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NEWS & PRESS
16 March 2023:
RUNNER-UP OF BRADT GUIDES NEW TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION 2023!
I’m delighted to be runner-up of Bradt Guides New Travel Writer of the Year 2023, part of the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards.
On the evening of 16 March I headed to Stanfords Travel in London, my favourite bookshop in the world, for the awards ceremony. It had always been my dream to be a nominee at the awards so it was a very exciting and surreal experience!
Nominee books for 2023 at Stanfords Travel book shop
I met many of the judges of the awards including the legendary traveller and founder of Bradt Guides, Hilary Bradt, and Hugh Brune and Jonathan Lorie, as well as the book awardees.
Jonathan Lorie, one of the judges, discussing my entry which got cut short when a technical fault lead to the winner being announced prematurely!
Simon Calder and Hilary Bradt
The judges said it had been a particularly high standard this year and deciding the winner was incredibly close. They were unable to agree so they had to make the unusual step of referring it to a third party to make the final decision.
Since I was a little girl, I always wanted to be a writer. I came into the game a little later in life, but with it came a wealth of experience. It just proves that you should never give up on your dreams, set your intentions and let nothing stop you. When the invitation came through by email for the awards ceremony, I had a moment of imposter syndrome, then I remembered who I was.
You can read my winning entry here:
An Unforgettable Day in Iran
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3 February 2023:
BBC RADIO SHEFFIELD’S BBC UPLOAD SHOW
As part of National Storytelling Week, I’m on BBC Radio Sheffield’s BBC Upload Show between 8pm to 10pm on 3 February 2023. You can hear me being interviewed by Ellie Colts and reading an extract from my memoir, AFTERSHOCK which is about how I survived the 2003 Bam earthquake in Iran and rescued 12 people over the course of 30 hours. I’ll also be talking about PTSD and how I overcame it, what inspired me to write the memoir and the process I went through writing it.
There were two major inspirations for writing the memoir. I wanted to show a side of Iran that is rarely spoken about or understood, and how my actions challenge the gender stereotypes that normally associate such acts of bravery with men (if women are, it’s usually as sexualised fantasy characters such as Wonder Woman or Laura Croft). Women being brave is a taboo subject and there are few accounts of women performing such extreme feats. Instead, society only recognises women as being brave in limited circumstances, such as mothers saving their children, those working in the medical or caring professions, and as victims.
You can listen to the recording here:
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31 January 2023:
BRADT GUIDES NEW TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION 2023 – SHORTLISTED!
I made it to the shortlist!
Last Friday night, I received an email from the writer and lecturer, Hilary Bradt, who is also the co-founder and publisher of Bradt Travel Guides, congratulating me on being shortlisted for Bradt New Travel Writer of the Year 2023 in association with the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards.
I’m absolutely thrilled! It’s always been my ambition to be recognised as a travel writer and a dream to be invited to the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards ceremony at the famous Stanfords Book Store in London, along with some of the biggest names in the travel writing industry!
In March I will be heading there where the overall winner will be announced.
A huge thanks to the judges for selecting me and to the Bradt Guides, Stanfords Travel and Discover the World Teams!
You can read my entry here:
An Unforgettable Day in Iran
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9 December 2022:
BRADT GUIDES NEW TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION 2023 – LONGLISTED!
I woke up this morning to the fantastic news that I had been longlisted for the Bradt Guides, New Travel Writer of the Year Competition 2023 in conjunction with Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards. Bradt Guides are the world’s leading independent travel publisher and I’ve always loved their guides. I’ve also been a close follower of the Edward Stanford awards. Some of my favourite travel writers have been recipients. Stanford’s were involved in the judging of the Bradt Guides competition, making a dream of mine come true.
You can read my entry here:
https://www.bradtguides.com/el-writer-of-the-year-2023-longlisted
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11 May 2022:
HelpYouFind.Me
Contrary to myth, I have come across many more solo women travellers than men. Generally, I find men travel with friends or their partners.
Ruth Millington
A big shout out to HelpYouFind.Me for speaking to me about my greatest love: travel! You can hear more about the destinations I think are the safest for solo travellers especially women, why you should travel solo, and mistakes to avoid while travelling. I also give out some handy tips on keeping safe.
You can learn as well about what inspired me to set up my Extreme Holidays Podcast and how I got the show on the road!
You can read the article here: Travel Author Ruth Millington tells all: Safe solo female travel destinations, why you should travel solo, tips, and mistakes to avoid while traveling.
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25 January 2022:
Virtual Launch Party – The Shadows We Cast
I was delighted to be a guest speaker/panelist at the virtual launch party of Sarah’s Tinsley’s debut novel The Shadows We Cast. The Shadows We Cast is a dark novel about consent and control that unsettles ideas about victims and villains.
We were joined by award-winning writer, Laura Besley. Between us, we discussed, how Sarah came to write the novel and her motivations behind it.
Sarah’s novel is available to buy on all the usual platforms including: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-shadows-we-cast/sarah-tinsley/9781838279875.
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
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20 January 2022:
Page Turner Awards
I’m thrilled to have been appointed a judge for the 2022 Page Turner Awards. I will be judging the Book Awards category. I’ll be judging this year’s awards alongside many talented industry individuals including the Hollywood actor, writer and director, Paul Michael Glaser.
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
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20 December 2021:
10 Adventures Podcast
It was a real pleasure chatting with 10 Adventures founder, Richard Campbell, and co-host Karin Campbell, on the 10Adventures Podcast about my solo travels, my lifestyle choices, surviving the Bam earthquake, PSTD and my motivation to help the children orphaned in the Bam earthquake.
🎧 To listen in, click on below:
https://adventuretravel.podbean.com/e/surviving-the-bam-earthquake-with-ruth-millington/?fbclid=IwAR3n6JHYKc_MkMuAugT5E3iXtbhdfbQd52o_TbbC-idLYMEMpUfwhW0ncS0
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11 December 2021:
Extreme Holidays Podcast
I was delighted to speak to Don Robbie about surviving the 2003 Bam earthquake in Iran, PSTD, trauma, the impact it had on my relationships, becoming a director of Action for Orphans helping out children orphaned in the earthquake, and how writing my upcoming book was part of my healing journey.
🎧 To listen in, click on below:
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26 October 2021:
Page Turner Awards
“It’s an honour to receive this award for a memoir that was extremely challenging to write. I’m thrilled my work has been recognised, and I dedicate this award to the thousands who died or were affected by the Bam earthquake.”
– Ruth Millington
I’m delighted that my unpublished memoir, Aftershock, was announced as the winner of the 2021 Page Turner Awards, Writing Award for non-fiction at an online ceremony on 26 October 2021. The awards were hosted by Ken and Paula Sheridan, the creators of the Page Turner Awards. The special guest was the American writer/director and actor of Starsky and Hutch fame, Paul Michael Glaser, who spoke and presented at the ceremony.
The full press release is here: https://pageturnerawards.com/2021-award-winners-stories/sheffield-woman-wins-international-writing-contest-for-true-life-heroic
Further details including an extract from my winning entry are here: https://pageturnerawards.com/2021-winners
You can see all the YouTube clips of the awards ceremony here: https://pageturnerawards.com/video-gallery
And the moment I received the award!
And here’s another clip from the award!
The Red Carpet Moment!
And Paul Michael Glaser!
About Page Turner Awards
Page Turner Awards gives unpublished writers the chance to enter unpublished fiction and non-fiction books, to be read by a carefully curated judging panel made up of influential players in the publishing industry. And published authors, whether mainstream published or independently published, the chance to get their fiction story or non-fiction book recognized by successful authors, high-calibre industry professionals and film producers.”
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12 October 2021:
Page Turner Awards
My unpublished memoir, Aftershock, is shortlisted in the international 2021 Writing Award category of the Page Turner Awards (one of 13 manuscripts to be selected).
Winner to be announced on 26 October.
Further details here: https://pageturnerawards.com/2021-writing-award-shortlist
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24 September 2021:
Page Turner Awards
I’m thrilled to announce that my unpublished memoir, Aftershock, has been longlisted in the international 2021 Writing Award category of the Page Turner Awards. Originally declared a finalist on 7 September, Aftershock, was selected out of 123 finalists to go on the longlist.
Aftershock has now been put through to the next round. Judging takes place during the Autumn.
Further details here: https://pageturnerawards.com/2021-longlists
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23 September 2021:
Extreme Holidays Podcast
Ruth Millington’s Extreme Holidays Podcast ranks in the top 10% of podcasts worldwide since its launch 2 weeks ago! 🎉
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7 September 2021:
Page Turner Awards
I’m delighted to announce that my debut memoir, Aftershock, has made it to the finals of both the Writing Award category and the Mentorship Award category of the 2021 Page Turner Awards. The competition is open to writers world wide. Winners will be announced in the Autumn.
https://pageturnerawards.com/2021-writing-award-finalists
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31 August 2021:
Yeovil Literary Prize
An extract from Aftershock is shortlisted in the prestigious 2021 Yeovil Literary Prize (Writing Without Restriction category). The competition is open to writers world wide.
Steve Voake was the judge. Steve is an award-winning writer and Senior Lecturer on the prestigious under and postgraduate Creative Writing courses at Bath Spa University and the Arvon Foundation.
To prevent bias, judging was done anonymously without writers’ names being disclosed.
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15 August 2021:
Yeovil Literary Prize
An extract from Aftershock is longlisted in the 2021 Yeovil Literary Prize (Writing Without Restriction category).
Steve Voake judged the category. Steve is an award-winning writer and Senior Lecturer on the prestigious under and postgraduate Creative Writing courses at Bath Spa University and the Arvon Foundation.
To prevent bias, judging was done anonymously without writers’ names being disclosed.
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1 June 2021:
Mslexia Memoir & Life-Writing Competition
My debut memoir, Aftershock, has been named a finalist/runner up in the prestigious, international 2020 Mslexia Memoir & Life-Writing Competition.
To prevent bias, judging was done anonymously without writers’ names being disclosed.
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27 June 2019:
Northern Writers’ Awards
A first draft of my debut memoir, Aftershock, is shortlisted in the 2019 NorthBound Book Award category of the Northern Writers’ Awards.
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7 May 2013:
MY INTERVIEW ON BBC WORLD SERVICE’S ‘OUTLOOK’
In 2003, I was a Christmas visitor to Bam in southeastern Iran. On Boxing Day a magnitude 6.5 earthquake hit the city. The quake destroyed 90% of the town and eventually led to the tragic deaths of over 26,000 Iranians. I was staying at a local guesthouse which was levelled to the ground by the quake. I awoke to find myself in the rubble. Over the following thirty hours, my best friend and I went on to rescue at least seven further survivors with our bare hands.
LISTEN AT 23.30 MINUTES to my interview with Mathew Bannister of BBC World Service’s ‘Outlook’ about the event.
RUTH MILLINGTON 