and contacts through them.

You can find them here: Women Writers Network

Enjoy your week!

Yours,

Ruthie x