Oliver Richbell from Bedford has been shortlisted in the Page Turner Awards eBook Award for his political espionage novel, Gloriana.
Oliver, a solicitor specialising in commercial dispute resolution and risk avoidance, entered the Page Turner Awards, where published and unpublished fiction and non-fiction writers of all genres can enter their writing to get discovered by high-profile judges from the literary world.
Gloriana is about a band of conspirators intent on quashing the Brexit Referendum result and permanently removing the Prime Minister. Everything was planned with military precision and with the words “we go tonight” they were ready to initiate Gloriana.
Oliver wrote Gloriana at the height of the Brexit debate and poses ‘a what if’ scenario based around a coup d’etat and a plan to assassinate the Prime Minister.
Gloriana has been described as a thunderous political thriller, written in the novella style, which grabs the reader’s attention from page one. The central characters are introduced as members of The Committee who meet for the final time as it’s leader declares “We go tonight”. Oliver has produced a short-read book packed full of characterisation, suspense and intrigue together with a twist that leaves the reader pondering whether Gloriana could really happen!
Before Oliver qualified as a solicitor, he was a History and Politics under-graduate. This helped him craft a story that captures the reader’s attention from page one.
Oliver is visually impaired but passionately believes that his disability should not be any type of barrier in the pursuit of his dreams. The characters in Gloriana have all been developed adopting some traits (and indeed flaws) of people Oliver has met during his professional life as a Solicitor and even some of his own personal peccadillos!
Oliver said, “It is such a honour to be shortlisted in the Page Turner Awards, not least because the quality of the other finalists is so strong. I am eternally grateful to all those that have helped me along this most amazing of journeys.”
The Page Turner Awards, sponsored by ProWritingAid, gives writers and authors the chance to enter unpublished or published fiction and non-fiction books, where a group of literary agents and publishers will read the work.
Judges are carefully selected literary agents and publishers who are looking for writers to represent and publish, plus influencers in the publishing industry.
Founder of Page Turner Awards and award-winning novelist, Paula Wynne said: “There are writers from all walks of life, from manual labourers to academics. All with stories to tell, most of them heart-warming and moving. We’re proud that our Awards celebrates excellent writing and helps writers and authors to get their stories discovered.”
Success stories from this year’s awards include three writers winning literary representation, six writers winning a writing mentorship, five writers winning a publishing contract and thirteen independent authors winning an audiobook production.
Find out more about The Page Turner Awards: https://pageturnerawards.com. Submissions for 2021 will open on the 1st of January 2021.
