Laura Latham, a UK-based journalist, and author, won a book adaptation at the Page Turner Awards online ceremony, where Paul Michael Glaser, from Starsky and Hutch fame, was a special guest to announce the winners.
The Page Turner Awards, sponsored by ProWritingAid and Campfire, offers authors, writers, and screenwriters the chance to enter the first 10 pages of their writing project, where a judging panel of literary experts and film producers will read the work.
LM Latham is a UK-based journalist and author whose work has appeared in the New York Times, FT and Wall Street Journal. They have a degree in film and an interest in the impact the movie industry has had on society.
Shoot The Savage is about an African American shoe shine who is employed as a Hollywood extra and thinks his dreams will come true. But this is 1936, the era of Jim Crow, and his casting in stereotypical roles creates conflict with his family, community and conscience.
In the early days of cinema, non-white actors were often required to portray racial stereotypes. The author wondered what it was like for a performer to know they were helping establish such stereotypes, and what emotional conflicts that might create.
Latham said, “Page Turner Awards offers a great showcase for writers unsure how to get their work noticed and an opportunity to gain valuable feedback from industry insiders.”
She added, “Readers of Shoot The Savage have often said it could make a good film, so I entered the Page Turner Awards to see whether the judges agreed. So, I’m thrilled my novel has won the Screenplay for the Book Adaptation category, and I can’t wait to see my novel written as a screenplay.”
This year, aspiring writers walked off the red carpet with life-changing prizes. One new unpublished writer won literary agency representation, while a screenwriter won literary management. Another new writer won a publishing deal, seven independent authors won an audiobook production from Spectrum Audiobooks, plus one other won a publishing package (including an edit, book cover and book trailer), and another author won a book adaptation.
The Page Turner Awards winners can be found here: https://pageturnerawards.com/2021-winners
Submissions for the 2022 Awards will open in January 2022. Find out how you too can enter your writing into The Page Turner Awards: https://pageturnerawards.com.
