Thriller writer Ross launches prize celebrating North East

Bestselling thriller author LJ Ross has established a crime writing award worth £2,500 to celebrate the North East.

The Lindisfarne prize is for authors who celebrate the North East in their work and is sponsored by DCI Ryan series author Ross, who is based in Northumberland, and organised in association with the Newcastle Noir Festival.

The award is named after the place which inspired Ross' debut published three years ago, Holy Island. She gave up work as a regulatory lawyer in London to pursue writing when she became inspired by the scenery of Holy Island in Lindisfarne while on a train. 

Recognising outstanding writing in the genre of crime or thriller fiction, the Lindisfarne Prize is open to all new writers who are from, or whose work celebrates, the North East, and who have not previously had their work published in any form. Entrants must submit a short story of up to 10,000 words or the first two chapters and a synopsis of their work in progress, to be considered.

Entries close on 31st March, with the winner being announced on 3rd May at a ceremony forming part of the Newcastle Noir Crime Writing Festival.

The winning entry in the new Lindisfarne prize will be awarded a prize of £2,500 to support the completion of their work as well as free editorial and mentoring services from Cheshire Cat Books and funding towards a year’s membership of the Society of Authors (SoA) and the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).

Ross and has sold more than three million novels across 10 thriller novels, according to a spokesperson for the author. The 10th and latest instalment, Longstone, is currently topping the Amazon bestseller list in a number of categories while her next, The Infirmary, is soaring to the top of the charts a month before publication.

She said: “Crime writing has changed my life in so many ways and I can’t wait to help budding crime and thriller writers who are also from the North East, or who represent this incredible region in their work, to fulfil their own potential.

“The North East is such a rich source of inspiration. In fact, without this region, there would be no DCI Ryan. So, it is only fitting that we celebrate the cities, coast and countryside we are so blessed to have here in the North East with this new crime prize.”

Noir’s festival director Dr Jacky Collins said: “I’m thrilled that thanks to Louise’s fabulous idea and wonderful generosity, Newcastle Noir can collaborate in this exciting initiative to foster crime writing in the region.

“It’s also fantastic that this prize will bring a new element to the festival to coincide with its relaunch at Newcastle City Library for 2019.”

For more information on the prize, visit Ross' website.